December 7, 2006

SPORTS

Mustangs end non-league play as champs of first annual Pioneer Holiday Classic

Pioneer boys’ hoops team reels off three straight tournament wins to end non-league play

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

The Pioneer boys’ basketball team finished up non-league play by winning three straight games, including a 65-47 win over Soquel in the championship game of the inaugural Pioneer Holiday Classic on Dec. 30.

Pioneer's Matt Montelongo fights through traffic in the paint during a 59-58 comeback win over Los Gatos on Dec. 29 during the second round of play at the Pioneer Holiday Classic. Montelongo played a key role in the win, scoring eight if his 16 points during the fourth quarter, including a game-winning layup with six seconds left. Photos by Dan Miranda

The Mustangs, as hosts of the tournament, started out play by taking a 71-53 win over Branham in the opening round on Dec. 28, before taking a close 59-58 win over Los Gatos the next day to advance to the tournament’s championship game. With league play set to begin, the Mustangs wrapped up non-league play with a 10-4 record.

“It was good to see that the kids improved with every game,” Pioneer head coach Joe Berticevich said of the three-game winning stretch during tournament play. “It was fun. It was fun for the fans to come and watch some good games.”

While the win over Soquel capped off a solid finish to non-league play, Berticevich said another key was the way his team responded in a 59-58 comeback win over Los Gatos the day prior.

Pioneer started out with a rough 22-9 deficit at the end of the first quarter against the Wildcats, and found themselves down by 20 at 34-14 with three minutes left in the first half. That’s when things began to turn around.

Pioneer responded before the end of the second quarter, reeling off 15 straight points, including seven from point guard Matt Montelongo, to go into the locker room with just a five-point deficit.

The Mustangs’ inspired play continued in the second half, as the Mustangs closed out the third quarter down just three following a modest 7-0 scoring run in the final two minutes. Pioneer then grabbed its’ first lead of the night in the first minute-and-a-half of play in the fourth quarter on a 6-1 stretch at 53-49, before Los Gatos stormed back with a 7-0 stretch to regain the lead at 56-53 with 3:24 remaining in the game.

The Mustangs persevered however, going on a 6-2 stretch in the final two minutes of the game, including a game-winning layup by Montelongo with six seconds left in the game to seal the win. Berticevich called the comeback win a good learning experience, and a confidence booster, for his team.

“Anytime you come back from a 20-point deficit, you’re going to learn from it and you’re going to be able to fall back on that down the road, knowing that you can come back from a big deficit,” Berticevich said. “…Luckily, it was early in the second quarter when that came. We just can’t depend on that because we’re in a good league and we can’t come out flat like that, as we did in the first quarter against Los Gatos. But it was good to see our character and our leadership, led by Matt Montelongo, to regroup and come back.”

Montelongo proved to play a pivotal role in the comeback win over Los Gatos, scoring eight of his game-total 16 points in the fourth quarter, including four in the final two-minute stretch that captured the win. The effort didn’t go unnoticed by Berticevich, who said his point guard’s play will be key to his team success in league match-ups.

Pioneer's Nick Maggipinto led the Mustangs with 15 points in the 65-47 win over Soquel.

“I thought he played extremely well,” Berticevich said of Montelongo, who earned tournament MVP honors. “…If he plays well, we play well. It’s not just the points; it’s how he handles the team. The team’s number one and if he has that on his mind, we’re going to be in good shape.”

Still, one heart-stopping comeback win, such as the one over Los Gatos, is quite enough for Berticevich this season.

“Hopefully we don’t have to do that too many times,” Berticevich said with a chuckle. “One time in a year is good enough for me.”

As for the championship game win over Soquel, Berticevich said the comeback win over Los Gatos provided ample motivation for his team throughout the rest of tournament play and going into league competition.

“We just fed off that and played four good quarters of basketball against Soquel,” Berticevich said of the win over Los Gatos. “We beat a pretty good team by 17, so it’s a good way to go into league. Hopefully we can build on that. It’s what we strive for. Our goal is to prepare ourselves for league and it’s a good way to start league, with three wins in a row in our own tournament.”

Berticevich also said he was especially pleased with his team’s play against a Soquel, considering the troubles physically larger teams have posed for the Mustangs throughout non-league play. In short, Berticevich said playing against bigger teams, such as Soquel, comes down to confidence.

