WEBVTT
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Tuck it on the beat.
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Welcome back to the 32.
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Hope everybody enjoyed their summer like I did.
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Taking a couple months to unplug from the world was really, really nice.
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But I'm here.
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I'm back.
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Ready to chat with high school hoops with you guys.
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I wanted to kick off this season, I guess you'd call it, uh, with a another chat with uh my good friend Aaron Bergen, uh, better known as Full Time Hoops, the uh the guru of San Diego high school basketball.
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Um wanted to chat with him about kind of what he saw over the summer, emerging storylines going into next year, and and talk about his his legendary uh now 11 years in uh player showcase, the Kareem of the County, which is coming up on September 5th.
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So uh yeah, without any further ado, let's just let's just dive in.
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Uh here's my conversation with Aaron Bergen.
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So here we are, like uh back for back for after a after an extended summer.
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Uh took some took some time away.
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And uh and I'm here with uh you know my good friend, the the the Wikipedia of San Diego basketball.
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Um, you know, my good friend Aaron Bergen.
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What's up, dude?
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Man, what up, Dave?
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How are you, man?
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I'm doing great, man.
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Uh like uh this is only the second like real true teacher summer that I've ever gotten to enjoy.
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Like I've been teaching for fifty, I've been teaching for 15 years, but I was coaching uh you know football and basketball for a while, and then just basketball for so long that I got to actually like enjoy the whole summer.
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It was nice, man.
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How about you?
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How's how's everything going?
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How's your summer?
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You know, just basketball, work, family, you know, AJ coming back home after, you know, his first pro season.
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And yeah, so it's it's been pretty routine.
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I mean, it's been pretty much the same summer I've had for going on 14 years now.
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Yeah.
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Um, yeah, it's gotta be great to have AJ back.
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And I, you know, we were talking about this.
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I I think I think I gotta have him on to talk about what it's like playing ball overseas at some point.
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So I'm not gonna not gonna pick your brain too much about it, but I know it must be it must be fantastic having him home.
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Uh has its moments for sure.
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I love it.
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Um what were some uh what were some some some summer basketball highlights?
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Like what's some stuff that you saw over the summer um that stuck with you?
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Um, well, first off, I I actually, you know, I see basketball at so many different levels these days, but uh one of my roles that I you know inherited over the past couple years was being the MC at the Swish Pro Am.
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So, you know, obviously I was there all eight weeks and it was, you know, eye-opening to see the progress of some of our guys, uh, you know, obviously the professionals, but uh the evolution of Isaiah Marte going into his retro freshman year at Miramar College, that was probably one of the bigger storylines out of Switch.
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You know, he he came alive down the last five or six games of that season and you know, capped it off with a 32-point game in the championship where they yeah, where they beat uh the number one seed low ballers.
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They came in as a six seed, knocked off the three, the two and the one, in uh, in order to get it there.
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So actually, no, three, seven and one, because the two seed got upset in the first round, too.
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So quite a run.
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And uh so, like I said, he definitely was like one of the bigger revelations on the high school side.
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Um, the you know, the buzz was obviously this reloaded uh victory Christian team that everyone's talking about.
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Um, you know, they won the open division for the first time last year and returned with a bunch of new faces, most notably Tristan Anderson from the winter and Lamar Smith from San Diego.
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I mean, those are the two big names, but also Brooklyn James, who was uh the second leading scorer at Mount Miguel last year, Amon Oliver, who was uh the second leading scorer at Coronado last year, and Anthony Lee, who was a starting point guard at Christian.
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So they added five new guys.
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Goodness.
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Yeah, lots of firepower.
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Plus, they have a couple of underrated guys that are returning, uh, you know, so including Troy Tamina, who, you know, had one of the better sophomore years in the region.
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So, I mean, it's gonna be there, they're gonna be right up there again.
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And then Francis Parker uh added, they added a kid all the way from, I believe he's from New Zealand via San Luis Obispo by the name of Bo.
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Yeah, by the name of Bo Crew, went to San Luis Obispo Highs, about 6'6, uh wing.
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And you add him to a team that lost their their one real tall guy in Devin Dubois, and then suddenly, you know, you're right back in the mix, you know.
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And you know, he looks to be one of the best seniors, not only in San Diego, but I would say on the West Coast.
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I mean, he's he's primed for a huge senior year, so I think Parker will be there again.
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I would say, you know, at the top of those two, and then you know, trying to think some of the surprises that may not be surprises to me or you because we follow it pretty closely, but the emergence of Rancho Bernardo uh under, you know, under returning coach Mark Bay Shore, right bringing back like almost every single piece of last year's division two uh finalist team.
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That team is so freaking deep, man.
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It's crazy.
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It's an embarrassment, it's an embarrassment of riches, but it's also one of those things that like it's it's a it's a good problem to have, but it's a problem nonetheless.
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That like how do you allocate the roles?
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How do you no doubt?
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Yeah, I mean, there's only there's only 32 minutes in a game, right?
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And so to times five, you know, you've got what is that, a hundred and a hundred and sixty minutes that you can allocate, and and you know, there's only there's only a finite number of shots.
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It's cool for me to see, like, obviously, you know, now that I'm not on the sidelines anymore, uh, you know, because I was I was kind of the longtime beneficiary of seeing some of the some of the talent pool kind of drain away from the big traditional public schools into the smaller schools.
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I was for sure a beneficiary of that for for years, but it's cool to see RB keeping kids.
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Um like I don't know, there's there's something to me, and we've talked about this in the past, and I'll I'll talk about it until I'm blue in the face.
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There's something to me that is, I don't know, it's nice to see kids playing for their neighborhood school.
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Oh, sure.
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I think it's cool.
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Um and it it's and I know that that's not like the the game's changed, right?
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And I'm I can be I can be like the the grumpy old head that yells at clouds, or I can like kind of kind of get used to it.
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Um, but I like to be that grumpy old head sometimes.
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And so it's cool to see RB keeping kids around, you know.
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Such a nostalgia.
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I mean, it's it it's a throwback for sure.
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I mean, and they're not the only ones who've been able to, you know, successfully keep their kids around, but that definitely is like the huge story.
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The other one I think that's gonna uh that will surprise some uh teams this year is gonna be Helix Charter, you know, really undefeated last year in their league, and they bring back a ton of talent as well.
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And uh over the summer they looked really good.
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So I think they're gonna be kind of a sleeper to keep an eye on.
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I think the I think Brian Hammerstrand is kind of is going to be the barometer for that team.
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That's the 6'6, almost 6'7 now.
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Uh Wayne, he's he grew he grew a ton, he's super skilled, but he's been often injured throughout his career.
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If he can stay healthy like the whole year, I think they have a chance to be, you know, maybe to sneak into that open discussion as like an eighth seed.
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But you know, yeah, they're gonna have their work cut out for them.
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Obviously, playing in East County, you know, playing in the in the Grossmont Hills, you know, outside of Seal Canyon, like PowerPoints, you know, doing all the calculations in your head, you lose ground on the bigger conferences, i mean, bigger leagues playing in your league, you know.
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So I'm curious to see what happens though.
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Like, sorry to cut you.
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I'm I'm curious to see what happens uh with Valhalla because of the new football coach that that got hired there that came over from Lincoln, and all of a sudden, there's a ton of athletes that are that are enrolled at Valhalla that are playing football.
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I wonder how many of those guys bleed over to the basketball court.
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I know over the summer there was a few of them that were running, and it's a it's a totally different makeup of that team.
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And so that I'm curious about that.
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I'm curious to see what the what the kind of fallout is and like what the bleed down effect is.
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Most of those guys, I think most of those guys are gonna be pretty locked into football, playing seven on seven, but you add at least one in Tamarian Williams, who's like an uber talented rising sophomore, uh, but did not have the basketball season I expected last year, you know, partly because he was on the roster, off the roster, and then finally off the roster uh you know to start his freshman year just at Mount Miguel.
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So I think if he can if he can stay locked in, it definitely adds a dimension to that team that they didn't have in the in years past.
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I mean, yeah, the last time they had you know some real athleticism, it feels like was way back in 2019 when they made their run to the D3 uh championship game.
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You know, three ball three ball holler.
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Yeah, yeah, three ball holler was, you know, and and they had Jordan Gaines on that team, who was a little more athletic.
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Uh you know, they had wings on that group that was also pretty athletic.
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Uh, so you know, Tamarion's far, you know, more athletic than those guys.
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Um, it'll be interesting.
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Yeah, I I I still think Helix and Steele kind of are one and two over there.
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Yeah, Chase Miles is becoming like a big time college prospect.
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I mean, he's got Point Loma kind of all over him right now, and that's you know, that's saying a lot given Point Loma's pedigree and who is level.
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For sure.
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So um, I think the other and the last kind of big storyline I'll talk about is like the player movement this summer.
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It's been absolutely like dramatic.
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Uh and it feels I know, I know.
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It's it's a lot.
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I mean, and it's not just like the big powers that are, you know, getting kids in.
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It's the big powers losing kids, it's the small schools getting kids, you know.
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Will Spurgis transferring from Saints after his freshman year to Del Norte.
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Like that was like something maybe you wouldn't have seen, you know, three or four years ago.
