12/29/06--WESTON RANCH 70, TOKAY 32 — Brandon Silva hit two of his three 3-pointers in the second quarter, when the Cougars (8-4) outscored the Tigers (3-9) 18-1, and held Tokay star D.J. Seely to 14 points in the consolation semifinal game.
Walter Jackson, James Nunnally and Silva combined for 45 points, and
Jackson grabbed 14 rebounds. Weston Ranch will play Colony of Ontario at 5 p.m. today in the consolation final.
http://www.modbee.com/sports/story/13154255p-13799229c.html
Cougars down early, can’t recover late in loss to San Leandro
SALIDA— After proving itself to be the big fish in the Tracy Winter Holiday Classic pond a week ago, the Weston Ranch High boys basketball team was tossed into an ocean of starving sharks Wednesday.
Of the 16 teams competing in this year’s Modesto Christian Holiday Hoop Classic, 10 finished in first place of their respective leagues a season ago. The tournament field, which includes squads hailing from Oakland all the way to Compton, turned in a combined 2005 record of 321-115.First up for Weston Ranch was San Leandro, which came into the game ranked 20th in the state by Cal Hi Sports and eigth in Northern California by NorCalPreps.com.
The story of the game came midway through the first quarter, when San Leandro’s sophomore sensation Shaheed Young stole the ball away from Mic’ael Thomas and stormed to the bucket, igniting a four-minute, 10-0 run that the Cougars would never recover from in their 76-61 loss.
“I don’t know why, but we seemed to be a little intimidated by them.” Cougars head coach Bill Slikker said. “They were good. They had size. They were athletic, but I think we could have been more agressive.”
Walter Jackson’s jumper with five seconds remaining ended the Pirates’ first-quarter spurt and pulled the Cougars to within eight at 20-12, but as time expired, San Leandro’s John Howell heaved the ball from halfcourt and sank a dagger that tip-toed along the cylinder before dropping in for three.
Weston Ranch exchanged buckets with the Pirates for the remaining three quarters, but failed to mount a run of its own that would allow it back into the game.James Nunnally led the Cougars with 20 points and collected eight boards but was constantly harassed by the Pirates’ swarming press defense. San Leandro rarely allowed the Cougars’ scoring leader to touch the ball without two defenders in his face.
The same could be said for
Jackson, who managed to stand out despite being picked on all game long.
Jackson finsished with 19 points, 13 rebounds and 5 blocks.The Cougars one-two punch managed to pull out its usual SportsCenter moment with time running down in the fourth, Nunnally threw up a lob from mid-court that
Jackson pulled down from the rafters for a show-stopping throwdown.
But it was too little, too late for a team that was beaten by a phenominal defensive effort by its opponent.Leading San Leandro’s high-pressure blockade was Young and Kareem Nitoto, who managed 10 steals apiece.“Both of them (Young and Nitoto) are as good on-ball defenders as you’re going to find at the high school level.” San Leandro head coach Todd Petersen said. “Every game we’ve won this year has been because of our defensive pressure. We’re not a particularly strong shooting team, so we have to create opportunities with our defense.”And create opportunities they did.All told, the Pirates pick-pocketed the Cougars 27 times and never allowed Weston Ranch to find its offensive identity.“We needed to take the ball at them more.” Slikker said. “Whenever we did take the ball to the basket good things happened, but the times we did that were few and far between.Hopefully we can correct that (today).”The Cougars will get their shot at redemption today at 1 p.m. when they face the loser of the Poly-Centennial match-up.
http://www.mantecabulletin.com/articles/2006/12/28/sports/sports4.txt
Weston Ranch makes history
Cougars surprise crowd, strong Edison team for tourney title
TRACY — When Bill Slikker, the Weston Ranch head coach and former sophomore coach at tournament co-host West High, started this year's Tracy Winter Holiday Classic, his goal was to advance out of the first round into the winners bracket.
When the Cougars did for the first time in their three-year varsity history, the goals changed daily.
On Friday, the ultimate goal was realized when the Cougars hung on to beat highly regarded Edison 78-74 in what will certainly be remembered as one of the tournament's best championship games to date.
Tournament Most Valuable Player James Nunnally scored a team-high 17 points. Jerrell Walker (16) and
(15) both earned all-tournament honors, and Vinny Devencenzi had, by far, his best tournament showing with 13.
The win didn't come easy, though it looked like it might in the first half.
To just about everyone's amazement, the Cougars built a 49-31 lead by the break, then extended the lead to 20 early in the third.
But led by all-tournament selection Trey Gross, Edison (7-5) raced back, turning that 20-point deficit into a 62-59 lead over the final 5:39 of the third quarter
"Before this game started I knew it was going to be a track meet," Slikker said. "I said it was going to be fun to watch and not fun to coach.
