SI vs. Mission: Some perspective
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Very impressive. Mission was professional, business-like, focused and well-prepared. They expected to win. They didn't celebrate in any over-the-top manner. They won, exited the floor, received some kudos and went to the locker room. Another game upcoming. Another day at the office. They are now 33-1. Is that the best record in the entire state? Oh, and Harris. Mercy. What an athlete. Dominant on both ends of the floor, especially defensively in the second half. Whew. Worth the price of admission.
Congratulations to Mission on a hard fought win. It was nice seeing the joint filled with SF high school basketball fans. SI had a tough night overall with Beckman not making a 3 pointer and Redmond having a very rare off night. I thought that Trammel played well but he wasn't hitting any 3s in the second half either.
Good luck to Mission against Vanden in the NorCal Finals. It would be great to see them make it all the way to Sacramento.
Good luck to Mission against Vanden in the NorCal Finals. It would be great to see them make it all the way to Sacramento.
What a fun game to watch!! During the game I had the feeling either team could win this game.
Mission started on fire! Going up 9-0. Si's senior big man lost his composure out of the gate. He came in and immediately started talking shit in the face of the big man from Mission. The Mission player never reacted. The ref let it go for a second, then T'd him after 5 seconds of it. Senior Leadership? High Character of a kid who goes to a preparatory, super questionable.
Trammel absolutely took over and finished the first half on fire. Finishing with 17 at half. Hitting big 3 after 3. 2 big JV kids from SI played well in the first half. Their size, both 6'4" plus, hurt Mission on the boards. Mission had 3 players with 3 fouls in the first half and the cats had the momentum heading into the half.
The second half was all Niamey Harris. He put the glove on trammel. And Had a monstrous put back Slam, that brought the house down. His Defense was truly spectacular on Trammel. Beckman missed a lot of shots and Redmond diapsappeared. With 2 minutes left and down 4, I looked at the cats bench and the senior big had terrible body language. His negative energy was apparent.
I Bring this up, because it takes every one who sits on that bench to be positive, supportive and not a distraction. If there is, you will not be traveling on in the tourney.
Congrats to Coach Zelaya and the bears! Bring home a banner!
Mission started on fire! Going up 9-0. Si's senior big man lost his composure out of the gate. He came in and immediately started talking shit in the face of the big man from Mission. The Mission player never reacted. The ref let it go for a second, then T'd him after 5 seconds of it. Senior Leadership? High Character of a kid who goes to a preparatory, super questionable.
Trammel absolutely took over and finished the first half on fire. Finishing with 17 at half. Hitting big 3 after 3. 2 big JV kids from SI played well in the first half. Their size, both 6'4" plus, hurt Mission on the boards. Mission had 3 players with 3 fouls in the first half and the cats had the momentum heading into the half.
The second half was all Niamey Harris. He put the glove on trammel. And Had a monstrous put back Slam, that brought the house down. His Defense was truly spectacular on Trammel. Beckman missed a lot of shots and Redmond diapsappeared. With 2 minutes left and down 4, I looked at the cats bench and the senior big had terrible body language. His negative energy was apparent.
I Bring this up, because it takes every one who sits on that bench to be positive, supportive and not a distraction. If there is, you will not be traveling on in the tourney.
Congrats to Coach Zelaya and the bears! Bring home a banner!
SI played tight and like they were scared to run with Mission. Harris was the man in the second half. That dunk will be on highlights all over for a minute. I thought SI should have run the tempo a bit more and made it an open court game and maybe Redmond and Beckman might have gotten some easier looks. Could have gotten more confidence and maybe hit a couple jumpers because of it. Every set seemed like it was for an outside shot and they did not fall tonight for SI at all.
Number 5 for Mission had like 11 points in the first half and was a big key why they were close at the half. He got them started with a confident three to start the game and hit couple others in the first half. Didn't do much in second half but didn't to cus Harris and number 24 off the bench for Mission did some scoring to offset the foul trouble that Abraham got into.
Congrats to Mission and Coach Zelaya, very composed and business like. They looked like the more mature and better team tonight.
Number 5 for Mission had like 11 points in the first half and was a big key why they were close at the half. He got them started with a confident three to start the game and hit couple others in the first half. Didn't do much in second half but didn't to cus Harris and number 24 off the bench for Mission did some scoring to offset the foul trouble that Abraham got into.
