2018 Matt Denning Hoops Classic

2018 Matt Denning Hoops Classic

Saturday, January 6 || Mater Dei High School || Santa Ana, CA 
 
 
This Saturday had some quality SoCal basketball at the annual Matt Denning Hoops Classic at Mater Dei High School. 14 teams from the region came out for seven very well matched games. We had OT, second half comebacks, a raining of three balls in one particular game (La Jolla Country Day vs Windward), and of course the X’s and O’s of coaching adjustments to observe all day. Mater Dei finished the night off with a nice win and display of the young talent that they are currently cultivating.
 
Special thanks to Coaches Kevin Kiernan, Jesse Vargas, and the Mater Dei program for the hospitality.
 
   
 
   

• GAME #1: HUNTINGTON BEACH (40)  v  SANTA MARGARITA (27)

 
Quick Recap Notes: 2 relatively young squads going at it to start things off.. Both teams started in 2/3 zones interestingly enough; HB was more traditional, but it was clear that there is an emphasis to really flood the paint with help so the player on the ball could be active -- and later they showed some scramble/traps out of it.. SM started a bit more extended in their zone.. SM also started in a 1.2.2 press that they executed to contain and kill shot clock vs really using it to pressure and create TO’s. HB offensively spaced the zone out and moved the ball very quickly and played in a short corner/high post scheme for the most part.. They got good shots on most of their possessions. SM showed the “short corner” offense as well, and they used the “Horns” set as well to draw help and set up holes for cuts from the 4/5 players. When SM went with man-to-man D in the 2Q, HB showed several sets including some usage of the “elevator screen” and some “pistol” actions in the half court. Overall, the fundamentals in this game were very impressive. Good coaches and players that play right. Good hoops..
 
Players: Meghan McIntyre (2021 – Huntington Beach), Marisa Tanga (2020 - Huntington Beach), Alyssa Real (2021 - Huntington Beach)
 
Scorers:          Tanga (HB) – 14 / Carr (SM) - 12
 

• GAME #2: SONORA (51)  v  MARK KEPPEL (56)

 
  Quick Recap Notes: 2 VERY well coached teams… hats off to Jose Herrera of MK and Melissa Barajas of Sonora; Both teams played very focused and aggressive defense; MK really pressures and their players fly around using rotation, hustle and length to speed up the game creating TO’s to push the ball; Sonora face guarded some in the full court press and did a great job with ball pressure. I must point out how well Sally Smith and Mia Heidt of MK play together – complimentary games and work the H/L action out of the 1-4 set very well.. it was fun to watch them execute what I would call their “go-to” play..  Sonora ran a spaced out man offense with a scissor cut + down screen action that is hard to guard, used the high ball screen, and also ran some sets that gave multiple looks to their best players --- good stuff!!
 
Players: Lainie James (2018 – Sonora), Vanessa Aguirre (2019 – Mark Keppel), Sally Smith (2018 - Mark Keppel), Mia Heidt (2019 - Mark Keppel)
 
Scorers:          James (Sonora) – 15 / Smith (MK) – 14
 

• GAME #3: REDONDO UNION (56)  v  INDEPENDENCE (34)

 
  Quick Recap Notes: RU starts a very young lineup with 3 soph’s, a freshman, and a junior.. Independence starts 3 seniors and 2 soph’s; Independence started in a very compact zone – they really packed the paint / RU countered with very good ball movement, spacing, and patience against the zone.. They have versatile pieces that allow them to move very effectively vs the zone. Independence is an athletic squad and really attacks the rim – with a little too much reliance on that type of game at times.. they struggled from the perimeter.. they cut hard and space the floor pretty well. RU’s help D was excellent.. they recognized actions and rotated very well.. they have some switchable players and it makes them very good defensively.. very well coached team by Marcelo Enriquez.
 
Players: Cali Stokes (2021 – Redondo Union), Jasmine Davis (2019 – Redondo Union), Anna Johnson (2020 – Redondo Union), Kahlaijah Dean (2018 – Independence/Oakland signee), Asia Kirven (2020 – Independence), Dasia Wandick (2018 – Independence)
 
Scorers:          Dean (Ind) – 12, D.Wandick (Ind) – 12 / Davis (RU) - 15
 

• GAME # 4:  TROY (33)  v  MISSION HILLS (49)

 
Quick Recap Notes: Both teams started in man-to-man D.. Troy was very “ball and man” aware and played well in the helpside.. MH really pressured well and even was able to pick up the ball off of misses in the backcourt and turn the dribbler multiple times.. impressive! They were certainly the aggressor and were the beneficiary of some “no-calls” in the first half. MH won on the boards and physicality – they did a good job of being so intense defensively without fouling. Nice efforts out of Kathryn Neff, Aaliyah Taylor, and Hailey McCoy for MH.
 