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Um, you know, when Saints was pretty much running San Diego, uh Zayn Dean joining Will Spurges from Canyon Crest over to Del Norte, you know, to form uh I mean, they've got one of the best, you know, uh 2029 quartets in San Diego.
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If you count River Reed, Landon Wiles, that are already, you know, guys that are already there.
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And now you have Zayn and Will, you know, in a couple of years, if they if that group stays together, I mean, they're gonna be a problem.
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You know, Santa Fe Christian quietly, you know, reloading on the fly, you know, Gene Kim from University City, uh, you know, um Austin Quinn from Marinath the Christian is there now.
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Um, and then uh Jack Conkey from Santa uh from Sage Creek, he also made his way over there.
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So I mean they they had a three guys who probably be, you know, starters or immediate contributors uh to that team.
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But I think all eyes obviously are gonna be on like what happens with uh the victory Christian five.
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Right uh, you know, I've I talked to Will Gray earlier this week and he was telling me that like there's a couple of things that need to be finalized before certain guys are eligible.
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Um but he he feels confident that all those guys will be able to at least play, you know, at least the second half of the season, if not uh three or four of those guys will be uh eligible to play right away, he believes.
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My goodness.
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I know that's wild.
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Yeah, it's it's wild, man.
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Like I, you know, I see it obviously.
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Um there's you know, at my old school, there's three kids that came in.
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Um and so and it they've done a good job.
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Like, you know, Gabe has done such an incredible job with the culture here.
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Yeah.
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Um, and we have a really, really special group of seniors in terms of like character kids.
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And so they welcomed all the transfers in.
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Like it was there was no uh there was like no hitch.
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It's not clicky at all.
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Um, but like I've had I've had that with with transfers that have come in in the past.
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You know, we had a we had a pretty good player come in from Stampus Coal my first year, and then we had um a pretty good player come in from you know the artist formerly known as Sarah, uh, you know, King House.
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Um and like it it takes a minute, right?
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It's so hard to develop that kind of team culture and continuity, especially in basketball where you have a smaller group of kids, right?
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Um, where one person can be such a culture shift that like I don't know, it can be really it can be really difficult.
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And so I'm curious to see how it works across the county.
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It's also interesting to me to see that people are transferring away from some of these schools that are like transfer destinations, because then like what do you what do you say to the kid that's been in the program for three years who's been grinding up and has earned his way up to you know sixth or seventh man?
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And that's gonna be like that's the peak of where they're gonna get, but they're excited to get to that point on an open division competitive team, and then five transfers come in and they get dumped down to 13th on the and I also understand, right?
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Like varsity basketball, especially when you get to the to the D1 kind of level.
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Um, it's I mean, you know, it's it's it's about it's about who's gonna help you win games, but it's still there's there's a part of me that like, oh god, like I don't know, man.
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Like I don't love it.
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I get it from the I get it from the other side too, right?
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Like I've I've been involved in situations um as a coach and as a as a parent where like the the situation wasn't the right fit.
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Like I've been involved as a coach where there are players that I think would be would do much better in a in a in a different setting.
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And so like I understand why the need for transfers is there.
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I think it's one of those things that like if there was an easy solution to the problem, somebody would have come up with it already.
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Uh plenty of plenty of bright minds out there, and yeah, it no one has seemed to be able to solve that quandary.
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I mean it's hard around it goes.
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Yeah, you know, but but I I would say yeah, summer was really revealing.
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I think the other the other huge uh thing we're gonna see is like all the new coaches everywhere.
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I mean, there there were so many quite a few changes at the helms of places.
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I mean some surprise ones too.
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You know, uh Brandon Dowdy leaving uh Sage Creek, Devin Watson getting that job.
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I mean, I thought that you know that was a guy who was just recently in a in a CIF championship game, you know.
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Or I think talk speaking of CIF champions, you know, last year's Division IV champ, you know, Derek Jones over Tri-City Christian, he's out.
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Um, you know, so there that that was that was a a a bit of a surprise as well.
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Um, and then just all across the county, Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Cathedral Catholic was the crown jewel.
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I mean, that thing attracted like 80 applications plus like national, yeah, like national.
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I mean, I was getting calls from like Division I assist and coaches like asking me, Did I have an N?
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And I'm like, like you sure?
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Yeah, but okay, great.
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You know, Wolfie is a friend of mine, so Wolfgang would getting that job.
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I mean, yeah, it's I I I know a lot of people, you know, were just like, wait a second, we went way out of out of say, you know, out of San Diego, you know, to to fill that position.
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And I know, you know, obviously, you know, the talk was that Clark Allert was the other finalist, and so that was you know big surprise.
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But I think people will be pleasantly surprised with what Wolf does.
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I mean, he's a he's a brilliant basketball mind.
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Yeah.
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Uh he obviously, you know, St.
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Bonaventure's in Ventura County is uh St.
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Bonaventure's a a football pro like a football school first, right?
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But what he was able to do with that basketball program, such a good job.
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You know, great job, got guys to the next level.
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Dylan Benner was a revelation in Southern California.
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He's playing uh at the Army, he's playing with Army at West Point.
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Uh, I mean, there's you know, he's had plenty of guys go on to the next level.
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So um I think he'll, I mean, and and he inherits a very interesting collection of players, a really good rising sophomore group, a very under unheralded 2027 group, and a smattering of 2028 who will eventually work their way into the rotation.
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Obviously, you know, they've they've got the big fella in 2028, uh, Boone Thompson, but right, you know, beyond him, there's you know, some unreally unheralded guys in that 2028 group, and then a solid incoming freshman group.
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So, I mean, but yeah, coaches, coaches changing uh addresses, players changing addresses, teams loading up, teams gonna be rebuilding as a result of losing guys.
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You know, it's it's man, it's gonna be a very, very interesting season of basketball.
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It is for sure.
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Hey, uh what I want to talk to you about next um is you know, uh, is kind of my my favorite thing.
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Um, it's I I talk about it all the time uh to people outside of the basketball community about how cool how cool it is that you do this.
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Uh I want to talk about the cream of the county.
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It's coming up.
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Uh it's come, it's on my birthday this year, which is very exciting for me.
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It's a it's a good birthday present.
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Um I'm going I'm going out of my way to to to carve the timeout um to get there.
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Um I gotta come I gotta come watch my boy, dude.
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I gotta I gotta come watch, I gotta come uh come root everybody on, and then I gotta I want to be there, be there on the sidelines for Bolden.
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Uh much my favorite high school basketball player in the county.
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Um dude, he's he's gonna have a fun season.
00:20:21.119 --> 00:20:23.599
Um so uh yeah, I'm stoked.
00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:26.319
So I want you to tell me about tell me about cream of the county.
00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:37.759
Um I know we we briefly we briefly got into it um last time, but uh I I kind of want to talk about uh not only like where it came from, kind of briefly.
00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:50.559
I know you had you had talked about seeing um those kind of all-star games in other in other communities uh before, but but I also want to talk about kind of what goes into putting it together um and then what what we should look forward to this year.
00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:52.400
Uh yeah, go for it.
00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:55.200
I mean, yeah, I mean this is year 11.
00:20:55.279 --> 00:21:05.839
Uh the first one was in uh was Labor Day Saturday of 2015, all the way up at Army Navy when they were opening the brand new Duffield Sports Complex.
00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:07.119
You know, I was there.
00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:10.799
I yeah, I mean it it's I can't believe it's been 11 years.
00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:12.160
But crazy, bro.
00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:13.599
Yeah, oh my goodness.
00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:19.200
So I've been involved with showcases in San Diego for like a couple years leading up to that.
00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:31.119
Uh I remember uh Area Coach Basketball from Arizona had come in and done uh Super 60 at Miracosa College, and I helped, you know, bring a lot of the get a lot of the players there.
00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:58.000
Uh and then the year the year before the first cream to the county, um, I was involved with an event called Clash of the Classes uh that was held down at Mount Miguel, where you know I did a lot of work, you know, getting players, scouts to come through, and it was well received by the community, but I just felt like there was like there's something missing.
00:21:58.160 --> 00:21:59.759
I thought that there could be.
00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:06.799
You know, we we could do this a little bit better than both of the previous iterations.
00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:13.119
And so I kind of over that next year just thought about like what did I want to call it?
00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:17.200
You know, what did I what were gonna be the expectations?
00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:24.480
Uh what would be the template I would use, uh, and most importantly, where would it be held?
00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:44.240
And then I kind of just like had it fall into my lap that Army Navy was like really excited about uh you know, showcasing the new gym to the community at large, and they saw like there was a shared vision, like this could be a great introduction to the new complex and also a kickoff to uh the basketball season.
00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:49.119
So that first year, uh so hectic.
00:22:49.359 --> 00:23:01.119
I mean, a week before, you know, my family and I were printing jerseys in Anthony Fair, Anthony Farabee's uh uh condo in Tierra Santa.
00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:12.880
I mean, it's just like me, my mom, my wife, uh just like ran uh friends of uh basketball friends who would just come through for a couple of hour shifts.
00:23:13.039 --> 00:23:15.759
You know, it was it was it was crazy.
00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:20.480
Uh and you know, we pulled it off and it was really well received.