“Our big guys played well,” Berticevich said of the win over Soquel. “They started defending the post and got more confident that they could do it. It was a good sign to see that. The intensity level was up, the rebounding was getting better, so it was good to see that we played Soquel tough inside.”

Leland boys’ hoops team ends non-league play with road win

Chargers take 48-39 win at Harbor to finish non-league play at 5-6;
Marino and Hipwell lead team with 17 points each

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

The Leland boys’ basketball team finished non-league play on a positive note, posting a 48-39 road win over Harbor on Dec. 28.

Leland's Greg Hipwell (31) has emerged as another scoring option for the Chargers this season, according to head coach Ed Campbell. Hipwell scored 17 points in a 48-39 road win over Harbor to close out non-league play on Dec. 28. Photos by Dan Miranda

The win, which improved Leland’s overall record to 5-6, was the team’s second straight win and its third in the past four games. Leland’s Drew Marino and Greg Hipwell each scored a team-high 17 points in the win. With league play set to begin, Leland head coach Ed Campbell said he’s pleased with the progress his young team has made, citing the Chargers’ win over Harbor as another stepping stone in overall team development.

“We’ve played a real difficult schedule,” Campbell said. “The teams we’ve lost to are all doing pretty well. I think that while it was disappointing to lose those games, I think sometimes it’s helpful to play good teams because they’ll show you where you need to work, what you need to concentrate on, what you need to get better on. I think we all kind of agreed that our ball handling, our ability to get our offense set up was what we really had to work on. I think we’re making strides there.”

The Chargers jumped out to a 23-16 lead at halftime, despite a late 6-0 scoring run by Harbor in the last three minutes of the second quarter. Leland maintained its seven-point lead through the end of the third quarter, leading the game 33-26, before finishing up the win over the Pirates with an 8-4 run in the game’s final three minutes for the 48-39 win.

Campbell said one of the most pleasing developments during non-league play has been his team’s willingness to work on weaknesses. Campbell added the team’s hard work is starting to show in games, leading to an overall higher confidence level.

“To their credit, they are working really hard in practice on being strong with the ball,” Campbell said of his squad. “We’ve been really working on our ball handling, particularly, everyone’s been working with their weak hand. So I think there’s a confidence level, just because of the hard work they’ve been doing.”

The improved ball handling, Campbell said, has resulted in the team cutting down on turnovers. The Chargers committed just nine turnovers in a 61-56 win over Los Gatos on Dec. 22, followed up by just seven turnovers in the win over Harbor.

“If we can keep the turnovers to 10 or less, that’s our goal, then I think we have a chance to compete and be in games,” Campbell said. “That’s been a big improvement.”

Still, Campbell said one area still in need of improvement is the team’s free-throw shooting. While the Chargers shot 6-of-7 from the free-throw line through the game’s first three quarters, they managed just 6-of-12 in the fourth quarter in the win over Harbor. Campbell said inconsistent shooting, whether from the free-throw line or from the field, is typical for a young team unaccustomed to pressure situations at the varsity level.

“It’s more difficult to make free throws in the fourth quarter than in the first quarter,” Campbell said. “Sometimes you just have to get used to that and get yourself back into your rhythm. Because we’re a young team, we tend to be a streaky team. Sometimes we’re streaky with shooting from the field, and sometimes we seem to be streaky from the free-throw line as well. That probably will be something we have to address to get better over the year, and I think we will as we get more comfortable in those (pressure) situations.”

Another development throughout non-league play has been the opposing teams’ focus in defending Marino, the Chargers’ leading scorer. To that end, Campbell said he’s pleased with Hipwell’s recent offensive contributions. Campbell said Hipwell’s scoring abilities have helped keep the pressure off Marino during important stretches of games.

“He has the ability to be our best player,” Campbell said of Hipwell. “…He has a chance to be a really good high school player, and yes, he is the person I was hoping, at the beginning of the year, who would be able to take up some of the scoring slack and give us that second good option because I knew teams would gang up on Drew and really go at him.”

As is the case with several young players on the Chargers’ squad, Campbell said Hipwell has endured an initial adjustment period to the varsity level. With that in mind, Campbell said he’s been hesitant to start Hipwell, noting the sophomore’s comfort level in coming off the bench and providing an offensive spark for the team. And while Campbell hasn’t ruled out starting Hipwell in the future, he said there’s no reason to change a good thing right now.

