Why the Mavericks lost game three

   Now down a game, the Dallas Mavericks need to figure out how bad they want a championship. After losing last night by two points to the Heat.  Dallas struggled to make shots down the stretch.
   Jason Kid and J.J Barea struggled from the field while shooting a combined 5-16. At the same time turning the ball over a total of 8 times. These guys shot lights out against the Lakers. Now they are struggling against this athletic Heat defense.
   The Heat bigs are cutting off the corners on every pick and roll. Unlike Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem are laterally quick enough to cut off openings to the basket.
   There is only so much star Dirk Nowitzki can do. Yes he had a key turnover towards the end of the game and missed a shot at the buzzer. But Nowitzki needs help. Come on Nowitzki is only shooting 50% from the field, 52% from the three point line, and a 94% from the free throw line making a stunning 154-164 at the charity strike.
   Jason Terry, the number two option, isn't making open jump shots and it appears as if the Heat defense is in his head.
   The Mavericks lost the game because of turnovers and missing open shots. Those are the two main factors. Dallas will win the next two games at home and then Miami will force a game seven where the real stars will shine and the Mavericks will become the NBA Champions. Or at least thats what the entire country besides Florida is hoping for

Chaffey Student Vs. Staff Basketball game

     The final score read seniors with a double-digit victory over the staff. But the score told part of the story.    
    Students dream of a day they will be able to attend college. Many, however, find they don’t have the financial support needed to attend a prestigious university.
    Thanks to AVID Coordinator Jose Quintero’s effort, four students will divide $1,600 to realize college dreams.
    Last year, Quintero put together the “Hope for Haiti” student vs. staff basketball game in an effort to raise money for the country of Haiti after the devastating earthquake.
    This year, Quintero decided to put the money raised in the game towards AVID seniors planning to attend college.
    Besides offering a competitive game, this year’s game offered dance performances by Ballet Folkorico, Craig Sawyer on guitar, and pep squad routines.
    Known by many around campus as the “AVID Guru,” Quintero orchestrated a great event.
    Money was also raised through the snack bar to benefit the Boys’ Basketball program and the Japan Relief Fund.
    Even though everyone left a winner, a game was still to be played.
    History shows the staff/faculty team would win, as it has done since Digital Filmmaking teacher Les Shepherd took a job at Chaffey.
    Shepherd, an imposing six-foot five, remains the Chaffey Varsity basketball record holder in three-point field goals made in one game with nine and holds the record with twenty assists in a single game.
    This year the former San Jose State University point guard came into the game with a sprained ankle. He, however, decided to play through the injury.
   Shepherd said: “I played because I am a Tiger…RAWRR!”
   Shepherd gave a valiant effort for the losing side finishing with 30 points 22 rebounds and eight assists.
   Varsity basketball coach Pat Frost showed up as the starting Center and provided offensive and defensive energy. Even while standing at six-foot three towering over his opponents it did not help Frost when attempting a layup. Apparently the toll of gravity was too much to overcome for Frost.
    The staff basketball team also received strong--two minute—Ahem! Cough, cough--performances by administrators Bart Goldstein and Tommy Mitchell.
    In the end, all this was not enough as the Chaffey student basketball team came out victorious with a great effort by player/coach Brandon Agapay, who represented the county versus Riverside County All Stars.

Why I said The Lakers wont Win the championship, And I was right

    The two times defending champion Los Angeles Lakers look to win a third straight title this year. Losses to sub five hundred teams have put the team in turmoil. Even losing to the 12-50 Cleveland Cavaliers.
    The team looks as if they have lost that sense of urgency they once had.
    Players are relaxing and waiting for the playoffs. Thinking they will be able to step up their play during playoff time.
    This will prove to be difficult with the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat in the opposite conference. Having lost to the Heat by sixteen points on Christmas day. Where the Lakers clearly looked out matched.
    Lakers fan and English teacher at Chaffey High School, Leonard Sanchez was very nervous about the playoffs.
    “I want the Lakers to win another Championship, but it’s hard enough to win one and then two in a row is even harder. A third championship would be very difficult.”
    “Just look at the history of the NBA, and tell me how many teams have done it?”
    Fans also haven’t forgotten about the Oklahoma City Thunder taking the Lakers to 6 games last season in the first round of the playoffs. In a series where the Lakers looked old and slow.
    The Lakers struggle to stop big athletic point guards such as Russell Westbrook of the Thunder and Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls. They lack a point guard who can pressure the ball and shut down opposing team’s point guards on the perimeter.
    The Thunder have also acquired tough seven foot center Kendrick Perkins from the Boston Celtics to help matchup with the Lakers size during playoffs.
    The Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs are two teams with a better overall record than the Lakers.
    The Spurs have a six and a half game lead on L.A. in the Western Conference standings.
Chaffey Athletic Director and longtime Lakers fan Chris Brown was confident the team would succeed.
    “Assuming the team stays healthy the Lakers have a very good chance to win their third straight Championship.”
    This is a big what “if”. Andrew Bynum, who is a big part of the team, has had many struggles staying healthy through out his career.
    Assuming the Lakers stay healthy is wishful thinking, even for Lakers fans around Chaffey.
    It’s been nearly a year and the team hasn’t changed. Looking that same way at times this season.
    With just one starter under the age of 30, the 67 playoff games the team has played in the last 3 years are starting to take a toll.
    The Lakers have a very successful history, but the time has come to pass the torch.
    Star guard Kobe Bryant is now in his 15th season as a professional and starting to decline. His minutes have decreased from previous seasons.
    Reports even came out saying Bryant did not practice with the team the first two months in order to prevent injury and help recover from offseason surgery.
    The team has gone on three losing streaks of three or more games this season.
    Right now the Lakers are 45-19 and in third place in the conference.
    The Lakers have looked like a championship team lately however the real test will come when the playoffs start.