00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:26.079
And, you know, each year we've tried to do things, you know, we changed venues a couple of times.
00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:33.920
We're a country day uh for two years, then back to Army Navy for two final years, and then the last four.
00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:36.079
Um, one, two, three, four.
00:23:36.160 --> 00:23:37.680
This will be the fifth one that we've had at St.
00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:38.480
Augustine.
00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:58.720
Um, and uh and a very similar dynamic, you know, Mike Haupt was opening up this brand new uh gymnasium and thought that this would be a great opportunity to showcase the improvements not only to the gym but also around campus because they had a really major innovation.
00:23:58.799 --> 00:24:07.359
And so, you know, it's been they've been gracious uh hosts, and you know, it's it's been a great relationship.
00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:22.960
And then obviously, you know, halfway uh, you know, halfway through the time, I kept getting requests about like, how are you selecting the eighth graders for the eighth grade uh, you know, cream game?
00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:26.880
You know, there are guys that you're missing, and I'm like, well, yeah, it's just me.
00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:36.160
You know, like why don't you do like an event where the eighth graders can come out and basically compete and you see who's there and you pick the field.
00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:57.599
And I was like, that actually sounds like that doesn't sound like a bad idea, you know, and it would introduce me to the eighth grade class so I could have like an idea of who to look uh look for the next year, and then also you know, just kind of educating myself on what the lay of the land would look like at the high schools in the future, and so then that's the C OTC Open Run was born.
00:24:57.759 --> 00:25:10.400
We had it at Christian the first uh few years, and now we've had it at Cathedral uh the last three, and so you know, we're you know, that's coming up on August 29th, and then obviously the C OTC coming up on September 5th.
00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:11.839
So that's cool, man.
00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:18.079
How do you um how do you figure out how many players to invite like per class?
00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:29.039
Well, initially I I wanted to I wanted to cap it basically at 20 uh 20 players per game, 10 per side.
00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:32.640
Yeah, but man, it was just like it's impossible.
00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:33.759
Uh it's impossible.
00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:39.279
I mean, you're upsetting a lot of people, you're like, you know, really good players aren't getting invited.
00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:49.359
And of course, you know, my I've always been an advocate for uh basketball below the open division, below division one.
00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:55.440
I've always wanted to give those kids an opportunity because they needed a lot more than some of those kids.
00:25:55.599 --> 00:26:08.880
This opportunity for them is like is golden, and so I you know, I was like, okay, how can I add more kids and potentially like not piss off their parents?
00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:17.839
And so I was like, okay, well, if I do the math and I add five minutes to each half, then I can get them, everyone will play the exact same amount of time.
00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:19.440
And it was like, okay, there you go.
00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:33.279
So now we you know, so it's you know, 15 players on each side, 25-minute halves, and then you start just like digging through resumes, uh, you know, ninth through twelfth grade.
00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:38.000
Uh so eighth graders obviously have to play their way into the event, yeah.
00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:40.079
And that gives me an opportunity.
00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:49.039
Then when you're in ninth grade, that after your ninth grade year, uh, the kids who played, I give them an automatic buy.
00:26:49.119 --> 00:26:50.480
They get to play the next year.
00:26:50.640 --> 00:27:01.759
Whether it's the Kramer Select game, that's you know, that's when we when we get done with the this the open run, then we look at who the players are, yeah, and then we start making that decision.
00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:30.799
10th through 12th grade is you know, basically, you know, it's what you've done at the high school level, what you've done at the club level, and honestly, like where you project, you know, if we've had some kids who you know were JV players at some big schools, but already have multiple division one offers, and you know, they're gonna they're gonna get an opportunity to see to show why they're you know why they have those offers.
00:27:30.880 --> 00:27:31.759
And yeah, I love that.
00:27:32.480 --> 00:27:42.400
And there have been kids at small schools who I've knew this kid can play at this level and let's give them an opportunity.
00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:46.319
Um, you know, and it's it's a we it's a weird alchemy.
00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:48.319
And I've and I've had help along the way.
00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:59.680
I mean, I've you know, as we expanded to have that last game of the night, the crime de la creme game where it's like the very best kids, uh, regardless of class, you know, I have a panel.
00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:08.559
Uh I obviously don't name their names because I want them, you know, but you know, we have a panel and we vote on all those players.
00:28:08.640 --> 00:28:18.160
You know, I put all their stats and their accolades and you know their offers on a spreadsheet, and I give everyone an opportunity to say, okay, you know, here's here's how I vote.
00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:32.720
And then we calculate the votes, and the guys who are on, you know, come up on top, those are the guys who get the invites, and the other guys still have an opportunity to play their way into that by winning MVP of their you know respective games.
00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:33.920
So that's cool.
00:28:34.160 --> 00:28:35.839
Yeah, it's it's a lot.
00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:46.400
Yeah, no, it what are some of your uh what are some of your favorite moments from the the cream the creams of the county, cream of the counties?
00:28:46.799 --> 00:28:50.160
Is it like I think it's like surgeons general, it's gotta be creams of the county.
00:28:50.400 --> 00:28:52.319
Um creams of the county for sure.
00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:52.799
Yeah.
00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:55.519
Um what are what are some of your favorite moments?
00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:59.119
All right, so obviously the first one is always near and dear to me.
00:28:59.279 --> 00:29:05.680
You know, introducing the community to you know my family because it's a family run event.
00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:06.319
No doubt.
00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:15.279
People know you come to the registration table, the first person you're gonna see is the missus, and she's going to, you know, she runs a very tight ship up there.
00:29:15.359 --> 00:29:18.160
Don't cross her, or it's not gonna be fun for you.
00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:25.440
Uh, you know, if you're getting your ticket, uh, you know, your your wristband, it's my daughter handing it to you.
00:29:25.519 --> 00:29:33.119
And so you people have seen her grow up from like a six-year-old to now a 16-year-old.
00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:36.480
Um, you know, it's it's so they see that.
00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:40.559
Um, so the first one always stands out.
00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:54.799
And then in the game in the games of the first one, Boogie Ellis scoring like 40 points in the uh in the freshman cream game was pretty spectacular, like a great way to kind of kick it off.
00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:55.279
Yeah.
00:29:56.400 --> 00:30:14.559
And then speaking of Boogie, uh there was two years later, um, he and a kid who came from out of town, because early on, you know, sometimes it was tough to get buy-in from like everyone across the county.
00:30:14.640 --> 00:30:26.880
So I would bring in a few guys from out of the area, and one of the guys that came down was Cedric Altman, who played for IEBP, and he was from uh he was from up in the inland empire.
00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:31.599
And Cedric and Boogie put on this like electric back and forth in their game.
00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:32.720
Those are fun.
00:30:33.119 --> 00:30:45.519
Yeah, and then Cedric hit the game winner, but obviously Boogie kind of becomes this, you know, superstar and goes on to this great college career and and and now he's playing professionally.
00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:53.599
Um another moment I think was kind of like it was it was frustrating and fun.
00:30:54.400 --> 00:31:07.599
Uh year four at Army Navy, uh Ryan Langborg, for some reason, his coach did not get him into the senior game the first two rotations.
00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:17.759
And I remember looking over and I saw his mom like storming towards me, you know, and I was like, Cam, I got it, don't worry.
00:31:17.920 --> 00:31:23.039
And so I like whispered in coach's ear, yo, you know, Ryan hasn't gotten in yet.
00:31:23.200 --> 00:31:28.960
And so they kept him in like the next two rotations in a row, and I think he scored like 20 points.
00:31:29.119 --> 00:31:29.839
It was crazy.
00:31:30.160 --> 00:31:30.720
That's what he does.
00:31:31.599 --> 00:31:32.640
It's what he does.
00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:33.279
Yep.
00:31:33.839 --> 00:31:43.200
Uh then when we moved to Saints, the first season, the first year of Saints was, you know, an absolute, um, absolute movie.
00:31:43.440 --> 00:31:50.559
Uh, we had the you know, new gym, everyone's you know, super excited about that.
00:31:50.960 --> 00:31:59.200
Uh players are playing masks because it's like still on the heels of COVID, and you know, we're doing temperature checks and all this stuff.
00:31:59.359 --> 00:32:17.200
And then I had to stop the last game because guys weren't playing hard, and I stopped it like halfway through and gave like a pretty impassioned speech about like you know, people being here to watch you guys and you guys not, you know, not living up to why they're here.
00:32:17.440 --> 00:32:20.319
So, you know, we can just shut it down, or you guys can play hard.
00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:23.359
And they and they ended up playing super hard afterwards.
00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:33.440
Uh then the next year uh we had the inaugural uh Nick Herman uh you know MVP awards.
00:32:33.599 --> 00:32:51.519
Uh and that meant a lot to me uh to honor uh you know a dear friend of mine, a dear friend of my son's, and Mikey Williams uh had returned to San Diego and pulled up for uh pulled up for the creme de la creme game.
00:32:51.759 --> 00:33:03.119
I I I gotta admit, Mikey was kind of rusty those first three uh first three and a half, you know, it was first half and a half of a half, but you know, so the understatement of the year.
00:33:03.440 --> 00:33:21.440
Yeah, I I mean he was like, I want to say he was two for 17 going into the final five minutes, and then of course Uncorks this like storybook finish that goes viral on Ball's life, and you know, it's it was obviously that was like kind of like a huge moment.
