New coaches eager to rebuild Sobrato, Live Oak programs
MORGAN HILL
In 19 years of coaching prep basketball in the Central Coast Section, Terry Smith has been part of several championship teams, the latest being the 2009-10 Sobrato boys.
He can’t remember the last time he had as much size advantage in the post as he will this winter with the Lady Bulldogs. Asked what the team’s biggest strength will be during his first season at the helm, Smith went with his 5-foot-11 center/forward tandem of Jessica Westall and Alyssa Firato; the driving force of a young team trying to rebuild after an injury-plagued, three-win finish.
Last year, Firato was forced into the starting rotation in January and became the team’s leading scorer (10.4 points per game) and rebounder (8.6) while playing at the Mount Hamilton Division level. Westall, one of two opening-day starters still in service by the final game, was a solid contributor.
Both will dictate much of their team’s success this year.
“We’ve got some size, and we’re going to take advantage of that,” Smith said. “We’ve got some good shooters, too. So, if they double-team, we will have more floor space and more room for open looks.”
That can be a blessing for younger guards. Sobrato has plenty of them, and each had shown promise. Senior Saida Sampson and sophomore Jordan Smith are primed for a big season shooting from the floor, and senior Caitlin Ryman and freshman Lindsey Ellenburg are talented multisport athletes who fit in well with Terry Smith’s up-tempo style of defense.
Junior Angelique Gonzalez, a “welcome transfer” from Santa Teresa, and senior co-captain Alejandra Villameres bring much-needed energy to practice.
“All of these girls have great attitudes,” coach Smith said. “They’re willing to learn, and it seems like everyone’s getting along and buying into our staff’s philosophy of building a basketball family.”
Smith has set realistic goals for the Bulldogs. They lost their opener 59-40 Saturday against Hillsdale but played well for four quarters. Smith constantly reminds them the season is a marathon, a journey they must take one step at a time together.
“I’m very excited about this season,” he said. “The girls, I believe in them. They need to believe in themselves.”
A similar rebuilding period is underway at Live Oak, where Mike Kiefer has taken over after coaching the school’s JV girls team the last four years.
It has been close to a decade since the Acorns’ last winning season, and, though Kiefer’s ultimate goal is to build a strong program with lasting success, he is not using wins and losses as the end-all mark of improvement.
“I’m trying to teach them to take it one game at a time and take it in steppingstones,” he said Saturday after his team battled in a 45-39 loss to Watsonville at a Gilroy tournament. “It’s just improvement I’m looking for out of this team and overall development.
“If improvement starts this year, the growth of the program will start over the course of the next few years.”
The chief concern for the Acorns is fundamentals: attacking the basket, making smart passes, squaring up on defense, boxing out, staying composed. It’s a laundry list that the players are eager to remedy.
“We didn’t know where to start last year. It’s good to know that this time,” said point guard Meghan Perez, who honed her skills in 2009-10 after being thrust into the starting five when then-senior Nikki Patel went down with injury. “Things are a lot different this year. We’re working harder in practice.”
Kiefer expects a lot from Perez and guard Savannah Ferguson — the Acorns’ only seniors – and the other returning varsity players, particularly juniors Anisha Patel and Danielle Horning and sophomore Fa Saulala. Veteran leadership could go a long way for their teammates, who will grow together over the next few years.
“We’re hoping in the next couple weeks to start seeing girls stepping up,” he said.
Saulala, a 5-foot-8 power forward, exploded onto the scene as a freshman when she averaged a double-double each game. Kiefer said the team will go as far as Saulala takes it.
“She’s just a beast,” added Patel, a fast junior guard who finishes well at the rim. “Fa’s amazing on the boards. She’s so strong, but look at her out there — she’s running the point! She’s a triple threat.”
If his guards match Saulala’s intensity and are effectively running the offense by the start of West Valley Division play in January, Kiefer sees his team laying a strong foundation this winter.
“If we play the way that we can, we can compete with any team we step on the floor with,” he said.
NOTE: Sobrato hosts Live Oak at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in nonleague play.