February 9th Colony Vs. Chaffey

The defending league champion Colony High Titans came into the gym last week with 58-straight league victories, a few shy of a state record.

But the fifty-ninth victory was far from easy due to a hard fought effort from the Tigers, who despite turnovers put the halftime score at nearly even.

        Colony struggled to build a big lead through the first half when the Tigers kept the game close.

        Starting senior guard and team captain Brandon Agapay led the team with his energy.

        “We played with a lot of heart and motivation right from the beginning,” Agapay said.

        At one point in the second quarter, the score was 26-26.

        But seconds later Colony went on a 10-2 run to end the first half, making three consecutive three-point field goals.

        Colony’s coach screamed at his team at the half time meeting, hoping to avoid a repeat of the first half.

        Beginning the second half both teams continued to speed up the tempo, with Colony using its trademark full-court press.

The defensive pressure forced several more Chaffey turnovers, which then came in greater numbers as the game progressed.

Every time Chaffey seemed to get close, Colony’s guards made another three-point shot.

Colony led 51-36 at the end of the third quarter and began pulling away with the play of starting senior center Chris Mays.

Mays finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds.

After the game, Colony head coach Jerry De Fabiis said, “We picked up our defensive energy in the second half and started playing good ball.”

Coach Fabiis was confident about continuing their winning streak.

This year, the team has a chance to tie Compton ’s perennial power Dominquez High School for the third most consecutive league victories in the state.

When asked if there is any added pressure being to continuing the streak, Fabiis said, “Being the top team, there is pressure on us everyday.

“Everyone wants to knock us off.”

January 26th Chino Vs. Chaffey

The result of the second match up of the season between Chino High and The Chaffey Tigers was much different than the first.

          Where the Tigers lost by 14 points.

          Chaffey won this latest game with a final score of 63-57.

          Chaffey started the game on a 9-0 run.

          By the time the 1^st quarter was halfway done, Chino was losing 13-1. They looked confused out there.

          The hustle by all the Chaffey starters gave them a big lead. It seemed as if they won all the loose balls.

          The team’s tight 2-3 zone defense forced turnover after turnover.

          The play of senior guard Brandon Agapay sparked the Tigers to a huge victory.

Agapay led the team with 24 points. He was very excited about the team’s performance.

“This game we had a lot of desire, we began with a lot of energy.” “We played with a sense of urgency.”

“Good team ball”

          At one point he Tigers led by 16 points.

However Chino cut that lead down to 10 points by halftime. Senior guard Samuel Holmes led the team with 19 points.

As the game went on, Chino got closer and closer. But Chaffey held on for a much needed victory.

This was their first win in league and are now tied with Chino in the league standings.

With five games remaining in the season, Chaffey took a big step to ending the season strong.

January 14th Don Lugo Vs. Chaffey

Guard Paul Evans lead The Don Lugo Conquistadors to a much needed win in a game where both teams heart was displayed.  In a close game of 76-72.

         Chaffey trailed for most the game and faced a 13 point deficit at halftime. However the Tigers roared back to cut the lead to single digits to start the fourth quarter.

All this couldn’t have been done without the great play of senior guards Brandon Agapay and Miguel Quezada. The two starting guards seemed to do it all. Scoring for them and setting up teammates with nifty passes.        

Agapay finishing with 22 points and 7 assists. The senior guard remained positive even in defeat.

“We played hard with a lot of energy and everyone contributed to a team effort.”

As well as a strong performance by Center Sydney Vega.

         Don Lugo’s strategy seemed to be beat the tigers with their size when the game began. But that changed quickly as the Conquistadors switched to a smaller quicker lineup.

         As the game progressed we saw a star from Don Lugo step up to the challenge.  Senior Paul Evans finished with 27 points.  He has lead his team in scoring this season averaging 19.7 points a game. It was easy to tell why.

         The jumpshot was simply unstoppable. Shooting right over the Chaffey defenders with no hesitation.

         At one point Chaffey looked as if they captured all the momentum. With the crowd screaming for their Tigers. Evans ran off a screen and drained a three pointer over the Tiger zone. One fan even saying “he is too good”.

         Evans play combined with the play of sophomore point guard Mark Eden was just too much for Chaffey to overcome. After the game when speaking to Paul Evans he seemed very humble about the opportunity he has.

         “We all came to play hard.”

When asked what he has to say about his 27 point performance he said, “We work hard every day in practice and stick to the coach’s strategy to win.”

These two teams next matchup with each other comes Feb. 4^th, which should prove to be another great game.

January 7th Ontario Vs Chaffey

With a final score of 73-43. The Chaffey High Tigers suffered their fourth straight lose.

You couldn’t tell by the high score, but this was a game dominated by defense.

Marciano Rogers said, “Our defense lead to all the offense.” A junior at Ontario High explained it best. His 16 points and 17 rebounds lead the team to a much needed victory.

The road win came following a four game losing streak for Ontario.

In a game where both teams looked stagnate in the half court offense. Great defense leading to easy fast break scores decided the game.         

Mid way through the second quarter with a still reachable deficit for Chaffey. Ontario’s coaching staff was seen jumping up and down. Heard all through the arena, “Run, run, run.”

The Ontario players did just that the rest of the game.

A turnover forced by the aggressive Ontario full court press sparked a 26-10 run through the second quarter.

By the time the third quarter had started; Chaffey’s team looked out of gas.

Ontario’s press defense continued to put pressure on the Tigers. Facing a 26 point deficit in the third quarter, the game was all but over.

         Chaffey made a final run to cut the deficit, however it was too late.