Congrats to Mission and Coach Zelaya, very composed and business like. They looked like the more mature and better team tonight.
Unbelievable atmosphere. I am sure Fire Marshall was holding his breathe. Yes, S.I. reserve center came in and promptly talked crap to Mission center, it must have been egregious, because the referee was adamant about what he said and told S.I. coach; he promptly sat kid down and he was a non-factor rest of game. Mission was all business, comfortable in half court sets, ran when they had to, and was very business-like. Niamey Harris put-back dunk was for the ages. Police had to secure area under basket because the crowd reaction went onto court.
Mission took the WCAL team to the matt. Cats were stunned. The biggest win for a public school city team since Wilson beat Sacred Heart in the 1968 AAA Championship. Mission - clearly the best TEAM in The City this year. Also looks as if S.I. will have most of team back.
Mission took the WCAL team to the matt. Cats were stunned. The biggest win for a public school city team since Wilson beat Sacred Heart in the 1968 AAA Championship. Mission - clearly the best TEAM in The City this year. Also looks as if S.I. will have most of team back.
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SI missed their chance for state title. Next year they will be in Open for sure. Yes that state title sure looks good in the trophy wall on Ellis St. =) Thank you Coach Barbour, Kevin Greene, Jerry Brown, and Nate Gartrell!
Coach Zelaya SHC class of 1987...This might make people start talking about him again coaching at the Alma Mater....he did what many SHC coaches generally can't do, win the big ones against SI....Congrats!
If Zelaya is a full-time teacher/staff at Mission, highly unlikely he will leave with the benefits and pension working for the SFUSD.
Coach Zelaya is a dean and athletic director at Mission. It would be very unlikely he would leave for SHC if the job came up.
It would be interesting to know if SHC wanted to interview him last year when the job was available.
Found a great article on the history of the TOC:
http://www.weebly.com/uploads/3/0/9/7/30972031/tochistory.pdf
http://www.weebly.com/uploads/3/0/9/7/30972031/tochistory.pdf
By the way, about Harris, what's the outlook for him as a collegian? Football probably will be his chosen path. Probably as a WR or DB. Does he have options? Any news on him? He's an interesting prospect. Very mature. Good leadership qualities. Physically strong and tough. Nice athlete.
Colhenry, Harris is a great story as he is one of the students under the Scholars Interest Group (SIG). SHC's JWS, Watkins and Riordan's Mezie Bros are also in this program.
http://sigsf.org/about/
Im not sure what happened here. I very well may be grasping straws but the kids like Harris, the Pratt brothers (I haven't seen them play) but most of them have that SF Rebels connection) usually had that direct pipeline to SH. Perhaps they were totally content on going to Mission but usually a player like Harris is going to SH. For whatever reason he did not go there, maybe SH ran out of freebies to give out. And Herman Pratt's brothers you would think would go to SH also.
That said, very glad to see this team beat SI and hope they make it to Sacramento.
That said, very glad to see this team beat SI and hope they make it to Sacramento.
The Mission kids are pretty well grounded. Solid GPAs, etc. This isnt your uncle's Mission.
I thought Harris may go to Riordan early, but stayed at Mission. Pratt brothers friends going to Mission. Though I agree the older Pratt is SHC best defender of all time.
As for Harris, I know for football, San Jose State, Colorado and couple WAC schools interested. Grades arent a problem. He's a tweener for basketball, but loves the sport. Arguably the best athlete the City has seen in quite awhile. Player of Year twice in football, probably basketball.
Zelaya is an excellent mentor to these kids; they respect him. As for him going to SHC? Doubtful. He is Dean of Students/A.D at Mission. Do you really think he'd leave his tenured position with the SFUSD to work under the SHC administration and AD corp? I spoke of him being the best fit for SHC program last year, because he wouldnt take crap from parents and admin to play/coddle certain kids. My sense, he grew up in the Mission and loves what he is doing.
I thought Harris may go to Riordan early, but stayed at Mission. Pratt brothers friends going to Mission. Though I agree the older Pratt is SHC best defender of all time.
As for Harris, I know for football, San Jose State, Colorado and couple WAC schools interested. Grades arent a problem. He's a tweener for basketball, but loves the sport. Arguably the best athlete the City has seen in quite awhile. Player of Year twice in football, probably basketball.