00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:38.319
And then Tavid Johnson, I it was either I think it was earlier in that day, Tavid hitting the game winner in the eighth grade cream game and kind of like cementing himself as a guy that you were gonna, you know, you were gonna watch with great interest.
00:33:38.640 --> 00:33:55.200
Um, and then last year was such a blast being year 10, you know, Project X, uh having you know a snafu at the beginning of the event with the t-shirts not arriving on time and me almost having an aneurysm as a result of it.
00:33:55.519 --> 00:34:09.599
But having guys who had played in the cream come back and coach, uh like Tyson Robinson, and then of course my son came back and he coached Sinai Forbes, who had played in a couple of creams of the county, he came back and coached.
00:34:09.920 --> 00:34:21.599
And it was, you know, it was so much fun like being able to say that this has become like an institution that has been around for a decade.
00:34:21.760 --> 00:34:25.199
Yeah, and those are my those would be my like big highlights.
00:34:25.440 --> 00:34:26.639
That's amazing, man.
00:34:26.800 --> 00:34:29.599
Like it's it's so cool.
00:34:29.760 --> 00:34:51.440
Like I can't, I can't like fully explain to you how much that means to like the to the players, to the programs, like for us being this like little scrappy little school up in Escondido to finally have a player get invited when Tristan got invited that first time was like was incredible, dude.
00:34:51.519 --> 00:34:53.519
Like I we felt like we had made the big time.
00:34:53.679 --> 00:35:00.559
And then going down there, and like there's there's media there, and there's just a ton of seeing all the guys.
00:35:00.639 --> 00:35:07.679
Like, I love watching them all uh like goofing around on the baseline after they do get their measurements and stuff.
00:35:07.920 --> 00:35:25.679
Like it's just so cool to see all these guys who, you know, in two months are gonna be like blood, sweat, and tears on the court against each other, but they're still coming off club season, and so to see them all kind of bonding together in those moments is it's really special.
00:35:25.760 --> 00:35:32.400
Like, I love going down and just kind of just kind of mingling down in that area and and and talking to guys I know.
00:35:32.800 --> 00:35:39.599
I was on a podcast earlier this week, uh, my friend Heather Cleves has uh she's been putting on.
00:35:40.159 --> 00:35:42.159
She's the best, she's awesome.
00:35:42.400 --> 00:35:48.400
And she called it, and I I think this is like the perfect description, basketball friendsgiving.
00:35:48.719 --> 00:35:49.440
Oh, for sure.
00:35:49.760 --> 00:36:10.159
Like, you know, it's everyone, you've not only players that are about to compete, but you've got coaches who in like would be the Jets and the Sharks, would not speak to each other during travel basketball season or high school season, and you know, they're sitting talking, you know, shooting the breeze, and everyone's like got their guard down.
00:36:10.239 --> 00:36:11.760
It's like one big gang truce.
00:36:11.840 --> 00:36:14.239
It's like yeah, no, it's so cool.
00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:28.719
You know, I grew up in yeah, I grew up in LA, man, in the in the early 90s, and I remember like we call it the right after the riots, you had the truce of nine deuce, which was like when pretty much all the Chris and all the bloods were like, Yeah, let's lay down our arms for about three minutes.
00:36:29.519 --> 00:36:34.800
But that's that's what it's like everyone just gets along and it's a fun time.
00:36:35.039 --> 00:36:36.000
That's funny you say that.
00:36:36.079 --> 00:36:54.079
Yeah, I I like there was one year that I was sitting in the stands with the family and the player who had just transferred away from our school and sitting there with an assistant coach of the school that the kid had transferred to, and we were all just like yucking it up, like having a great time.
00:36:54.239 --> 00:36:55.760
It's such a cool moment, man.
00:36:55.920 --> 00:36:57.280
Um, and it's so important.
00:36:57.440 --> 00:37:08.480
It's so important for these kids to know that there's like it's it's bigger than basketball, but also to show them how important basketball can be to the community and to all these people.
00:37:08.639 --> 00:37:16.639
And you know, for that, like, you know, you've gone you've gone above and beyond to give these kids something that a lot of them are never gonna have, you know what I mean?
00:37:16.800 --> 00:37:20.639
To get that that attention, that kind of stage, that love.
00:37:20.800 --> 00:37:42.559
Like I used to I only got I only got a couple of minutes here, but I I I used to say that like the job of everybody involved in in high school athletics, whether it's from the the media side, the officials, the parents, the coaches, it's all of our job to give the kids the best possible stage that they can have to go and have fun and show off what they can do.
00:37:42.800 --> 00:37:45.599
And um, you do such a good job of that, man.
00:37:45.679 --> 00:37:57.840
And like the the the program, the community, like every program, all hundred and however many high schools there are in San Diego, the basketball community, CIF as a whole, it's better.
00:37:58.320 --> 00:38:00.159
It's better because of the work that you do.
00:38:00.320 --> 00:38:02.480
And so it's it's much appreciated, my friend.
00:38:02.880 --> 00:38:03.920
Appreciate you, my guy.
00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:04.639
I really do.
00:38:04.719 --> 00:38:08.559
I mean, it's been it's obviously it's a passion project.
00:38:08.719 --> 00:38:24.880
I mean, I remember the very first basketball event I ever hosted was I was in high school and I wanted to put on a tournament with all of my friends like in like my church network.
00:38:25.039 --> 00:38:28.960
And I just decided to throw like a street ball tournament.
00:38:29.280 --> 00:38:40.960
And then 10 years later, I was in Porterville, California, and wanted to do something to raise money for uh homeless women and children, and I put on a three-on-three tournament uh called Hooping for the Homeless.
00:38:41.280 --> 00:39:00.079
And you know, 10 years after that, I'm back in the trenches, but now I'm like get, you know, I have an opportunity to make the kids in my region feel seen and feel appreciated at least for a day.
00:39:00.400 --> 00:39:04.159
And honestly, it's like I'm so grateful to have that opportunity.
00:39:04.480 --> 00:39:05.360
It's awesome, man.
00:39:05.599 --> 00:39:07.440
Well, well, much appreciated.
00:39:07.599 --> 00:39:13.440
Uh, you know, I'll probably I'll probably chat with you before um, but if if I don't, then I'll see you.
00:39:13.599 --> 00:39:15.280
I'll see you in a couple weeks, my friend.
00:39:15.360 --> 00:39:15.920
I'll be there.
00:39:16.079 --> 00:39:16.639
I'll be there.
00:39:16.719 --> 00:39:21.840
I'll I'll be I'll be thumping my chest every time Bolden pulls up something way deeper than he should be.
00:39:21.920 --> 00:39:23.440
So that'll be all good.
00:39:23.760 --> 00:39:25.440
And happy early birthday, my friend.
00:39:25.599 --> 00:39:26.480
Oh, thanks, man.
00:39:28.400 --> 00:39:29.519
I'll talk to you, brother, later.
00:39:30.239 --> 00:39:35.199
So that'll do it.
00:39:35.280 --> 00:39:38.079
Uh another episode of the 32 in the books.
00:39:38.239 --> 00:39:39.840
Uh thank you guys for listening.
00:39:40.000 --> 00:39:41.039
Hope you guys enjoyed it.
00:39:41.119 --> 00:39:48.639
Uh, if you're not doing anything on Saturday, September 5th, uh, 2026, in case you're listening to this in the future, you missed it.
00:39:48.719 --> 00:39:52.800
Uh, but if you're not doing anything on September 5th, and you can make it over to St.
00:39:52.960 --> 00:39:57.119
Augustine's high school to watch the Cream of the County, it's a show.
00:39:57.280 --> 00:39:58.639
Um, it's pretty awesome.
00:39:58.719 --> 00:40:03.599
But uh, I would just look up online and you you'll find out what times the games are and stuff.
00:40:03.760 --> 00:40:06.400
But it's cool to see the kids come out and show out.
00:40:07.760 --> 00:40:17.519
Um have like such a cool platform to show off for their peers and for college scouts and for friends and whatever they want.
00:40:17.840 --> 00:40:19.920
It's it's just a really it's a really special event.
00:40:20.159 --> 00:40:23.840
Uh I can't more highly recommend it than I am right now.
00:40:24.079 --> 00:40:26.000
So uh I'll be there.
00:40:26.320 --> 00:40:29.039
Um kind of rooting on rooting on some of my guys.
00:40:29.119 --> 00:40:32.400
So I uh yeah, I'll talk to you soon.
00:40:32.559 --> 00:40:34.719
Uh see you next time.
00:40:34.960 --> 00:40:36.800
Uh this has been Coach V.
00:40:37.039 --> 00:40:38.159
And uh 32.
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:00.880
Tuck it on the beat.
00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:12.240
Welcome back to the 32.
00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:15.359
Hope everybody enjoyed their summer like I did.
00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:20.879
Taking a couple months to unplug from the world was really, really nice.
00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:22.000
But I'm here.
00:00:22.079 --> 00:00:22.480
I'm back.
00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:25.600
Ready to chat with high school hoops with you guys.