"And it was not fun to coach."
The ending had to be fun.
Locked in a battle of superstars in foul trouble,
Jackson — who picked up his fourth late in the third quarter — re-entered midway through the fourth and made an immediate impact.
Just moments after he returned the Cougars turned a 68-63 deficit into a four-point win.
Still down two, 72-70, with 1:54 remaining, Nunnally grabbed a rebound, went coast-to-coast and hit a pull-up jumper to tie the game.
Thirty-one seconds later he hit a pair of free throws to give the Cougars (6-3) the lead for good. Fittingly, the free throws were the result of Gross' fifth foul.
"We knew he had that fourth (foul), and every time James touched the ball we we said, 'Take it to the hole. I don't care what happens, you get offensive or he gets defensive, we're taking it to the hole.'
"That was the plan toward the end."
http://www.insidebayarea.com/prepsports/ci_4891307Cougars overcome Edison comeback
News from the Tracy Winter Holiday Classic Championship: Weston Ranch 77, Edison 74.
An 18-point deficit at the half seemed to wind down every second as Edison High’s boys basketball team was poised for one of the greatest comeback stories in the history of the Tracy Winter Holiday Classic.
But the story of the tournament’s 18th title game belonged to Weston Ranch.
The Cougars overcame a tremendous Viking push and outscored Edison, 10-4, in the final three minutes of play to nab a 78-74 victory and championship honors Friday at Tracy High’s Swenson Gym.
“Before this game started, I knew it was going to be a track meet and I said it was going to be fun to watch,” said Weston Ranch coach Bill Slikker, a former assistant at West High. “It was fun, but not fun to coach.”
Slikker and Co. were left flabbergasted after a 31-10 third quarter Viking run. With 36 seconds to play in the third, Edison tied the game at 59. Seconds later, a three-point play from Trey Gross gave the team their first lead of the game.
In the fourth, Gross scored four of his team’s first five field goals, the last one a few moments before he fouled out of the game. He was forced to leave with 1:23 to play, and Edison would go on to score just once in his absence.
“When we knew he had that fourth, I told (James Nunnally) to take it to the hole every time,” Slikker said. “Getting him that fifth foul was our plan.”
With Gross out of the game, Nunnally sunk a pair of free throws and watched as Brandon Silva snared a layup and went 2-for-2 on technical foul free throws to clinch it.
“We kept our composure, came back and won this thing,” Nunnally said. “I was worried a bit, but I knew we would come back and play as a team.”
Nunnally was named all-tournament MVP. He turned in 17 points with 11 rebounds and six assists in the win.
Walter Jackson scored 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while Jarrell Walker added 16 points and 15 rebounds. Walker and
Jackson were both named to the All-Tournament team. Vinny Devencenzi came off the bench to score 13 for Weston Ranch while Silva and Mi’ceal Thomas each put up six.
Gross, another All-Tournament selection, led Edison with a game-high 27 points, 17 of which came in the second-half push. He had nine rebounds as well.
“(Weston Ranch) looked real tired in the third, but they just kind of regrouped in the end and got focused,” Edison coach Rich Lynch said. “I was real proud of my guys because they were down 18 at the half. But there was no quit in them.”
Trumaine Johnson (All-Tournament) managed 13 points and four steals, while point guard Brandon Pasquel managed seven assists and 13 points. The Edison press flustered Weston Ranch in the third period, with Pasquel taking seven steals and Anthony Ramirez snagging five.
“(Edison’s) pressure defense is tenacious,” Slikker said. “I knew when we had them down 18 at the half that they were capable of coming back and winning.”
And they nearly did.
http://tracypress.com/content/view/6509/2/
Cougars waste no time dispatching Bulldogs
TRACY— The Weston Ranch High boys basketball team learned a lesson in its come-from-behind victory over Modesto High Wednesday.Determined to grab its spot in the Tracy Winter Holiday Classic tournament final, the Cougars opened a 27-13 lead on Turlock High before either team could break a sweat and coasted to a 74-54 victory over the Bulldogs.“When we got down to Modesto (Wednesday) 23-8 it put us in an uncomfortable position,” Weston Ranch head coach Bill Slikker said. “I don’t care who your playing that makes it tough.“Tonight our main focus was not to let that happen.”The Cougars played a seemingly effortless first half, capitalizing on nearly every one of Turlock’s 11 turnovers, and knocking down several open jumpers.“They are such an athletic group, and they just feed of a team losing their composure,” Turlock head coach Doug Comfoot said. “We were stopping and watching the shot and getting beat back everytime.