“It kind of goes game to game,” Campbell said. “I always tell players, ‘there are starters and then there are starters’ minutes.’ Sometimes those are one and the same. But sometimes you have players come in (off the bench) and they play starters’ minutes, which is the case with Hipwell.”

Sports Briefs

REACH Youth Scholarship nomination forms available online from San Jose Sports Authority
Nomination forms for the San Jose Sports Authority’s 2006 REACH Youth Scholarship Program, sponsored by Bridge Bank, which has provided college funds to 50 high school students over the past 10 years, are now available for downloading from the Sports Authority’s Web site at www.sjsa.org.

Last year, 31 Santa Clara County high school seniors were nominated, and six who overcame adversity through participation in sports were awarded scholarships through the REACH program, an acronym for Recognizing Excellence, Adversity, Courage and Hard Work. Scholarships are awarded based on an essay competition in which nominees explain how sports helped them overcome adversity.

The nominees and scholarship winners for 2006 will be honored at the REACH Awards Breakfast, chaired by former San Francisco 49er Ronnie Lott, on Thursday, May 3, 2007.

Only Santa Clara County high schools may nominate students for the award, with a maximum of five nominees per school. Nominees must then complete an essay and student information form.

Nominees must:

Be high school seniors,

Maintain a 2.5 GPA,

Participate in at least one sanctioned high school athletic activity,

Demonstrate community involvement,

Show the ability to overcome adversity or obstacles to reach his or her goals.

Each nominee is required to write an essay of one to three pages based on his or her experiences. The essay should focus on the obstacles they have overcome and how sports have helped them achieve their goals. Essays will be judged on content.

Nominations must be postmarked by Friday, March 31.

Visit the San Jose Sports Authority Web site at www.sjsa.org for more information.

Girls’ Lacrosse of San Jose now registering players
Girls’ Lacrosse of San Jose is now registering players for its spring 2007 season. The club, which plays under the name San Jose Extreme, has openings remaining for its new developmental team for third and fourth graders (second graders by permission), and for its fifth and sixth grade team. In addition, it has a short wait list for its 7th and 8th grade team and a second high school team.

Girls’ lacrosse is a fast-growing, non-contact field sport played with a webbed stick and ball that combines elements of basketball and field hockey. Girls Lacrosse of San Jose started five years ago with one team. In 2007, it will have five teams for girls of all ages.

The club practices at Kirk Community Center on Foxworthy Avenue and is part of the Northern California Junior Lacrosse Association. The season will run from February through mid-May.

For information, go to www.sjextreme.org or contact club President John Fensterwald by email at john@sjextreme.org or call (408) 265-2224

South San Jose Hotshots seek experienced girls’ soccer players
The South San Jose Hotshots, a girls U11 comp soccer team, is looking for experienced players for its 2007 indoor and outdoor seasons.  The Hotshots play in the Delgado competitive league and finished as one of the top U10 girls’ teams in the 2006 fall season.  The team has a positive coaching environment, with a focus on teamwork and player development.  Interested players should contact head coach Mike Bunge at awalt80@yahoo.com.

San Jose Strikkers 18U tryouts
The San Jose Strikkers, a youth girls fast-pitch softball team based in San Jose, will hold tryouts for its’ 18U summer ball team. Summer ball tryouts are Dec. 17, Jan. 7 and Jan. 14 at Oak Grove High School. Tryouts for pitchers and catchers are at 9 a.m. and all position player tryouts start at 10:30 a.m. For more information, call Frank King (408) 406-8191 or Richard Fangonilo (408) 274-9301, or e-mail fgking25@aol.com or rfangonilo@sjm.com

Bret Harte seeks boys’ junior lacrosse coaches
Bret Harte Middle School in San Jose is looking for boys' junior lacrosse coaches for the 2006-2007 season. Multiple positions are available for both head coaches and assistants. Previous lacrosse coaching experience recommended. If you are skilled in lacrosse, kid-oriented, and motivated to create a winning team from the ground floor up, we would love to talk with you! This is an exciting, and rapidly growing sport in California, and these Bret Harte boys are ready to go!