Zelaya is an excellent mentor to these kids; they respect him. As for him going to SHC? Doubtful. He is Dean of Students/A.D at Mission. Do you really think he'd leave his tenured position with the SFUSD to work under the SHC administration and AD corp? I spoke of him being the best fit for SHC program last year, because he wouldnt take crap from parents and admin to play/coddle certain kids. My sense, he grew up in the Mission and loves what he is doing.
Yep.....the good stuff right here.....that last year of this link ('80) was my senior year at Albany (first tow years were at El Cerrito).
I recall being there as usual at the Coliseum and couldn't believe I was watching Roseville (with soon-to-be BYU QB Robbie Bosco) take the 2A title. We had beaten them (and we finished 9-15 and were 1-7 when we played them) in the Pinole Valley Xmas tourney that season, 67-65, when I had my best game of the season in a long-distance duel with Bosco.
The night prior we opened the PV tourney vs. Hayward featuring the absolutely ELECTRIC, 6-1 leaping guard Ron Davis (he would go on scorch Berkeley for 39 or 40 in the NCS semis that season) and a 6-4, 230 pound guy they put at the point in the second half who proceeded to shoot us out of our 3-2 zone that have them baffled (they were 9-1 and No. 4 in the bay area while we were 1-6).
We lost 66-60 and that guy was some big kid named Jack Del Rio
Recall hearing that Jackson was from the City when I witnessed the opening round battle between him and familiar SF faces such as Craig Perry of Wilson. We were juiced at how much game they had as Sophomores! Wilson won by the way.
We can only go with what we know and where he is now which is Mission. Speculation is just that. And SH has a coach and I dont believe its been done before where they show the door after one year. Mackay is building something and he has nice pieces in Neal, Monroe, Robinson coming back for next year. I would say that it could be possible Zelaya become the new SH AD. Freed and Momono have been the ADs for over 20+ years. Retirement is on the horizon.
Congrats to Mission! It's always good to see a team like this beat a usual suspect who's generally always there like SI. What a cool story!
David/Goliath story....and way to represent for public schools...
Mission @ SI game in 12 mins. I came across this on youtube. It was a packed house for a San Francisco high school game.
I would not necessarily call it David vs Goliath. The last couple of years Mission has had very good teams. The don't get a lot of credit because of their league. They played a pretty good preseason schedule and SI is no Goliath.
Poster probably meant that analogy as it would refer to the WCAL vs. the AAA.
Haven't been on the norcalpreps board in a while but good to see it active and talking about the Mission Bears. Congrats to the Bears for winning the AAA and NorCal Division 3 title. I'm a Wallenberg High grad. Though I didn't play basketball (cross country / fencing), I always followed Wallenberg and the AAA.
One note: I was reading page 1 and surprised no one mentioned the LAST time a AAA school and a WCAL school tangled at St. Ignatius. It wasn't the 1996 battle between Balboa and SI. It was the Galileo Lions (Kenny Walls) and SI (Luke Whitehead).
I admit I wasn't at the game but remembered reading about it. I was cruising around YouTube last year and found someone posted old highlights:
Galileo would go on to lose to St. Joesph in the Semi-Finals:
One note: I was reading page 1 and surprised no one mentioned the LAST time a AAA school and a WCAL school tangled at St. Ignatius. It wasn't the 1996 battle between Balboa and SI. It was the Galileo Lions (Kenny Walls) and SI (Luke Whitehead).
I admit I wasn't at the game but remembered reading about it. I was cruising around YouTube last year and found someone posted old highlights:
Galileo would go on to lose to St. Joesph in the Semi-Finals:
After watching the ten minutes of highlights, I realized what a liability trammel is on the defensive end. Seemed like whoever he was guarding took him off the dribble. He is a great offensive talent but if he wants to be recruited he better work on his defense this summer.
Thanks coach41 for the post, Kenny & Lenny Walls the 6'5" twins from Galileo.. Lenny was an outstanding defensive back, he went on to play in the NFL with Denver Broncos & Baltimore Ravens and is the tallest DB to play in the league. Kenny starred at City College of San Francisco then starred at Boston College..Haven't been on the norcalpreps board in a while but good to see it active and talking about the Mission Bears. Congrats to the Bears for winning the AAA and NorCal Division 3 title. I'm a Wallenberg High grad. Though I didn't play basketball (cross country / fencing), I always followed Wallenberg and the AAA.