00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:41.280
I wanted to kick off this season, I guess you'd call it, uh, with a another chat with uh my good friend Aaron Bergen, uh, better known as Full Time Hoops, the uh the guru of San Diego high school basketball.
00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:58.880
Um wanted to chat with him about kind of what he saw over the summer, emerging storylines going into next year, and and talk about his his legendary uh now 11 years in uh player showcase, the Kareem of the County, which is coming up on September 5th.
00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:04.159
So uh yeah, without any further ado, let's just let's just dive in.
00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:06.480
Uh here's my conversation with Aaron Bergen.
00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:12.239
So here we are, like uh back for back for after a after an extended summer.
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Uh took some took some time away.
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And uh and I'm here with uh you know my good friend, the the the Wikipedia of San Diego basketball.
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Um, you know, my good friend Aaron Bergen.
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What's up, dude?
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Man, what up, Dave?
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How are you, man?
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I'm doing great, man.
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Uh like uh this is only the second like real true teacher summer that I've ever gotten to enjoy.
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Like I've been teaching for fifty, I've been teaching for 15 years, but I was coaching uh you know football and basketball for a while, and then just basketball for so long that I got to actually like enjoy the whole summer.
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It was nice, man.
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How about you?
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How's how's everything going?
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How's your summer?
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You know, just basketball, work, family, you know, AJ coming back home after, you know, his first pro season.
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And yeah, so it's it's been pretty routine.
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I mean, it's been pretty much the same summer I've had for going on 14 years now.
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Yeah.
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Um, yeah, it's gotta be great to have AJ back.
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And I, you know, we were talking about this.
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I I think I think I gotta have him on to talk about what it's like playing ball overseas at some point.
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So I'm not gonna not gonna pick your brain too much about it, but I know it must be it must be fantastic having him home.
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Uh has its moments for sure.
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I love it.
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Um what were some uh what were some some some summer basketball highlights?
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Like what's some stuff that you saw over the summer um that stuck with you?
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Um, well, first off, I I actually, you know, I see basketball at so many different levels these days, but uh one of my roles that I you know inherited over the past couple years was being the MC at the Swish Pro Am.
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So, you know, obviously I was there all eight weeks and it was, you know, eye-opening to see the progress of some of our guys, uh, you know, obviously the professionals, but uh the evolution of Isaiah Marte going into his retro freshman year at Miramar College, that was probably one of the bigger storylines out of Switch.
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You know, he he came alive down the last five or six games of that season and you know, capped it off with a 32-point game in the championship where they yeah, where they beat uh the number one seed low ballers.
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They came in as a six seed, knocked off the three, the two and the one, in uh, in order to get it there.
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So actually, no, three, seven and one, because the two seed got upset in the first round, too.
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So quite a run.
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And uh so, like I said, he definitely was like one of the bigger revelations on the high school side.
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Um, the you know, the buzz was obviously this reloaded uh victory Christian team that everyone's talking about.
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Um, you know, they won the open division for the first time last year and returned with a bunch of new faces, most notably Tristan Anderson from the winter and Lamar Smith from San Diego.
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I mean, those are the two big names, but also Brooklyn James, who was uh the second leading scorer at Mount Miguel last year, Amon Oliver, who was uh the second leading scorer at Coronado last year, and Anthony Lee, who was a starting point guard at Christian.
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So they added five new guys.
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Goodness.
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Yeah, lots of firepower.
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Plus, they have a couple of underrated guys that are returning, uh, you know, so including Troy Tamina, who, you know, had one of the better sophomore years in the region.
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So, I mean, it's gonna be there, they're gonna be right up there again.
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And then Francis Parker uh added, they added a kid all the way from, I believe he's from New Zealand via San Luis Obispo by the name of Bo.
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Yeah, by the name of Bo Crew, went to San Luis Obispo Highs, about 6'6, uh wing.
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And you add him to a team that lost their their one real tall guy in Devin Dubois, and then suddenly, you know, you're right back in the mix, you know.
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And you know, he looks to be one of the best seniors, not only in San Diego, but I would say on the West Coast.
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I mean, he's he's primed for a huge senior year, so I think Parker will be there again.
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I would say, you know, at the top of those two, and then you know, trying to think some of the surprises that may not be surprises to me or you because we follow it pretty closely, but the emergence of Rancho Bernardo uh under, you know, under returning coach Mark Bay Shore, right bringing back like almost every single piece of last year's division two uh finalist team.
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That team is so freaking deep, man.
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It's crazy.
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It's an embarrassment, it's an embarrassment of riches, but it's also one of those things that like it's it's a it's a good problem to have, but it's a problem nonetheless.
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That like how do you allocate the roles?
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How do you no doubt?
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Yeah, I mean, there's only there's only 32 minutes in a game, right?
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And so to times five, you know, you've got what is that, a hundred and a hundred and sixty minutes that you can allocate, and and you know, there's only there's only a finite number of shots.
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It's cool for me to see, like, obviously, you know, now that I'm not on the sidelines anymore, uh, you know, because I was I was kind of the longtime beneficiary of seeing some of the some of the talent pool kind of drain away from the big traditional public schools into the smaller schools.
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I was for sure a beneficiary of that for for years, but it's cool to see RB keeping kids.
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Um like I don't know, there's there's something to me, and we've talked about this in the past, and I'll I'll talk about it until I'm blue in the face.
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There's something to me that is, I don't know, it's nice to see kids playing for their neighborhood school.
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Oh, sure.
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I think it's cool.
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Um and it it's and I know that that's not like the the game's changed, right?
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And I'm I can be I can be like the the grumpy old head that yells at clouds, or I can like kind of kind of get used to it.
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Um, but I like to be that grumpy old head sometimes.
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And so it's cool to see RB keeping kids around, you know.
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Such a nostalgia.
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I mean, it's it it's a throwback for sure.
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I mean, and they're not the only ones who've been able to, you know, successfully keep their kids around, but that definitely is like the huge story.
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The other one I think that's gonna uh that will surprise some uh teams this year is gonna be Helix Charter, you know, really undefeated last year in their league, and they bring back a ton of talent as well.
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And uh over the summer they looked really good.
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So I think they're gonna be kind of a sleeper to keep an eye on.
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I think the I think Brian Hammerstrand is kind of is going to be the barometer for that team.
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That's the 6'6, almost 6'7 now.
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Uh Wayne, he's he grew he grew a ton, he's super skilled, but he's been often injured throughout his career.
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If he can stay healthy like the whole year, I think they have a chance to be, you know, maybe to sneak into that open discussion as like an eighth seed.
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But you know, yeah, they're gonna have their work cut out for them.
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Obviously, playing in East County, you know, playing in the in the Grossmont Hills, you know, outside of Seal Canyon, like PowerPoints, you know, doing all the calculations in your head, you lose ground on the bigger conferences, i mean, bigger leagues playing in your league, you know.
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So I'm curious to see what happens though.
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Like, sorry to cut you.
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I'm I'm curious to see what happens uh with Valhalla because of the new football coach that that got hired there that came over from Lincoln, and all of a sudden, there's a ton of athletes that are that are enrolled at Valhalla that are playing football.
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I wonder how many of those guys bleed over to the basketball court.
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I know over the summer there was a few of them that were running, and it's a it's a totally different makeup of that team.
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And so that I'm curious about that.
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I'm curious to see what the what the kind of fallout is and like what the bleed down effect is.
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Most of those guys, I think most of those guys are gonna be pretty locked into football, playing seven on seven, but you add at least one in Tamarian Williams, who's like an uber talented rising sophomore, uh, but did not have the basketball season I expected last year, you know, partly because he was on the roster, off the roster, and then finally off the roster uh you know to start his freshman year just at Mount Miguel.
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So I think if he can if he can stay locked in, it definitely adds a dimension to that team that they didn't have in the in years past.
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I mean, yeah, the last time they had you know some real athleticism, it feels like was way back in 2019 when they made their run to the D3 uh championship game.
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You know, three ball three ball holler.
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Yeah, yeah, three ball holler was, you know, and and they had Jordan Gaines on that team, who was a little more athletic.
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Uh you know, they had wings on that group that was also pretty athletic.
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Uh, so you know, Tamarion's far, you know, more athletic than those guys.
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Um, it'll be interesting.
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Yeah, I I I still think Helix and Steele kind of are one and two over there.
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Yeah, Chase Miles is becoming like a big time college prospect.
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I mean, he's got Point Loma kind of all over him right now, and that's you know, that's saying a lot given Point Loma's pedigree and who is level.
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For sure.
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So um, I think the other and the last kind of big storyline I'll talk about is like the player movement this summer.
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It's been absolutely like dramatic.
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Uh and it feels I know, I know.
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It's it's a lot.
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I mean, and it's not just like the big powers that are, you know, getting kids in.
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It's the big powers losing kids, it's the small schools getting kids, you know.
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Will Spurgis transferring from Saints after his freshman year to Del Norte.
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Like that was like something maybe you wouldn't have seen, you know, three or four years ago.
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Um, you know, when Saints was pretty much running San Diego, uh Zayn Dean joining Will Spurges from Canyon Crest over to Del Norte, you know, to form uh I mean, they've got one of the best, you know, uh 2029 quartets in San Diego.
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If you count River Reed, Landon Wiles, that are already, you know, guys that are already there.
