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Weston Ranch gets share of VOL title
The Record Published Saturday, Feb 18, 2006
Bill Slikker's first thought as he watched his team clinch the Valley Oak League title was how happy he was for his senior class.The boys varsity basketball seniors at Weston Ranch won one game in their first year of varsity ball, and now they are co-champs of the VOL after beating Sierra 47-44 on Friday. The Cougars (19-5, 10-2 VOL) tied Sonora for the title."This is our first graduating class, and I am so happy for our seniors," Slikker said. "They went 1-24 last year, but they kept working. It feels great."
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The Ranch clinches first-ever VOL basketball title
WESTON RANCH — With his shirt sleeves pulled past the elbows and his hands on his head, Weston Ranch boys basketball coach Bill Slikker soaked in the panoramic view.Championships aren’t won in a day and the third-year coach needed time to reflect on the Cougars’ rollercoaster ride to the top.If only for a second.Then it was time to celebrate.With tears in his eyes, Slikker embraced his team and a raucous student body that washed onto the court.Meanwhile, near the center circle, star point guard Davon Jones lay sprawled out on his back with a wide-eyed gaze.
Vinny Devencenzi and Daniel Brown, a pair of embattled third-year varsity players, celebrated their long haul with a lasting hug.And so it went.Weston Ranch clinched its first-ever Valley Oak League varsity basketball championship in just its second season with a nail-biting 47-44 victory over district rival Sierra.The Cougars — just 1-24 a season ago — will share the crown with Sonora, who held on for a 39-30 win over archrival Oakdale Friday.Both clubs finished tied atop the league standings at 10-2. Sierra (11-12 overall), meanwhile, remained in fourth place at 6-6.“I’m a little choked up right now,” Slikker said. “Our seniors really deserve this. They busted their butts off for this. When you go 1-24 like we did last season, that really hurts your pride.“We were bleeding; we were hurting. But these guys worked their tails off so we could make ourselves better. I’m happy for them.”Fittingly, the game’s outcome rested in Jones’ hands.The journeyman guard, who missed his entire junior season and parts of his senior campaign because of academic ineligibility, answered three free throws by Marvin Cotton with one of his own to make it 47-44 with seconds remaining.Jones finished with a game-high 15 points — including three straight 3-pointers in the first quarter — eight rebounds and two assists.“I was praying I’d hit at least one (free throw),” Jones said. “I knew if I hit one the best (Sierra) could do was overtime.”It never materialized.Ryan Mitchell hoisted up an off-balanced 3-pointer with less than 10 seconds left, and after a favorable whistle gave Sierra one last chance, Cotton watched as his buzzer-beating 3-pointer glanced off the back of the iron.Cue the celebration.Devencenzi scored all nine of his points in the second half to help the Cougars build a double-digit third quarter lead, while Brown tallied eight on Senior Night.Michael Elder paced Sierra with 14 points, but was limited to just four points in the final 16 minutes. Brett Paige pumped home 10 points before fouling out with 2:45 left.The Timberwolves trailed by as many as 11 points in the third quarter, but roared back thanks to a methodical 12-2 run.Paige’s hook shot with 3:32 remaining in the contest pulled Sierra to within one, 40-39.“I started to pucker up a little bit when they came back. This happened the last time,” Slikker said, alluding to Weston Ranch’s thrilling come-from-behind 45-42 victory over Sierra on Jan. 25.“But it doesn’t matter if it’s a one-point win or a 10-point win. These guys are learning how to win, and that’s the most important part.”Sierra coach Scott Thomason traced the Timberwolves’ woes back to a first half that featured 13 turnovers and nine lead changes.“We shot ourselves in the foot in the first half and did not handle the pressure well at all,” Thomason said. “I think we should have held a halftime lead. . . But we got to keep a positive frame of mind. We got to move on and who we’re going to play.”
