CAMPOLINDO 

    With the Cougars having graduated seven of their top eight scorers, the returning players averaged only a combined 10 points per game last season. With a number of new players on the roster and the returners elevating their games, Campolindo has won 11 of their first 17 games.

    “This has been a fun group to work with, with players from four different classes and honestly it’s most similar to my first-year coaching at Campolindo, with so much newness with so many of the players,” head coach Steven Dyer said. “Obviously we’ve known that since the end of last season so we’ve put in the work and our guys have also worked hard,” Dyer said. “Our first thing to do is to be good on defense and I’ve been pleased up to this point in terms of what the guys have done on that end.” Campolindo is only giving up an average of 48.5 points per game.

    Senior point guard Peyton Beld was really the only player back that played a lot last season (averaging 4.2 points), and is averaging 13.9 per game this year. “Beld knew that he was going to have to step up from his junior season and unfortunately he hurt his finger in the offseason,” Dyer said. “Still, he really worked on his shot and it has gotten a lot better. As a third-year varsity player, he has done a really good job leading the group.”

    Sharing the backcourt with Beld are two freshmen, Dominic Byra (6.5), the team's third leading scorer, and Dylan Moran, both of whom are good ball handlers. “We have a variety of guys who can play different roles but those are our three main guys in the backcourt,” Dyer said.

    The front court is led by 6’6” Noah Henry who is averaging 12.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. Another freshman in the front court, 6’7” Will Farrington is averaging 5.9 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. “Noah has been really good rebounding and is one of our most talented players offensively and he only needs to become more consistent. Will is one of our better shooters and will get stronger as the year goes on. (Sophomore) Anish Kapur at 6’1” guards a lot of inside players and is the most physical player on the team and Aiden Wong has stepped up defensively. We kind of expected this team to have balanced scoring with Peyton and Noah scoring most of our points but Aiden, Will and Dom are all capable of scoring more than they are right now and our freshmen have done a pretty good job of adjusting to varsity basketball.”

    Dyer is not afraid to go deep on his bench with 13 players on the roster: “All 13 guys on the team can play but we’re still trying to figure out our full rotation ad none of the players on the team have been buried to this point. We need to be more connected and I’m looking for us to continue to get better on defense, cut down on our fouls and clean up on the little things to reach the next level.”

ACALANES

    Acalanes began the season with a particularly difficult non-league schedule, playing schools like St. Ignatius (6th in the state), University (S.F.) twice, California and Granada. With a roster of five seniors and eight juniors, it’s still a team that is coming together. With six of their top eight scorers from last season having moved on, it’s been a learning experience for the 8-8 Dons. 

    “We are putting this thing together on the fly with an inexperienced team, playing against the second toughest schedule in the section,” Acalanes head coach Bill Powers said. “They’ve had to grow up and take their lumps against really good teams which has hurt our won-lost record. Our best 13 players are seniors and juniors. That’s just the way it’s worked out but I wouldn't trade the team for anything.”

    The leaders on the team are forward Gavin Dodge and point guard Cameron Hood, who were first and third in scoring on last year’s team. “I’m proud of how the team is coming along,” Powers said. “All of the players, outside of Gavin, are playing different roles. Cameron is playing more minutes this year as are the rest of the team.”

    Though things can change, Powers has been going with an eight-man rotation with a starting line of Cameron and Julian Hood in the backcourt along with Dodge, A.J. Hastings, and Preston Hilsabeck in the front court. “They are our leaders and as they’re going, we’re going.”

    Lacking some of the size of last years team has not deterred Powers. “We’re not as big as we were last year but they’ve all taken on this new opportunity and they’re seizing it.”  Bryce Mansour, Jon MacLeod, and Shea Stahl have been the first ones off the bench. 

    Powers also is very positive about the way the team is playing defense: “We’ve held tough. There are games where we weren’t that good in the first half and then we just started getting stops and rebounds.”  

    Still, Powers is looking for more: “We’ve got to be a little bit better containing the ball because that helps us with rebounding. Offensively, just moving the ball better, getting possessions where the ball flips side to side and taking what the best shot is for us. We’re coming along and I like what’s forming with this team.”

MIRAMONTE 

    In his second year at Miramonte, head coach Michael Shaughnessy has a team represented in all four classes with eight new players and began the season with a 9-6 record. “We're a very young team, with a freshman starting point guard (Jake Dibiase), a handful of juniors, some sophomores, and freshmen. Our guys are still trying to figure out how to buy into all the different things that we've been teaching them and taking on the culture that we're trying to establish here. I’m just looking for them to be a little more attentive to certain things that we teach in practice and seeing that translate to the games.”

    Shaughnessy is a coach that takes a lot of pride in his team’s defense: “We've started to implement some more zone and full court defenses, giving different looks to our opponents to try and keep them out of rhythm. We’re really starting to show a lot of toughness and grit playing team basketball and that’s what I’m most proud of.”

    On offense the team has been working together more this season. “It's about a lot of reps and time,” Shaughnessy said. “We’re a big proponent of helping these guys make good decisions and good team plays, with good pace and tempo. We’re still inconsistent with that, but it’s gotten better. This year I've built a better relationship with all the returners and I know better how to put them in better positions to have success, which has helped a lot."

    Shaughnessy has been counting on the left-handed Dibiase leading the team: “Jake is very calm and poised on the court. He has a lot of confidence and that’s something you can’t necessarily teach and it allows everyone on the team to trust him with the ball and that’s huge for us along with bringing a lot of toughness, which is contagious.”

    This is an offense that does not have a player that will consistently be the team’s high scorer, according to Shaughnessy. “We have a next man up mentality and with 14 on the roster, we never know who is going to step up, either a starter or someone off the bench. We play a well-rounded game working on the little things like taking the charges, rebounding, crashing the offensive glass, cutting, and diving for loose balls. We’re becoming a much tougher team and that’s the identity that we want to have in our program.”

    Senior Adam Houssami, in his third year on the varsity, is setting the tone for the team. “Everything that Adam brings to the table is helping us. His leadership has been phenomenal and he’s been willing to accept different roles, either in the backcourt or around the rim. He’s really stepped up on defense and in rebounding. He’s a slasher that attacks the basket and is someone that everyone looks up to.”

    Dibiase is not the only player that can take the ball up the court. “We’ve talked about getting the ball to our smaller guards like Osman Amiri and Mike Fagundes but most of the players can bring the ball up the floor,” Shaughnessy said.

    There is also depth but a lack of a true big man in the front court. “We’re using a number of players on the wings like Eli Logan, Rhys Sande, freshman Will Light, Santi Bossut-Ugarte and Darrian Mola and they do a good job in spacing the floor. Davi Freitas just got his eligibility to play with us and he’s a guy that can play within the team game and can create his own shot and slash to the basket. We’re doing a better job this year in closing out the close games, making our free throws, big stops and having someone make a big three.”