For more information, please contact Wayne Schatz at (408) 623-4691 or email wayne_schatz@sbcglobal.net

Valley Flag Football now accepting Spring 2007 registration
Valley Flag Football is the premier youth football league for boys and girls ages 5-14. The program provides young players a fun and exciting opportunity to engage in continuous action while learning lessons in teamwork. It’s an excellent way to introduce players before playing tackle and keeping tackle players active in the off-season.

Launched in 1996, the FLAG Football program is designed to educate young people about football while emphasizing participation and sportsmanship. Players learn skills and lessons that help them succeed both on and off the field.

NFL FLAG Football is played across the United States and is a fun and exciting sport that teaches great life lessons, such as sportsmanship, dedication and discipline.

This five-on-five game is recognizable to football fans everywhere. Participants learn about formations, pass patterns and different types of offense and defense. All teams are actual NFL team names. Players keep their team logo jerseys. Sign up today and be part of the Valley Flag Football Family. The first 100 players to register online receive a free league T-shirt. The season starts March 25, 2007

Visit our website for more information and registration: www.valleyflagfootball.com or contact us at (408) 531-0417 or via email at tmorgan_valleyflag@hotmail.com

Almaden Valley Rebels U17 girls’ soccer tryouts
The U17 girls’ Division 3 (comp.) Almaden Valley Rebels soccer team is looking for players for both spring and fall. Players must be born after 8-1-90. The Rebels have several players on the team that are “playing up,” so even if you are 14 or 15 years old, do not be afraid to try out for the team. Please contact Scott Hoyt at shoyt@cinnabarhills.com for complete details and tryout dates.
 
Almaden Valley Girls Softball League 2007 signups
The Almaden Valley Girls Softball League will be holding signups on:

- Saturday, Jan. 6, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Saturday, Jan. 13, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

All signups will take place at Graystone Elementary School, 6982 Shearwater Drive, Almaden.

First-time applicants, please bring a copy of your birth certificate. Parents, please bring your child for uniform sizing as well.

Almaden girls U11 class 1 soccer team tryouts
Open tryouts for the girls U11 class 1 (select) soccer team will be held Jan. 6 and 7 from 2 p.m.–4 p.m. at Simonds Elementary. The field is located at the corner of Little Falls Drive and Pajaro, behind Jake's Play Lot. The tryout is open to girls that are born after July 31, 1996, and that have a strong desire to play soccer at the top level. This is the perfect opportunity to try out for a select team as roster sizes grow due to increasing players on the field from 8 vs. 8 to 11 vs. 11.

The team will retain the services of a professional coaching staff. Joe Ascolese, a former Santa Clara Bronco star player, is the head coach and Kendra Sato, a DeAnza standout, is the assistant coach.

Come dressed ready to play. Bring a soccer ball and water. Any questions, call Carey Lisowski at (408) 316-3954 or e-mail at dflaadmin@att.net

Almaden Venom seek 1-2 experienced soccer players at Jan. 14 tryout
The Almaden Venom, a boys’ U10 spring/U11 fall competitive soccer team out of San Jose, will be holding a final tryout session on Jan. 14 from 1-2:30 p.m. at Allen at Steinbeck School, 820 Steinbeck Drive (field is adjacent to Santa Teresa Blvd) as they look to finalize the 2007 roster. Last season, the Venom were undefeated in league play, finishing in second place overall in the BU10 Delgado A division while compiling an impressive overall record of 25-5-10 during the 2006 calendar year. Players born on or between 8/1/96-7/31/97 are invited to attend. If you have any questions about the team,  contact head coach Tim Mackin at mackinfam@sbcglobal.net or (408) 997-1046.

Almaden Stealth Boys U11 comp soccer tryouts
Open tryouts for the boys’ U11 class 3 soccer team will be held Jan. 13 and 20 from 1 p.m.–3 p.m. at Steinbeck Middle School. The tryout is open to all boys who are born after July 31, 1996. This is the perfect opportunity to tryout for a competitive team as roster sizes grow, due to increasing players on the field from 8 vs. 8 to 11 vs. 11. The team will retain the services of a professional coach. The team is also looking for a part-time goalie. For questions, call Tom Geraghty at (408) 927-6252 or e-mail at 4mon@sbcglobal.net

Jumpstart Volleyball Club tryouts Jan. 12
Jumpstart Volleyball Club, which offers competitive and developmental teams for girls ages 9 to 16, will be offering make-up tryouts for beginner to advanced players on Jan. 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tryouts will be held at Monroe Middle School, located at 1095 S. Monroe St. in San Jose. There is a tryout fee of $15 per player. For more information, go to www.jumpstartvolleyball.com or call (408) 504-0682

High School Sports Schedule

Leland High School
Friday – Boys’ basketball at Andrew Hill, F/S 6 p.m. and varsity 7:30 p.m.
Friday – Girls’ basketball at Santa Teresa, JV 5:30 p.m. and varsity 7 p.m.