One note: I was reading page 1 and surprised no one mentioned the LAST time a AAA school and a WCAL school tangled at St. Ignatius. It wasn't the 1996 battle between Balboa and SI. It was the Galileo Lions (Kenny Walls) and SI (Luke Whitehead).
I admit I wasn't at the game but remembered reading about it. I was cruising around YouTube last year and found someone posted old highlights:
Galileo would go on to lose to St. Joesph in the Semi-Finals:
I played with the Walls brothers. Kenny could jump out of the gym.Haven't been on the norcalpreps board in a while but good to see it active and talking about the Mission Bears. Congrats to the Bears for winning the AAA and NorCal Division 3 title. I'm a Wallenberg High grad. Though I didn't play basketball (cross country / fencing), I always followed Wallenberg and the AAA.
One note: I was reading page 1 and surprised no one mentioned the LAST time a AAA school and a WCAL school tangled at St. Ignatius. It wasn't the 1996 battle between Balboa and SI. It was the Galileo Lions (Kenny Walls) and SI (Luke Whitehead).
I admit I wasn't at the game but remembered reading about it. I was cruising around YouTube last year and found someone posted old highlights:
Galileo would go on to lose to St. Joesph in the Semi-Finals:
Sf Basketball was different 20 years ago. You had high flyers and teams that more than 2 or 3 guys that were 6'5 plus. Gentrification has killed the city in terms of quality hoops over the past 2 decades. Mirroring Long Island. I remember Patino saying there used to be 30 D1 guys on the Island now they have 3. He said this about 5 years ago.
In terms of SI's sphere of influence, money, and facilities and types of students...no way would anyone normally pick a SF public city school, let alone Mission. SI's loss to Gaileo in 1998 was different as well, they were similarly and much closer in rankings. I respect Mission's win much more with Coach Zelaya probably dealing with more adversity in many ways being in a inner city school.
Yes, he could I may was a bit ahead of you, I grew up in the city as well, Poly family, I would have went to Poly but then McAteer came about. I played against Markey Crane, & Angelo, and Wanye Beasley in football.. There is a even remembering city basketball of the '70' & '80 coming in July..and there are faces that you may and may not remember... from all the school in the city AAA & WCAL,,
I forgot to mention that I officiate hoops in the City and I agree. I officiate the girls side more than the boys but watch enough boys games in the AAA to see the quality of ball.
Several things i noticed this season:
1.
When I saw Mission during the pre-season, it was hard to see just how good they were. They were playing their usual scrambling style but I wasn't sure how effective it would be be in the NorCals. Plus they are a pretty small team. Apparently, Mission has some elite athletes / players.
2.
The AAA this season was one of the weakest ever from my recollection. The fact that Lowell was the runner up tells you how bad the league was. This is nothing against the Lowell kids. Robert Ray runs a system and can coach the hell out of his team. But Lowell didn't have any studs. The coaching and system let them hang in against what turned out to be a NorCal Championship team in Mission. Imagine if Lowell had a stud or not. It may have been a different result.
3.
The question is what does Mission's success do for the AAA (if anything?) Even the good schools like Lincoln and Lowell don't have the athletes / players anymore. That has filtered to the small schools. Wallenberg's been struggling in the past few years. They got nice kids and some who are "ok" but aren't elite.
Can Mission sustain this moving forward? I guess if you're a basketball player, you might get steered toward Mission in the future. But it would be nice if the AAA could raise the level of play and competition at the same time as well.
The AAA is down, but in all honesty, so was the WCAL in 2017. S.I. has a good team, and in a "down year" in WCAL their team looked very solid. I see a bump up in WCAL next year. As for AAA, difficult to lose 3 shooting guards, but some players waiting in wings and Frosh/Soph went undefeated last two years. So as AAA goes, Mission will continue to be fine, but they will lose the senior leadership that got them through NorCal.
Being that said (as citizens of the City of St. Francis), let's get behind the Bears in their pursuit of a State Championship. A great story for a really nice group of young men.
Being that said (as citizens of the City of St. Francis), let's get behind the Bears in their pursuit of a State Championship. A great story for a really nice group of young men.
Any school that eliminates SI is a school I will root for.
