Roadtrip to Sacramento

4th Grade Plays Sac Area Sports

For our 4th grade, to get a good game within the same age group, we take to the road and head East to Sacramento.  We end up at San Juan High School in Citrus Heights.  We get pretty good competition in the Bay Area, but from experience, we can get some good tournaments against non Bay teams as well.  We found it.  The 4th grade showed up with a strong 9 player roster.   The starters were ready to go and we had a deep bench.  What is even more exciting for the players (and parents and fans), we were able to get J. Ortiz, a 5th grader who is 10u eligible.  Thank you for having a late birthday.  He's been with UH since the inception of the organization.  He's a strong center with fantastic post up skills.  He can rebound and knows how to protect the ball.  Ortiz possesses a high basketball IQ as he plays his position very well.  For this Sac Area Sports tournament, it was obvious our 4th grade brought all the lessons learned from Reno with them.  They were very ready to hit the court running.

Otico keeping it on the low low

First, it's warm up time on the blacktop. San Juan High School is beautiful.  The blacktop courts are right outside of two gyms, one small and one large.  It was mild, but quite windy that day.  The boys were wrapped up until they started warming up.  They shot around and ran the familiar drills.  Will this weather ever warm up?  Maybe...but as these boys played...you will see.... if the weather wasn't hot...these boys WERE. 

Game 1 was against Team Esface of East Palo Alto.  This season we faced this team twice before this match up.  One of which was in Reno, where UH ended up the victor.  Could there be another Reno repeat or has Team Esface figured out UH?  Team Esface put up a great effort and has obviously improved since the Jam On It tournament.  In the end, UH prevailed winning game #1, 27-20.  At this point in the season, not only has the 4th grade team improved, they are more comfortable being on the court and playing with each other.  Only a month or two ago, this same winning team may have not been able to close out a game.  They learn fast. 

R. Noriega drilling a pass.  Will A. Brar catch it??

Boys invade little Del Taco

It's lunch time!!  There is about 2 and a half hours to kill until game 2.  The team drove from one eating joint to another until finally settling on a local hot spot....yup...Del Taco!!  OK, maybe not the most modern and exciting place to eat, but the kids loved it.  Del Taco, is a small fast food Mexican cuisine eatery.  The space is limited with tables seating 4 at the most.  As one can imagine...UH 4th grade took over the joint.  Kids were everywhere, playing games at the tables, eating up cheesy Mexican food and laughing.  The good thing about times like this is that the ball players can once again just be kids.  They tease each other, laugh together and share food.  They even share personal space as those tables meant for 4, these boys easily squeezed 6 of themselves shoulder to shoulder.  The parents also bond and laugh and forget about the diet. 

Onto game 2, UH vs. Team Trail promptly at 2pm.  The weather has now warmed up and so has our 4th grade players.  The wind is blowing hard and fast, and just like the wind, the 4th graders blew past the competition.  They played even better in game 2 with more conviction and determination.  There were amazing eye catching plays by our guards and the rebounding was excellent.  Our outside shooters were on point.  D. Ravara setting up on the weak side, swoosh, the ball floats into the net.  A. Brar planting both feet on the right side, a perfect arch into the hole.  Both sides were covered with both outside shots as well as rebounding.  The guards weaving in and out, in control.  Fast hands of M. Griffin and anticipation of J. Yabut causing turnovers in the UH flavor.  Final score:  28-32....even though the scorekeeper added 2 points to Team Trail and forgot to add one point, a free throw by C. Carlton, to UH.  The scorekeeper was more absorbed with talking on his cell phone rather than keeping an accurate score.  Fans told him.  Officials told him to correct the score.  But of course, if you don't record the score on paper, you have no point of reference.  This was an unfortunate use of authority.  Just because they are 10u, does not make their games any less important.  The officiating for both first games were performed very well.  UH has a 2-0 record.  So does the competition for the 3rd game, the NorCal Pharaohs.  Onto a championship game.

Boys showing some defense.  Look at the communication!

First, let me say, the NC Pharaohs are a wonderful ball club led by well experienced and respected coaches.  My dialogue with the head coach began in game 2 when he tried assisting us with rectifying the score, even though it wasn't his responsibility.  It was just the right thing to do and he did it, well tried, the scorekeeper still refusing to change the numbers.  The Pharaohs are fast and excellent ball handlers.  They entered the gym in unity and our boys stared in awe.  The game was on.  And what a game!!  The 2 teams were neck and neck til the very end.  Fans were off their seats and creeping onto the court.  R. Noriega - 3 pointer and 1.  Yes, a 4 point play!  Fans screamed.  C. Carlton, dribbling behind the back, ending in a reverse for 2 and 1, a 3 point play.  Fans jumped.   T. Inciong, unguarded under the rim, his sweet spot, easy 2 into the basket.  Fans in hysteria.  I. Otico running the open court, arm in the air, calling for the pass, 2 points.  Fans exclaimed.  The small gym was energized and filled with excitement.  The frenzy was intoxicating, both sides screaming in the spirit of exaltation for every basket and every play.  These boys, all of them on the court played their hearts out.  When they used up what was left in their hearts, they ran on pure adrenaline and energy.  When that ran out, their bodies devoured the remaining oxygen left in the gym. 

One comment I made about our boys was "they brought Reno back with them".  What I meant was two fold.  First, they brought the excitement.  Second, they brought back what they learned and they learned a lot.  It was a great game to watch.  28-28 and 2 seconds left.  The longest 2 seconds I've ever had to wait.  UH lost to a buzzer beater.  UH players' hearts sank.  Usually my heart would sink with them, as I get very emotional at games.  Tears flowed over their elongated cheeks.  This time, however, I scraped up the remaining energy the players solemnly left on the court.  After the coach's encouraging words, I addressed the miniature band of brothers, who walked away war torn.  "Don't you dare cry.  Don't you dare feel ashamed of yourselves.  Hold your heads high and proud.  Your parents are so proud of you, be proud of yourself.  You played awesome.  Walk over there and congratulate the Pharaohs for a great win and you be proud of how good you played today".  They played better than I've ever seen this team play.  It was important to me they knew that.  I know those teammates who could not make it, would have made this even more exciting and maybe, tip the seesaw of victory in our favor.  The communication on the court was right on.  The passes with direction and meaning.  There were impressive drives to the basket.  Loose balls fell onto the hardwood, and so did bodies.  Both sides fighting hard, fighting strong.  UH has nothing to be ashamed of.  I'm so proud of my boys. 

Families enjoying dinner at Fenton's.  Ice cream solves everything.

Eyes dried and one more group picture then it's off to be boys again.  What solves everything, per Coach Otico?  "ice cream".  Off to Fenton's in the Nut Tree in Vacaville.  Ice Cream DOES solve everything.  The kids pigged out on good food, some on more ice cream, but all played in the coin operated rides.  The families relaxed together, enjoying the mild weather and laughing over the kids' antics, kids and kids at heart.  Only the kids pigged out?  No...a tough loss is also a great excuse for us parents to eat a little too much.  This was a good way to end the day, we wished all the team was there, we wished all the organization was there.  The big brothers, help the 4th grade forget their losses.  Congratulations to Coach Otico and Coach Inciong, you led these boys to a victory today.  Fentons is a great family restaurant and UH is a great family.

End of day picture.  Awesome group of players.