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And now you have Zayn and Will, you know, in a couple of years, if they if that group stays together, I mean, they're gonna be a problem.
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You know, Santa Fe Christian quietly, you know, reloading on the fly, you know, Gene Kim from University City, uh, you know, um Austin Quinn from Marinath the Christian is there now.
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Um, and then uh Jack Conkey from Santa uh from Sage Creek, he also made his way over there.
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So I mean they they had a three guys who probably be, you know, starters or immediate contributors uh to that team.
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But I think all eyes obviously are gonna be on like what happens with uh the victory Christian five.
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Right uh, you know, I've I talked to Will Gray earlier this week and he was telling me that like there's a couple of things that need to be finalized before certain guys are eligible.
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Um but he he feels confident that all those guys will be able to at least play, you know, at least the second half of the season, if not uh three or four of those guys will be uh eligible to play right away, he believes.
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My goodness.
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I know that's wild.
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Yeah, it's it's wild, man.
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Like I, you know, I see it obviously.
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Um there's you know, at my old school, there's three kids that came in.
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Um and so and it they've done a good job.
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Like, you know, Gabe has done such an incredible job with the culture here.
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Yeah.
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Um, and we have a really, really special group of seniors in terms of like character kids.
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And so they welcomed all the transfers in.
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Like it was there was no uh there was like no hitch.
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It's not clicky at all.
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Um, but like I've had I've had that with with transfers that have come in in the past.
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You know, we had a we had a pretty good player come in from Stampus Coal my first year, and then we had um a pretty good player come in from you know the artist formerly known as Sarah, uh, you know, King House.
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Um and like it it takes a minute, right?
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It's so hard to develop that kind of team culture and continuity, especially in basketball where you have a smaller group of kids, right?
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Um, where one person can be such a culture shift that like I don't know, it can be really it can be really difficult.
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And so I'm curious to see how it works across the county.
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It's also interesting to me to see that people are transferring away from some of these schools that are like transfer destinations, because then like what do you what do you say to the kid that's been in the program for three years who's been grinding up and has earned his way up to you know sixth or seventh man?
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And that's gonna be like that's the peak of where they're gonna get, but they're excited to get to that point on an open division competitive team, and then five transfers come in and they get dumped down to 13th on the and I also understand, right?
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Like varsity basketball, especially when you get to the to the D1 kind of level.
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Um, it's I mean, you know, it's it's it's about it's about who's gonna help you win games, but it's still there's there's a part of me that like, oh god, like I don't know, man.
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Like I don't love it.
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I get it from the I get it from the other side too, right?
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Like I've I've been involved in situations um as a coach and as a as a parent where like the the situation wasn't the right fit.
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Like I've been involved as a coach where there are players that I think would be would do much better in a in a in a different setting.
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And so like I understand why the need for transfers is there.
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I think it's one of those things that like if there was an easy solution to the problem, somebody would have come up with it already.
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Uh plenty of plenty of bright minds out there, and yeah, it no one has seemed to be able to solve that quandary.
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I mean it's hard around it goes.
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Yeah, you know, but but I I would say yeah, summer was really revealing.
00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:29.840
I think the other the other huge uh thing we're gonna see is like all the new coaches everywhere.
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I mean, there there were so many quite a few changes at the helms of places.
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I mean some surprise ones too.
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You know, uh Brandon Dowdy leaving uh Sage Creek, Devin Watson getting that job.
00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:49.200
I mean, I thought that you know that was a guy who was just recently in a in a CIF championship game, you know.
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Or I think talk speaking of CIF champions, you know, last year's Division IV champ, you know, Derek Jones over Tri-City Christian, he's out.
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Um, you know, so there that that was that was a a a bit of a surprise as well.
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Um, and then just all across the county, Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Cathedral Catholic was the crown jewel.
00:17:12.799 --> 00:17:18.480
I mean, that thing attracted like 80 applications plus like national, yeah, like national.
00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:24.799
I mean, I was getting calls from like Division I assist and coaches like asking me, Did I have an N?
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And I'm like, like you sure?
00:17:29.440 --> 00:17:32.240
Yeah, but okay, great.
00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:36.240
You know, Wolfie is a friend of mine, so Wolfgang would getting that job.
00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:47.839
I mean, yeah, it's I I I know a lot of people, you know, were just like, wait a second, we went way out of out of say, you know, out of San Diego, you know, to to fill that position.
00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:56.000
And I know, you know, obviously, you know, the talk was that Clark Allert was the other finalist, and so that was you know big surprise.
00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:59.519
But I think people will be pleasantly surprised with what Wolf does.
00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:03.839
I mean, he's a he's a brilliant basketball mind.
00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:04.480
Yeah.
00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:07.519
Uh he obviously, you know, St.
00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:10.160
Bonaventure's in Ventura County is uh St.
00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:14.000
Bonaventure's a a football pro like a football school first, right?
00:18:14.240 --> 00:18:18.480
But what he was able to do with that basketball program, such a good job.
00:18:18.880 --> 00:18:20.960
You know, great job, got guys to the next level.
00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:23.920
Dylan Benner was a revelation in Southern California.
00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:28.880
He's playing uh at the Army, he's playing with Army at West Point.
00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:33.359
Uh, I mean, there's you know, he's had plenty of guys go on to the next level.
00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:53.599
So um I think he'll, I mean, and and he inherits a very interesting collection of players, a really good rising sophomore group, a very under unheralded 2027 group, and a smattering of 2028 who will eventually work their way into the rotation.
00:18:53.839 --> 00:19:06.640
Obviously, you know, they've they've got the big fella in 2028, uh, Boone Thompson, but right, you know, beyond him, there's you know, some unreally unheralded guys in that 2028 group, and then a solid incoming freshman group.
00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:20.160
So, I mean, but yeah, coaches, coaches changing uh addresses, players changing addresses, teams loading up, teams gonna be rebuilding as a result of losing guys.
00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:26.559
You know, it's it's man, it's gonna be a very, very interesting season of basketball.
00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:28.079
It is for sure.
00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:38.160
Hey, uh what I want to talk to you about next um is you know, uh, is kind of my my favorite thing.
00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:45.680
Um, it's I I talk about it all the time uh to people outside of the basketball community about how cool how cool it is that you do this.
00:19:45.839 --> 00:19:48.000
Uh I want to talk about the cream of the county.
00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:48.880
It's coming up.
00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:52.319
Uh it's come, it's on my birthday this year, which is very exciting for me.
00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:54.079
It's a it's a good birthday present.
00:19:54.319 --> 00:20:01.440
Um I'm going I'm going out of my way to to to carve the timeout um to get there.
00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:04.720
Um I gotta come I gotta come watch my boy, dude.
00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:11.279
I gotta I gotta come watch, I gotta come uh come root everybody on, and then I gotta I want to be there, be there on the sidelines for Bolden.
00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:15.599
Uh much my favorite high school basketball player in the county.
00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:20.880
Um dude, he's he's gonna have a fun season.
00:20:21.119 --> 00:20:23.599
Um so uh yeah, I'm stoked.
00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:26.319
So I want you to tell me about tell me about cream of the county.
00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:37.759
Um I know we we briefly we briefly got into it um last time, but uh I I kind of want to talk about uh not only like where it came from, kind of briefly.
00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:50.559
I know you had you had talked about seeing um those kind of all-star games in other in other communities uh before, but but I also want to talk about kind of what goes into putting it together um and then what what we should look forward to this year.
00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:52.400
Uh yeah, go for it.
00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:55.200
I mean, yeah, I mean this is year 11.
00:20:55.279 --> 00:21:05.839
Uh the first one was in uh was Labor Day Saturday of 2015, all the way up at Army Navy when they were opening the brand new Duffield Sports Complex.
00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:07.119
You know, I was there.
00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:10.799
I yeah, I mean it it's I can't believe it's been 11 years.
00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:12.160
But crazy, bro.
00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:13.599
Yeah, oh my goodness.
00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:19.200
So I've been involved with showcases in San Diego for like a couple years leading up to that.
00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:31.119
Uh I remember uh Area Coach Basketball from Arizona had come in and done uh Super 60 at Miracosa College, and I helped, you know, bring a lot of the get a lot of the players there.
00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:58.000
Uh and then the year the year before the first cream to the county, um, I was involved with an event called Clash of the Classes uh that was held down at Mount Miguel, where you know I did a lot of work, you know, getting players, scouts to come through, and it was well received by the community, but I just felt like there was like there's something missing.
00:21:58.160 --> 00:21:59.759
I thought that there could be.
00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:06.799
You know, we we could do this a little bit better than both of the previous iterations.
00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:13.119
And so I kind of over that next year just thought about like what did I want to call it?
00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:17.200
You know, what did I what were gonna be the expectations?
00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:24.480
Uh what would be the template I would use, uh, and most importantly, where would it be held?
00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:44.240
And then I kind of just like had it fall into my lap that Army Navy was like really excited about uh you know, showcasing the new gym to the community at large, and they saw like there was a shared vision, like this could be a great introduction to the new complex and also a kickoff to uh the basketball season.
00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:49.119
So that first year, uh so hectic.