 
Players: Endigo Parker (2021 – Troy), Kathryn Neff (2019 Mission Hills)
 

• GAME #5: SIERRA CANYON (62)  v  ETIWANDA (58)

 
  Quick Recap Notes:  This was one of the better games of the day.. talent and athleticism on both sides.. both well coached. A court coach from last May’s U16 USA Basketball Trials, Alicia Komaki for SC managed her team through a dry spell and eventually to the comeback win; Stan Delus (who is a familiar face on the club ball scene) for Etiwanda is intense and has his players’ attention at all times. Etiwanda pressures and wants to create tempo and TO’s; SC is run from the top by their starting backcourt of Payne and Chevalier – they didn’t finish well early and overall in the first half and they had to mount a comeback in the 2 ^nd half; I can see how Etiwanda’s style can wear teams out as the game goes on.. They do a nice job of mixing up their offensive attack with high/low options, some dribble-drive principles, and overall by pushing the rock; They really get on the offensive glass hard! It took until about the middle of the 3Q for they SC guards to get poised and get to where they could be more effective.. Payne made 2 plays late to put them up and then Chevalier sealed things at the FT line a little later.. The SC forwards and posts needed to be better on the glass. Etiwanda’s Popa was really good in the 2 ^nd half. Etiwanda had a chance on a late BOB situation to get a good look to tie with a 3, but a bad pass caused a missed catch and a TO.. Good game though!
 
 
Players: Ryann Payne (2018 – Sierra Canyon/TCU signee), Ashley Chevalier (2020 – Sierra Canyon), Amanda Olinger (2019 – Sierra Canyon), Theresa Berry (2021 – Sierra Canyon), De’ja Hamilton (2018 – Etiwanda), Evanne Turner (2019 – Etiwanda), Daniela Popa (2018 – Etiwanda/CSUN signee) Nenna Orji (2020 – Etiwanda)
 
Leading Scorers: Ryanne Payne (SC) / Evanne Turner (Etiwanda)
 

• GAME #6: LA JOLLA COUNTRY DAY (66)  v  WINDWARD (71)

 
  Quick Recap Notes: Watching Terri Banford (LJCD) and Vanessa Nygaard (Windward) coached teams is always a pleasure (Nygaard was an assistant coach for last year’s U16 USA Basketball Team). I just saw them recently at the TOC in Phoenix as well.. LJCD does such a good job as individuals and collectively of executing to get the right shot for the right players at the right time.. Bobi Mack was on fire from three… always fun! Oakry got a couple HP touches early and showed nice footwork and skills.. LJCD got a beautiful backdoor cut out of a “blast” action in a “triangle” type of offensive set… excellent basketball – a bucket earned by true team play. They are still playing great basketball despite missing super soph TeHina Paopao to injury. Windward is a well run machine as well… and it starts with Charisma Osborne – one of the most efficient players in the country.. and that is on both ends of the floor; she is aware of the entire floor and distributes very well.. I really liked seeing her be aggressive offensively in this game.. at one point hitting consecutive threes.. crisp makes! Defensively, she deserves a lot of recognition – she is great on the ball and is always in the right spot off the ball.. rotates effortlessly and recovers.. multiple efforts! McKayla Williams made some really nice plays and Kaiyah Corona had some impressive finishes. Exciting game..
 
 
Players: Bobi Mack (2020 – LJCD), Kiera Oakry (2018 – LJCD), Charisma Osborne (2019 – Windward), McKayla Williams (2020 – Windward), Kaiyah Corona (2019 - Windward)
 
Scorers: Osborne (Windward) – 29 
 

• GAME #7: MATER DEI (63)  v  FAIRMONT PREP (40)

 
Quick Recap Notes: In the finale of the night, MD and FP went back and forth for the better part of 2½ Q’s with MD in control, but not pulling away until later in the 3Q. FP’s guards all have a nice poise and some shake to them.. Their team did a good job of being patient offensively and competing; they got out well in transition and spaced the floor and allowed Om to play off the bounce a little bit.. They attacked the MD press well early.. they utilized a continuous ball-screen offense to get MD in rotation as they attacked off the bounce. MD has a young squad, but don’t mistake that with them not being relentless and tough. Pepe and Demetre are hard-nosed players.. Pepe is great vs contact! Demetre is very versatile.. a huge asset; she didn’t finish as well as she would have liked, but in typical Demetre fashion, stayed the course and got after it.. led all scorers and found her groove in the second half as MD pulled away. I am impressed with Torbert continuing to get more active and expanding her game outside of the paint, as it is advantageous for MD to post Demetre or Pepe at times.
 
 
Players: Brooke Demetre (2021 – Mater Dei), Khylee Pepe (2021 – Mater Dei), Emma Torbert (2018 – Mater Dei/Nevada signee), Nicole Freeman (2018 – Mater Dei/CSUN signee), Alyssa Frescas (2021 – Mater Dei), Izzy Om (2019 – Fairmont Prep), Brittaney Chan (2019 – Fairmont Prep), Anling Su Vera (2021 – Fairmont Prep), Sheridan Glover (2019 – Fairmont Prep)
 
Scorers: Demetre (MD) – 24, Torbert (MD) – 14, Pepe (MD) – 12 / Om (FP) – 8

   
I really like that California HS basketball uses the :30 shot clock. It has added an element of IQ that has affected all parts of the game. Some of the noted benefits:
 

• Adds an overall awareness of time/score/possession/situation that is so vital
• Helps players value the details of execution
• Players value off the ball actions, timing of actions, integrity of cuts, passes, and screens
• Players have an incentive to play hard defensively
• Teaches players (because of that incentive) to play without fouling and then to fundamentally pursue the rebounds
• Teaches players the value of sometimes just containing the ball/keeping the ballhandler in front of them (again, as a result of playing without fouls)
• Encourages coaches to scheme and strategize
• Presses can be run to kill shot clock; this teaches basic fundamental rotation and spatial and court awareness
• Players are more aware of where they are on the court because all five must be engaged to execute
• Shows the players that can create their own shot in small space, in limited time