Saturday – F/S boys’ soccer at Pioneer, time TBA

Monday – Girls’ soccer at Live Oak, 3:15 p.m.

Tuesday – Boys’ basketball at Sobrato, F/S 5:30 p.m. and varsity 7 p.m.
Tuesday – Boys’ soccer vs. Lincoln, 3:15 p.m.

Wednesday – Girls’ basketball at Evergreen, JV 5:30 p.m. and varsity 7 p.m.
Wednesday – Varsity girls’ soccer at Santa Teresa, 3:15 p.m.
Wednesday – JV girls’ soccer vs. Santa Teresa, 3:15 p.m.
Wednesday – Wrestling at Del Mar, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday – Boys’ soccer vs. Oak Grove, 3:15 p.m.

Pioneer High School
Friday – Varsity boys’ basketball at Evergreen, F/S 6 p.m. and varsity 7:30 p.m.
Friday – Girls’ basketball vs. Evergreen, JV 5:30 p.m. and varsity 7 p.m.
Friday – Girls’ soccer at Branham, 3:15 p.m.

Saturday – F/S boys’ soccer vs. Leland, time TBA

Tuesday – Boys’ soccer at Yerba Buena, 3:15 p.m.

Wednesday –Boys’ basketball at Leigh, F/S 5:30 p.m. and varsity 7 p.m.
Wednesday –Girls’ basketball vs. Leigh, JV 5:30 p.m. and varsity 7 p.m.
Wednesday – Varsity girls’ soccer vs. Live Oak, 3:15 p.m.*

Thursday – Varsity boys’ soccer at Lincoln, 3:15 p.m.
Thursday – Wrestling at Gunderson, 6:30 p.m.

For more information about Leland and Pioneer sporting events, go to:

Pioneer Athletics: http://www.phsathletics.com/
Leland Athletics: http://www.lelandathletics.com/
Blossom Valley Athletic League: http://www.bval.org/

Annual Leland boys’ soccer alumni game sees alums defeat current squad 6-3

Former Leland boys’ soccer greats showed that age certainly isn’t a factor over the holiday break, as the alums defeated the Leland boys’ soccer team 6-3 at the annual Leland alumni game on Dec. 30.

The alumni team, shown here, defeated the current Leland boys’ soccer team 6-3 at the school’s annual alumni game on Dec. 30. Photos courtesy Gretchen Jung

Among the notable former Leland stars returning to the pitch for the annual match-up were Chuck Flora, James Woolridge, Andy Day, Eric Eberle, Dave Eberle, Brent Eberle, Tom Millett, Paul Hackett, Mike Hackett, and Greg Hartsell. Recent graduates also took part in the event, including Steven Beitashour, the Dally brothers, Chris Michelleti, Raman Nazari, and Grant Robson, as well as players from last year’s team in Peter Pena, Andrew Perez, and Alberto Monarrez.

“It’s a special game and something that's been going on at Leland forever,” said Leland head coach Rich Kubec. “There is a great soccer community built around the Leland soccer program, which has existed since the 1970s. The game is also a great test for the current players. All of the alumni are very good players who have never stopped playing. They may be bigger and slower now, but they are smarter.”

The current Leland varsity squad received goals from Daniel Trotter, Awan Khaledi, and Andrew Perez. Despite the loss, Kubec said he was proud of his team’s performance, noting that his squad played without several players because of family commitments during the holidays.

Former Leland coach Dave Gold with varsity player Cam Jung at the annual alumni game on Dec. 30.

“I was very proud with the game my guys played,” Kubec said. “They showed me things I have not yet seen from them. Normally, the alumni easily win the game. This wasn't the case this year. The guys battled hard and showed a lot of heart. They played intelligently too. I was really, really pleased with their performance. They were in the game until the last 20 minutes... considering we had no subs, we were missing a lot of players, and the alumni had two full teams that they were subbing in and out the whole game, I would call the guys' performance a success and something to build on.”