00:22:49.359 --> 00:23:01.119
I mean, a week before, you know, my family and I were printing jerseys in Anthony Fair, Anthony Farabee's uh uh condo in Tierra Santa.
00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:12.880
I mean, it's just like me, my mom, my wife, uh just like ran uh friends of uh basketball friends who would just come through for a couple of hour shifts.
00:23:13.039 --> 00:23:15.759
You know, it was it was it was crazy.
00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:20.480
Uh and you know, we pulled it off and it was really well received.
00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:26.079
And, you know, each year we've tried to do things, you know, we changed venues a couple of times.
00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:33.920
We're a country day uh for two years, then back to Army Navy for two final years, and then the last four.
00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:36.079
Um, one, two, three, four.
00:23:36.160 --> 00:23:37.680
This will be the fifth one that we've had at St.
00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:38.480
Augustine.
00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:58.720
Um, and uh and a very similar dynamic, you know, Mike Haupt was opening up this brand new uh gymnasium and thought that this would be a great opportunity to showcase the improvements not only to the gym but also around campus because they had a really major innovation.
00:23:58.799 --> 00:24:07.359
And so, you know, it's been they've been gracious uh hosts, and you know, it's it's been a great relationship.
00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:22.960
And then obviously, you know, halfway uh, you know, halfway through the time, I kept getting requests about like, how are you selecting the eighth graders for the eighth grade uh, you know, cream game?
00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:26.880
You know, there are guys that you're missing, and I'm like, well, yeah, it's just me.
00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:36.160
You know, like why don't you do like an event where the eighth graders can come out and basically compete and you see who's there and you pick the field.
00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:57.599
And I was like, that actually sounds like that doesn't sound like a bad idea, you know, and it would introduce me to the eighth grade class so I could have like an idea of who to look uh look for the next year, and then also you know, just kind of educating myself on what the lay of the land would look like at the high schools in the future, and so then that's the C OTC Open Run was born.
00:24:57.759 --> 00:25:10.400
We had it at Christian the first uh few years, and now we've had it at Cathedral uh the last three, and so you know, we're you know, that's coming up on August 29th, and then obviously the C OTC coming up on September 5th.
00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:11.839
So that's cool, man.
00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:18.079
How do you um how do you figure out how many players to invite like per class?
00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:29.039
Well, initially I I wanted to I wanted to cap it basically at 20 uh 20 players per game, 10 per side.
00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:32.640
Yeah, but man, it was just like it's impossible.
00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:33.759
Uh it's impossible.
00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:39.279
I mean, you're upsetting a lot of people, you're like, you know, really good players aren't getting invited.
00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:49.359
And of course, you know, my I've always been an advocate for uh basketball below the open division, below division one.
00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:55.440
I've always wanted to give those kids an opportunity because they needed a lot more than some of those kids.
00:25:55.599 --> 00:26:08.880
This opportunity for them is like is golden, and so I you know, I was like, okay, how can I add more kids and potentially like not piss off their parents?
00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:17.839
And so I was like, okay, well, if I do the math and I add five minutes to each half, then I can get them, everyone will play the exact same amount of time.
00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:19.440
And it was like, okay, there you go.
00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:33.279
So now we you know, so it's you know, 15 players on each side, 25-minute halves, and then you start just like digging through resumes, uh, you know, ninth through twelfth grade.
00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:38.000
Uh so eighth graders obviously have to play their way into the event, yeah.
00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:40.079
And that gives me an opportunity.
00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:49.039
Then when you're in ninth grade, that after your ninth grade year, uh, the kids who played, I give them an automatic buy.
00:26:49.119 --> 00:26:50.480
They get to play the next year.
00:26:50.640 --> 00:27:01.759
Whether it's the Kramer Select game, that's you know, that's when we when we get done with the this the open run, then we look at who the players are, yeah, and then we start making that decision.
00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:30.799
10th through 12th grade is you know, basically, you know, it's what you've done at the high school level, what you've done at the club level, and honestly, like where you project, you know, if we've had some kids who you know were JV players at some big schools, but already have multiple division one offers, and you know, they're gonna they're gonna get an opportunity to see to show why they're you know why they have those offers.
00:27:30.880 --> 00:27:31.759
And yeah, I love that.
00:27:32.480 --> 00:27:42.400
And there have been kids at small schools who I've knew this kid can play at this level and let's give them an opportunity.
00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:46.319
Um, you know, and it's it's a we it's a weird alchemy.
00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:48.319
And I've and I've had help along the way.
00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:59.680
I mean, I've you know, as we expanded to have that last game of the night, the crime de la creme game where it's like the very best kids, uh, regardless of class, you know, I have a panel.
00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:08.559
Uh I obviously don't name their names because I want them, you know, but you know, we have a panel and we vote on all those players.
00:28:08.640 --> 00:28:18.160
You know, I put all their stats and their accolades and you know their offers on a spreadsheet, and I give everyone an opportunity to say, okay, you know, here's here's how I vote.
00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:32.720
And then we calculate the votes, and the guys who are on, you know, come up on top, those are the guys who get the invites, and the other guys still have an opportunity to play their way into that by winning MVP of their you know respective games.
00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:33.920
So that's cool.
00:28:34.160 --> 00:28:35.839
Yeah, it's it's a lot.
00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:46.400
Yeah, no, it what are some of your uh what are some of your favorite moments from the the cream the creams of the county, cream of the counties?
00:28:46.799 --> 00:28:50.160
Is it like I think it's like surgeons general, it's gotta be creams of the county.
00:28:50.400 --> 00:28:52.319
Um creams of the county for sure.
00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:52.799
Yeah.
00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:55.519
Um what are what are some of your favorite moments?
00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:59.119
All right, so obviously the first one is always near and dear to me.
00:28:59.279 --> 00:29:05.680
You know, introducing the community to you know my family because it's a family run event.
00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:06.319
No doubt.
00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:15.279
People know you come to the registration table, the first person you're gonna see is the missus, and she's going to, you know, she runs a very tight ship up there.
00:29:15.359 --> 00:29:18.160
Don't cross her, or it's not gonna be fun for you.
00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:25.440
Uh, you know, if you're getting your ticket, uh, you know, your your wristband, it's my daughter handing it to you.
00:29:25.519 --> 00:29:33.119
And so you people have seen her grow up from like a six-year-old to now a 16-year-old.
00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:36.480
Um, you know, it's it's so they see that.
00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:40.559
Um, so the first one always stands out.
00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:54.799
And then in the game in the games of the first one, Boogie Ellis scoring like 40 points in the uh in the freshman cream game was pretty spectacular, like a great way to kind of kick it off.
00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:55.279
Yeah.
00:29:56.400 --> 00:30:14.559
And then speaking of Boogie, uh there was two years later, um, he and a kid who came from out of town, because early on, you know, sometimes it was tough to get buy-in from like everyone across the county.
00:30:14.640 --> 00:30:26.880
So I would bring in a few guys from out of the area, and one of the guys that came down was Cedric Altman, who played for IEBP, and he was from uh he was from up in the inland empire.
00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:31.599
And Cedric and Boogie put on this like electric back and forth in their game.
00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:32.720
Those are fun.
00:30:33.119 --> 00:30:45.519
Yeah, and then Cedric hit the game winner, but obviously Boogie kind of becomes this, you know, superstar and goes on to this great college career and and and now he's playing professionally.
00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:53.599
Um another moment I think was kind of like it was it was frustrating and fun.
00:30:54.400 --> 00:31:07.599
Uh year four at Army Navy, uh Ryan Langborg, for some reason, his coach did not get him into the senior game the first two rotations.
00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:17.759
And I remember looking over and I saw his mom like storming towards me, you know, and I was like, Cam, I got it, don't worry.
00:31:17.920 --> 00:31:23.039
And so I like whispered in coach's ear, yo, you know, Ryan hasn't gotten in yet.
00:31:23.200 --> 00:31:28.960
And so they kept him in like the next two rotations in a row, and I think he scored like 20 points.
00:31:29.119 --> 00:31:29.839
It was crazy.
00:31:30.160 --> 00:31:30.720
That's what he does.
00:31:31.599 --> 00:31:32.640
It's what he does.
00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:33.279
Yep.
00:31:33.839 --> 00:31:43.200
Uh then when we moved to Saints, the first season, the first year of Saints was, you know, an absolute, um, absolute movie.
00:31:43.440 --> 00:31:50.559
Uh, we had the you know, new gym, everyone's you know, super excited about that.
00:31:50.960 --> 00:31:59.200
Uh players are playing masks because it's like still on the heels of COVID, and you know, we're doing temperature checks and all this stuff.
00:31:59.359 --> 00:32:17.200
And then I had to stop the last game because guys weren't playing hard, and I stopped it like halfway through and gave like a pretty impassioned speech about like you know, people being here to watch you guys and you guys not, you know, not living up to why they're here.
00:32:17.440 --> 00:32:20.319
So, you know, we can just shut it down, or you guys can play hard.
00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:23.359
And they and they ended up playing super hard afterwards.
00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:33.440
Uh then the next year uh we had the inaugural uh Nick Herman uh you know MVP awards.
00:32:33.599 --> 00:32:51.519
Uh and that meant a lot to me uh to honor uh you know a dear friend of mine, a dear friend of my son's, and Mikey Williams uh had returned to San Diego and pulled up for uh pulled up for the creme de la creme game.
