Boys tournament begins today at SHS
MORGAN HILL
Sobrato coach Lee Washington hopes a lengthy home stand can help right the ship for his 1-6 boys basketball team.
This week, Sobrato hosts the fifth annual Bulldog Chase Tournament, a three-day round-robin event that includes the Morgan Hill programs plus Tri County Athletic League power Gilroy, Mount Hamilton Division stalwart Santa Teresa and four teams from various parts of Northern California.
Tournament standings are based on overall record, head-to-head play, common opponents and intricate tie-breakers.
“It’s going to be a good test seeing teams that are similar to the caliber of ours,” Washington said Monday. “We should have a little more comfort being in our home gym. And being in a tournament atmosphere is always fun. It’s going to feel good for our guys to get back into friendly confines.”
The Bulldogs are coming off an 0-3 showing in the Prospect Tournament where they suffered back-to-back two-point losses — part of a five-game slide.
They missed 6-foot-3 junior Ben Vater, one of their top big men, and star point guard Pierre Hemphill, who will miss most of the remainder of this season for academic reasons.
Senior guard Scott Taylor stepped up in his place, earning his second all-tournament nod this winter.
“With some of our guys out, he’s carried the load for us as far as scoring,” Washington said of Taylor, who averages 15.5 points a game.
“It’ll be good to have Ben healthy again this week.”
Sobrato kicks off the Chase at 3 p.m. today against honorary invitee Chinese Christian, which will not participate Wednesday and Thursday. Gilroy and Union Mine begin at 4:30, then Santa Teresa-Damonte Ranch at 6 and Live Oak-Mesa Verde at 7:30.
Wednesday, Gilroy plays Mesa Verde at 3 p.m. followed by Damonte Ranch-Union Mine at 4:30 and Live Oak-Santa Teresa at 6.
Sobrato has two opponents Thursday, Union Mine at 3 p.m. and Live Oak at 7:30. Mesa Verde faces Damonte Ranch at 4:30, and Santa Teresa and Gilroy play at 6.
The week at home could also do wonders for Live Oak (1-7 overall), which snapped a five-game skid with its first victory Dec. 17 against winless North Monterey County.
The Acorns and Bulldogs begin league play at 7 p.m. Jan. 5. Live Oak hosts Mount Pleasant in the West Valley Division, and Sobrato visits Overfelt in the Santa Teresa Division.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Hoping to build off a tough-as-nails schedule, the Bulldogs wrap up nonleague play this week with a three-day stop at the Leo LaRocca Sand Dune Classic. Their first game is at 5:30 p.m. today against St. Ignatius — which reached the CIF State Championships a year ago.
Sobrato (1-6) should be well-tuned for it; the locals have already played defending Central Coast Section Division III champion Valley Christian and Division V power St. Francis Central Coast Catholic, losing both games.
Sophomore forward Alyssa Firato has scored a team-best 13.4 points per game for the Bulldogs, and sophomore center Jessica Westall and senior guard Saida Sampson are coming off season-high scoring totals against St. Francis CCC. Westall had 18 points, and Sampson 16.
The Live Oak Acorns lost their three games in last week’s Homestead December Madness tournament but showed improvement against the A- and B-league competition.
Live Oak played its final nonleague game Monday against Monterey and begins West Valley play at 7 p.m. Jan . 4 at Willow Glen.
The Bulldogs visit Gunderson that same day on opening night in the Santa Teresa Division.