Kubec said he was pleased with the play of goalkeeper RJ Aitken, as well as the defensive efforts of Cam Jung, Dean Crosbie and Nate Polussa. In addition, two freshmen, Brent Mine and Malhar Oza, played the full 90 minutes and were very impressive, according to Kubec.

Kubec, a Leland alumnus, said he was happy to see several former Leland players show up for the game. The game also provided an opportunity for several former players, including Kubec, to catch up.

“I've generally attended every alumni game since my freshman year at Leland in 1986, and that's the biggest alumni showing I've seen in years,” he said. “Lots of guys I played ball with in the 80s showed up and that was pretty cool.”

Yoshioka stars at prestigious jamboree classic

Leland girls’ basketball prepped from preseason

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

The Leland girls’ basketball team defeated Freedom 68-58 to capture third place in the Jade Division at the prestigious West Coast Jamboree basketball tournament in Oakley on Dec. 30.

Leland’s Ana Farrington (21), shown here in game earlier this season, has led the Chargers in scoring and rebounding throughout the preseason. Photos by Dan Miranda

The West Coast Jamboree featured 120 teams in 12 divisions, hailing from New Jersey, Alaska, California and Nevada. Leland (5-5) landed in the third-place playoff after defeating Benicia, 51-23 decidedly in the first round before suffering defeat at the hands of Dublin by a 57-38 score in the semifinal.

“We haven’t lost to any horrible teams this year,” said Leland head coach Wade Nakamura.

Leland, in fact, played Dublin closer than the score revealed, closing within three baskets during the fourth quarter. However, “the game got away,” said Nakamura.

Trailing again versus Freedom, the Chargers overcame a double-digit deficit in the first half to win.

“It has been a tough preseason,” said Nakamura. “The girls have been struggling a bit, but we had a good game to end our preseason with. We finished really well.”

Leading Leland was scrappy senior and returning Mount Hamilton Division Most Valuable Player Kristen Yoshioka. The 5-foot-2-inch guard dropped in 28 points, including three three-point field goals.

Yoshioka was later named the Mercury News Athlete of the Week, based on her performance throughout the tournament, in which she averaged 17.67 points per game.

“Kristen and her sister (Meggie) both are the ultimate competitors,” said Nakamura. “They are just warriors.”

Nakamura explained that the Yoshioka twins bear a lot of responsibility this senior season, having started four years in the program.

“They go to battle everyday for our team,” said Nakamura. “Kristen played how she normally plays [throughout] the West Coast tournament. She found ways to put the ball in the bucket.”

While Leland has inched to a .500 finish in preseason, Nakamura assured that the Chargers’ character will prevail as they head into Mount Hamilton Division play, where they have shared the league crown two out of the past three seasons.

“It hasn’t been easy in preseason,” said Nakamura. “Our scheduling left us very little room for confidence games.”

The Leland losses have come courtesy of four teams perennially positioned amongst Central Coast Section Top 15 competitors. Westmoor, Pinewood, Palo Alto and Sacred Heart Prep all shared in tutoring the Chargers this season.

“If we went out and scheduled B-league teams, we could easily have been 9-2 or 11-1,” said Nakamura. “I like a tough preseason to give the girls a variety of experiences, and that is why we have been so successful for the past five years.”

Logically, Leland should fare as well as it did a year ago, Nakamura added. Departed graduate and two-time all league performer Mika Yanai was the squad’s only significant loss in the off-season.

Nakamura cited a healthy Amanda Doe, who has recovered from ACL surgery she underwent a year ago, as a major contributor and leader.

“She brings a lot of experience,” he said.

Sophomore Anna Castillo will join the Yoshioka twins guarding the perimeter, while junior Anna Farrington is currently leading the team in scoring and rebounding.

The low-post poses the most unknowns, however, Nakamura said. Much of the preseason was spent testing combinations between Pam Wolfe, Jovanna Cobos and Jennifer Rico.

“I would say that Rico has been the most consistent,” said Nakamura. “She is a bit undersized, but she is as tough as nails. She has been playing extremely hard, making a lot of good things happen on the court.”

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