Thoughts and reflections on the 2016-2017 season?

[noknight]

I have never understood the "there's too many postseason tournament" arguments, much like I've never understood the "there's too many bowl game" arguments. How, exactly, is it hurting anybody to schedule some end of the season games for players whose season would otherwise be over? And has anybody ever had a gun put to their head forcing them to watch any of these games? If you don't like them, don't watch them or read about them. That simple!

As for the discussion about how many divisions to have for CIF playoffs, look at it this way if you like. Consider the open as the only true playoff. Everything else is nothing more than a single-elimination tournament that teams are invited to play in based on their enrollment (with some competitive balance tweaks). Nobody's forcing a single team to compete in them, and they crown a tournament champion. Nothing more than the equivalent of a MaxPreps tournament in the middle of the season, only this one's done at the end of the season. The winner gets a trophy. Who exactly does this harm/hurt?

 

[kiddman32]

Let's see.... I saw my usual 100+ games... I'm gonna hafta start taking notes or something

Obviously, the "story of the year" would have to be Mission's run to the D3 title, the first official state title in AAA hoops history. I was late to the party on this one cuz I live in the East Bay and avoid going into the City like the Plague. So, I didn't really catch on to what the Bears were accomplishing until March.

For me personally, things that stand out were the Vontoure tourney at DLS, an event which usually amounts to DLS, Serra, and six other guys. Not so this year... St. Joe's won the thing, and St. Pat's and James Logan played solid ball. It so happened I was having an issue with my car and decided not to hit the Gridley tourney the same weekend (which, I understand, was a great event as always). I live near DLS and almost chose that as my high school, so I practically always root for the Spartans,,, But not when they play Jason Kidd High, errrr St. Joe's. I was very happy to see the Pilots get out of there with a championship. For early-season ball, the games were all pretty strong stuff.

Fortunately, the car issue was soon solved and I wasn't held back from getting myself wherever I wanted to be for the rest of the year. Such as Sheldon for their mid-January Saturday marathon, something like 9 games... The headliner, the Sheldon v. Vanden overtime thriller, was well worth the long trip and long day. Several other games proved exciting as well.

Such as the Modesto Christian Tournament, which for me was a bit of a dud (esp. the Freedom-Salesian game). I was disappointed enough in the games I saw there to look elsewhere to find the St. Francis tournament for the rest of the week... Which was fantastic, esp. the tourney final won in OT by St. Francis over Paly.

I was there when Campo's girls beat Miramonte at the Matadome, ending the Mats' 6-year league winning streak... The boys beat 'em too, as well as the girls' JV. In a show of "fine" sportsmanship, the scoreboard was cleared *exactly* when the clock stuck 0:00, giving no Campo fans the chance to train their cellphone cameras on the final score... Not to be outdone in the sportsmanship dep't, cars full of Campo fans sped out of the parking lot yelling "Miramonte sucks!" (Ain't it great when folks know how to win gracefully?) This is easily my fave local rivalry because the schools adjoin and many of the kids are friends off-campus so the jibes, jabs, insults, etc. are almost always good-natured and (mostly) in jest, yet during the games the atmosphere gets truly intense if the game is at all close.

Of course, the Dublin-DLS battles were terrific... And I'm sure I'm leaving a bunch of other great stuff out. Pure accident.

It also turned out my three fave schools (St. Joe, Campo, DLS in that order) all had better-than-expected years, going deeper in the playoffs than just about anyone would have predicted at the start of the year

And the playoffs in general were pretty darned exciting. Can't wait for next season!

 

[Marcskit]

CONFESSIONS OF A HOOPAHOLIC

Seeing all my basketball buddies.Usually at the tournaments, sometimes only once a year.
Watching the kids play, so much promise on the court and future hopes off of it.
Many times I have had someone sitting next to me ask me, whose your kid? Or do you have a kid on one of the teams. I laugh and say, There all my kids!
You watch some terrible hoops, some ok, some great, and then there are those magic moments, once in awhile whole games, that just take you to that great place. Where you go, dam that was good!
For me, I think about high School Hoops year round and I can truthfully say, I can't wait till next season.
Here's wishing you great hoops

 

[kiddman32]

Yup, that's by far the #1 question I get at games... "You have a kid out there?"

 

[SF_Mikey]

Yup, that's by far the #1 question I get at games... "You have a kid out there?"

That's the #1 question that I get from my wife when I tell her that I'm heading out to a high school gym that doesn't feature one of my kids........she thinks I'm crazy attending any / all basketball games that don't involve immediate family members .

 

[coach41]

Nothing wrong with going to games! As a ref, I usually attend the Riordan and SI tournaments and hang out with the other referees who work the games. So that's my excuse for those games. During the regular season, I try to watch Wallenberg play but lately it's been a challenge given some personal circumstances. There usually aren't a lot of fans at Wallenberg games but being a grad and knowing the coach, it's fine to be one of the 10 fans or so out at Kezar (if the game is at home)....hahah