“You have to scratch and claw for everything you get against them,” Comfoot added. “If you don’t have that mindset they’ll beat you everytime.”Nonetheless, the lingering effect of the Modesto lesson was nearly enough to shred the Bulldogs’ chances of victory all together.“We can’t let teams hang around,” Weston Ranch’s James Nunnally said. “We have to put teams away early. When we jump out early, it gives everyone a chance to play.“Everybody works hard in practice so they deserve to play.”Slikker was able to look deep down his bench Thursday, getting virtually all of his players some action. That may not be an option in the tournament championship, when the Cougars meet up with Edison High of Stockton who blew West High out of the gym, 87-54.“It is going to be 10 athletes racing up and down the court,” Slikker said of the Edison match-up. “Whoever plays defense (today) will win the game.“It’s going to be really exciting.”Nunnally finished as the contest’s leading scorer with 21 points, 14 coming in the first half.Walter Jackson contributed 15 points in the win, while grabbing seven rebounds and pilfering two steals. Brandon Silva was able to come off the bench and chip in eight points, two steals, and two assists.Vinny Devencenzi, who had a hot hand early, finished in double-digits with 10 points and also grabbed three rebounds. Khiry Thomas chipped in five points and four rebounds for the Cougars.The show down with Edison will take place tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Swenson Gym at Tracy High.By JAGADA CHAMBERS
http://www.mantecabulletin.com/articles/2006/12/22/sports/sports1.txtTracy Press/Press staff report Friday, 22 December 2006
Weston Ranch started their Tracy Winter Holiday Classic semifinal game off right with 27 points scored in the first quarter. Both teams scored solidly throughout the game, but Weston Ranch (5-4) came out on top 74-54 with 20 more points than the Bulldogs (9-2).
Weston Ranch’s Jame Nunnally was the highest scoring player with 22 points. Walter Jackson scored 15 points. Turlock’s Efrem Harris scored nine points, followed by Craig Hubbard with seven points scored.
Weston Ranch will be up against Edison today for the championship in Tracy at 7:30 p.m. Turlock will play West at Tracy at 6:00 p.m. today.
http://tracypress.com/content/view/6503/2/Cougars advance to title game
TRACY - In the three years the Weston Ranch High boys basketball team has participated in the Tracy Winter Holiday Classic, it has never entered the winner's bracket. But with a 74-54 thumping of Turlock on Thursday, the Cougars find themselves in the championship game tonight against Edison.
The 20-point victory left coach Bill Slikker anticipating the 7:30 p.m. tip-off at Tracy High like a child on Christmas Eve.
"Let's go," he said, after earning a fourth consecutive victory. "It's going to be a track meet so we better have our oxygen tanks on the sidelines."
The Cougars led the entire contest against Turlock as their prowess and athleticism took over the game in the first quarter. An alley-oop slam-dunk from James Nunnally to
Walter Jackson on a fast break gave the Cougars an 11-2 lead just three minutes into the game. It was 27-13 by the end of the quarter with
Jackson already with eight of his 15 total points. Nunnally had a game high 22 points, 14 in the first half.
"We've never been in a championship game before so this is a privilege,"
Jackson said. "We wanted to keep the same intensity tonight as we had last night."
That intensity gave Weston Ranch (5-3) a 45-27 halftime lead and the Bulldogs (9-2) never threatened in the second half. Turlock coach Doug Comfoot said his team spent too much time watching the Cougars move the ball.
"We got beat in transition a lot," Comfoot said. "They'd get the ball and be gone. They feed on you losing your composure."
Thirteen players scored for the Bulldogs but none recorded more than nine points. They were 3-for-13 from beyond the arc and fell behind by as much as 25 points.
Nunnally describes he and his teammates as not only fast and athletic, but smart. They've returned from a tournament in Reno with wounds to lick but the Cougars' expectations are beginning to rise again.
"We're playing hard and finishing our shots," Nunnally said. "It makes us look good; we're ready."
Through three quarters, the Cougars shot 60 percent from the field thanks to multiple baskets in the paint. That number dropped as both teams emptied their benches in the final quarter.
Weston Ranch comes together, reaches final
TRACY — People knew coming into the 18th Annual Tracy Winter Holiday Classic that Weston Ranch was a contender, a talented group with the potential of becoming a great team.
The Cougars win over defending tournament champion Modesto — considered a tournament contender again and arguably one of the field's top three teams — got them into Thursday's semifinals, but the performance was anything but great.
But on Thursday Weston Ranch was great early, dominating Turlock (9-2) in every facet from the opening tip while cruising into tonight's finals with a 74-54 victory at Tracy High's Swenson Gym.