Both Weston Ranch (19-5) and Sierra will move on to the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. The Cougars, riding a 10-game winning streak, will host a Division III first-round game on Wednesday, while the Timberwolves venture out onto the road.First-round foes will be determined on Sunday night when the brackets are released.“I couldn’t ask for a better way to go into the playoffs,” Slikker said. “I don’t care if we’re co-champions. There’s no better way, plus a 10-game winning streak isn’t bad either.”Jones wasn’t ready to talk about the playoffs. He was too busy hamming it up for the cameras.
With his No. 1 finger pointed toward the rafters and a net draped around his neck, Jones relished a moment he almost missed out on.Jones was the centerpiece for Weston Ranch’s boys basketball before poor grades and attendance issues nearly stripped him of his prep career.The Cougars went 21-5 and 15-1 to capture junior varsity VOL title in the school’s inaugural season. On Friday, Jones and four other seniors left the VOL just as they found it three seasons ago: as champions.“I’m just happy we could get back to how we played at as a junior varsity team,” Jones said. “We came in with a championship and now we’re going out with one.”
Junior Varsity
Sierra closed the season with a 39-31 win over host Weston Ranch.Josh Bowen led the Cougars in the loss with 10 points. Brian Morris finished with seven and Derek Jamison totaled six.
Freshman
Jordan Richardson tried his best to lift Sierra past Weston Ranch on Friday, but the VOL champions proved their worth with a 63-43 victory.Jashune Stokes was the catalyst throughout for the Cougars. Stokes poured in a game-high 35 points, while Derrick Sykes chimed in with 19.Richardson led the Timberwolves with 23.To contact James Burns, e-mail jburns
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Weston Ranch boys share title
By Stephen Roberson, STAFF WRITER
STOCKTON — One win, 24 losses.
That's what Weston Ranch coach Bill Slikker had to chew on for nine months following last year's boys basketball season.
On Friday night, the Cougars' regular-season ended, and there was just a little bit better vibe in the Weston Ranch gym than there was a year ago.
That's what happens when teams win championships.
The Cougars put the finishing touches on their improbable run on Friday, downing Sierra 47-44 at home to grab a share of the Valley Oak League championship.
Sonora, which entered the night tied with Weston Ranch, beat Oakdale 39-30 to secure its half of the championship.
It didn't appear to take any luster off the Cougars' half of the title.
"It's tough to comprehend right now," he said, fighting his emotions. "I'm just so proud of these guys. They worked their tails off.
"With all we went through last year going 1-24, they never quit. Right now, I'm getting choked up."
Davon Jones (15 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals) came out big for the Cougars early, hitting three 3-pointers to pace Weston Ranch (19-5, 10-2) to a 15-14 lead by the end of the first quarter.
The Cougars took a 24-22 advantage into halftime before jumping ahead 33-23 early in the third quarter.
But Sierra has been playing its best basketball the past two weeks, and the Timberwolves (11-12, 6-6 VOL) refused to pack it in.
With Weston Ranch leading 40-32 early in the fourth, the Timberwolves went on a 7-0 run to cut the margin to 40-39.
But they did it with five straight trips to the line, where they only hit 5 of 10.
"We had one string where we were going 1-for-2, 1-for-2, 1-for-2," Sierra coach Scott Thomason said. "If we put some free throws in ... We can't do anything about that. We just have to stay positive."
The co-championship isn't just a big turnaround from last year, it also capped an impressive Weston Ranch run after a disappointing start to the league season.
They went 9-3 during non-league play but lost to East Union and Sonora to start 0-2 in the VOL.
Still, Jones said nobody was surprised when the Cougars entered the week still in the title hunt.
"We thought this was possible since the beginning of the season," Jones said. "Even when we got down to 0-2 at the beginning of league, we knew we'd be here playing for a championship."
Michael Elder led Sierra with 14 points, and Brett Paige added 10.
Vinnie Devencenzi, who was scoreless in the first half, finished with nine points for Weston Ranch (19-5, 10-2) and Daniel Brown had 8.
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