00:32:51.759 --> 00:33:03.119
I I I gotta admit, Mikey was kind of rusty those first three uh first three and a half, you know, it was first half and a half of a half, but you know, so the understatement of the year.
00:33:03.440 --> 00:33:21.440
Yeah, I I mean he was like, I want to say he was two for 17 going into the final five minutes, and then of course Uncorks this like storybook finish that goes viral on Ball's life, and you know, it's it was obviously that was like kind of like a huge moment.
00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:38.319
And then Tavid Johnson, I it was either I think it was earlier in that day, Tavid hitting the game winner in the eighth grade cream game and kind of like cementing himself as a guy that you were gonna, you know, you were gonna watch with great interest.
00:33:38.640 --> 00:33:55.200
Um, and then last year was such a blast being year 10, you know, Project X, uh having you know a snafu at the beginning of the event with the t-shirts not arriving on time and me almost having an aneurysm as a result of it.
00:33:55.519 --> 00:34:09.599
But having guys who had played in the cream come back and coach, uh like Tyson Robinson, and then of course my son came back and he coached Sinai Forbes, who had played in a couple of creams of the county, he came back and coached.
00:34:09.920 --> 00:34:21.599
And it was, you know, it was so much fun like being able to say that this has become like an institution that has been around for a decade.
00:34:21.760 --> 00:34:25.199
Yeah, and those are my those would be my like big highlights.
00:34:25.440 --> 00:34:26.639
That's amazing, man.
00:34:26.800 --> 00:34:29.599
Like it's it's so cool.
00:34:29.760 --> 00:34:51.440
Like I can't, I can't like fully explain to you how much that means to like the to the players, to the programs, like for us being this like little scrappy little school up in Escondido to finally have a player get invited when Tristan got invited that first time was like was incredible, dude.
00:34:51.519 --> 00:34:53.519
Like I we felt like we had made the big time.
00:34:53.679 --> 00:35:00.559
And then going down there, and like there's there's media there, and there's just a ton of seeing all the guys.
00:35:00.639 --> 00:35:07.679
Like, I love watching them all uh like goofing around on the baseline after they do get their measurements and stuff.
00:35:07.920 --> 00:35:25.679
Like it's just so cool to see all these guys who, you know, in two months are gonna be like blood, sweat, and tears on the court against each other, but they're still coming off club season, and so to see them all kind of bonding together in those moments is it's really special.
00:35:25.760 --> 00:35:32.400
Like, I love going down and just kind of just kind of mingling down in that area and and and talking to guys I know.
00:35:32.800 --> 00:35:39.599
I was on a podcast earlier this week, uh, my friend Heather Cleves has uh she's been putting on.
00:35:40.159 --> 00:35:42.159
She's the best, she's awesome.
00:35:42.400 --> 00:35:48.400
And she called it, and I I think this is like the perfect description, basketball friendsgiving.
00:35:48.719 --> 00:35:49.440
Oh, for sure.
00:35:49.760 --> 00:36:10.159
Like, you know, it's everyone, you've not only players that are about to compete, but you've got coaches who in like would be the Jets and the Sharks, would not speak to each other during travel basketball season or high school season, and you know, they're sitting talking, you know, shooting the breeze, and everyone's like got their guard down.
00:36:10.239 --> 00:36:11.760
It's like one big gang truce.
00:36:11.840 --> 00:36:14.239
It's like yeah, no, it's so cool.
00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:28.719
You know, I grew up in yeah, I grew up in LA, man, in the in the early 90s, and I remember like we call it the right after the riots, you had the truce of nine deuce, which was like when pretty much all the Chris and all the bloods were like, Yeah, let's lay down our arms for about three minutes.
00:36:29.519 --> 00:36:34.800
But that's that's what it's like everyone just gets along and it's a fun time.
00:36:35.039 --> 00:36:36.000
That's funny you say that.
00:36:36.079 --> 00:36:54.079
Yeah, I I like there was one year that I was sitting in the stands with the family and the player who had just transferred away from our school and sitting there with an assistant coach of the school that the kid had transferred to, and we were all just like yucking it up, like having a great time.
00:36:54.239 --> 00:36:55.760
It's such a cool moment, man.
00:36:55.920 --> 00:36:57.280
Um, and it's so important.
00:36:57.440 --> 00:37:08.480
It's so important for these kids to know that there's like it's it's bigger than basketball, but also to show them how important basketball can be to the community and to all these people.
00:37:08.639 --> 00:37:16.639
And you know, for that, like, you know, you've gone you've gone above and beyond to give these kids something that a lot of them are never gonna have, you know what I mean?
00:37:16.800 --> 00:37:20.639
To get that that attention, that kind of stage, that love.
00:37:20.800 --> 00:37:42.559
Like I used to I only got I only got a couple of minutes here, but I I I used to say that like the job of everybody involved in in high school athletics, whether it's from the the media side, the officials, the parents, the coaches, it's all of our job to give the kids the best possible stage that they can have to go and have fun and show off what they can do.
00:37:42.800 --> 00:37:45.599
And um, you do such a good job of that, man.
00:37:45.679 --> 00:37:57.840
And like the the the program, the community, like every program, all hundred and however many high schools there are in San Diego, the basketball community, CIF as a whole, it's better.
00:37:58.320 --> 00:38:00.159
It's better because of the work that you do.
00:38:00.320 --> 00:38:02.480
And so it's it's much appreciated, my friend.
00:38:02.880 --> 00:38:03.920
Appreciate you, my guy.
00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:04.639
I really do.
00:38:04.719 --> 00:38:08.559
I mean, it's been it's obviously it's a passion project.
00:38:08.719 --> 00:38:24.880
I mean, I remember the very first basketball event I ever hosted was I was in high school and I wanted to put on a tournament with all of my friends like in like my church network.
00:38:25.039 --> 00:38:28.960
And I just decided to throw like a street ball tournament.
00:38:29.280 --> 00:38:40.960
And then 10 years later, I was in Porterville, California, and wanted to do something to raise money for uh homeless women and children, and I put on a three-on-three tournament uh called Hooping for the Homeless.
00:38:41.280 --> 00:39:00.079
And you know, 10 years after that, I'm back in the trenches, but now I'm like get, you know, I have an opportunity to make the kids in my region feel seen and feel appreciated at least for a day.
00:39:00.400 --> 00:39:04.159
And honestly, it's like I'm so grateful to have that opportunity.
00:39:04.480 --> 00:39:05.360
It's awesome, man.
00:39:05.599 --> 00:39:07.440
Well, well, much appreciated.
00:39:07.599 --> 00:39:13.440
Uh, you know, I'll probably I'll probably chat with you before um, but if if I don't, then I'll see you.
00:39:13.599 --> 00:39:15.280
I'll see you in a couple weeks, my friend.
00:39:15.360 --> 00:39:15.920
I'll be there.
00:39:16.079 --> 00:39:16.639
I'll be there.
00:39:16.719 --> 00:39:21.840
I'll I'll be I'll be thumping my chest every time Bolden pulls up something way deeper than he should be.
00:39:21.920 --> 00:39:23.440
So that'll be all good.
00:39:23.760 --> 00:39:25.440
And happy early birthday, my friend.
00:39:25.599 --> 00:39:26.480
Oh, thanks, man.
00:39:28.400 --> 00:39:29.519
I'll talk to you, brother, later.
00:39:30.239 --> 00:39:35.199
So that'll do it.
00:39:35.280 --> 00:39:38.079
Uh another episode of the 32 in the books.
00:39:38.239 --> 00:39:39.840
Uh thank you guys for listening.
00:39:40.000 --> 00:39:41.039
Hope you guys enjoyed it.
00:39:41.119 --> 00:39:48.639
Uh, if you're not doing anything on Saturday, September 5th, uh, 2026, in case you're listening to this in the future, you missed it.
00:39:48.719 --> 00:39:52.800
Uh, but if you're not doing anything on September 5th, and you can make it over to St.
00:39:52.960 --> 00:39:57.119
Augustine's high school to watch the Cream of the County, it's a show.
00:39:57.280 --> 00:39:58.639
Um, it's pretty awesome.
00:39:58.719 --> 00:40:03.599
But uh, I would just look up online and you you'll find out what times the games are and stuff.
00:40:03.760 --> 00:40:06.400
But it's cool to see the kids come out and show out.
00:40:07.760 --> 00:40:17.519
Um have like such a cool platform to show off for their peers and for college scouts and for friends and whatever they want.
00:40:17.840 --> 00:40:19.920
It's it's just a really it's a really special event.
00:40:20.159 --> 00:40:23.840
Uh I can't more highly recommend it than I am right now.
00:40:24.079 --> 00:40:26.000
So uh I'll be there.
00:40:26.320 --> 00:40:29.039
Um kind of rooting on rooting on some of my guys.
00:40:29.119 --> 00:40:32.400
So I uh yeah, I'll talk to you soon.
00:40:32.559 --> 00:40:34.719
Uh see you next time.
00:40:34.960 --> 00:40:36.800
Uh this has been Coach V.
00:40:37.039 --> 00:40:38.159
And uh 32.