The Cougars will face Stockton neighbor Edison in tonight's championship game, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Swenson Gym. It's the first Classic final appearance for Weston Ranch, which failed to advance into the winners bracket in the first round in each of its first two tournaments the past two years.
Thursday's early fireworks were a far cry from Wednesday, when bickering and poor decisions left the Cougars — who finished 10th at the 16-team event last year — with a big first-half deficit.
Weston Ranch coach Bill Slikker acknowledged there was a sense of urgency to make a statement early on Thursday.
"Absolutely," he said. "After getting down 23-8 in the first quarter like we did (Wednesday), that was our main focus. We wanted to get started with energy. 'Let's get a sweat going.'
"And we did that. We had the energy to startthe game."
Consecutive field goals by Mic'eal Thomas and Vinny Devencenzi, a James Nunnally free throw and another bucket by Jerrell Walker gave the Cougars a 7-0 lead — and a preview of things to come over the next 75 minutes — just 1:22 into the first quarter.
From there it was Nunnally (22 points),
Walter Jackson (15) and Devencenzi (10).
Daniel McLeod led Turlock with nine points.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/prepsports/ci_4884858
COUGAR COMEBACK
WR erases 15-point deficit to winTRACY — Some call it rug burn.But in Brandon Silva’s case, his were something more along the lines of hardwood burns.Weston Ranch High’s senior guard was literally all over Swenson Gym in the second round of the Tracy Winter Holiday Classic on Wednesday night.Weston Ranch’s 5-foot, 10-inch defensive specialist was handed a tough assignment — which was shutting down Modesto High’s standout senior Sammy Yeager.It’s safe to say Silva’s task was completed, and that ultimately helped lift Weston Ranch to a 78-62 non-league victory against Modesto — the tournament’s defending champion.
“If I had a game ball to give, (Silva) would hands down be the winner of that one,” Weston Ranch’s head coach Bill Slikker said. “Our main priority was shutting down (Yeager), no question. When (Silva) is given a task like that, he thrives on it. In my opinion, he basically won that game for us.”Yeager scored 10 of his 20 total points in the first quarter alone, but foul trouble in the second forced him to sit the bench, which allowed the Cougars to spark a very significant second-quarter run.Silva opened up the second by scoring two of his 10 points. He also tallied six steals, grabbed two rebounds and dished out three assists.Weston Ranch trailed by 32-19 midway through the second quarter. The Cougars turned to their 6-foot-6 post man Jerrell Walker, who registered all 11 of his points during that period. Walker, who also had eight rebounds, scored seven consecutive points and helped cut the Cougars’ deficit to 32-21.After Modesto’s Matt Vermulen (13 points and two blocks) stretched the lead back out to 13, the Cougars closed out the first half with a 9-0 run, which made it a 34-30 contest going into halftime.
Weston Ranch senior standout
Walter Jackson had 21 points and grabbed six rebounds. He also had six assists, two blocks and a pair of two-handed dunks.“We just came out with a lot of intensity and put it away,”
Jackson said. “We knew we were losing by four (at the half), so we knew we had to come with intensity and finish the game off.”Weston Ranch outscored Modesto 46-28 during the second half. Weston Ranch standout James Nunnally tallied 20 of his 24 points in the second half alone.The Cougars closed the third quarter on a 10-2 run, which gave them a one-point advantage headed into the game’s final quarter. Nunnally, who also grabbed eight rebounds, recorded 12 third-quarter points.Silva tipped in a missed free throw toward the end of the third, and that gave the Cougars a lead for the first time all evening.
Weston Ranch (4-3) closed out the ball game by going on a 23-10 fourth-quarter run.
Jackson and Nunnally combined for 16 points in the final quarter, and Weston Ranch tallied up the last 10 points of the game to take the Panthers out of it.“We were more athletic than (Modesto) from top to bottom,” Slikker added. “All we needed to do was play a little defense, and (Silva) gave us that spark.“I don’t know who scored what, and I don’t care.
Really, for us, when we get after it and play defense, we have a chance to win some games.”Nunnally recorded one of his six assists midway into the fourth. While the Cougars rotated the ball around the perimeter, Nunnally passed up an open look at a 3-ball and gave it up to Silva who was in the corner.Silva knocked down the three, and that stretched it to 64-58. Nunnally then scored the following four points.
Unselfish basketball.
Mic’eal Thomas was the fifth scorer for the Cougars. He finished with eight points, four rebounds, and had two steals with just as many assists.Modesto’s Nate Jackson scored 18 points.Weston Ranch will face Turlock (9-1) today at 7:30 p.m. at Swenson Gym for a ticket into the tournament final.SophomoreWeston Ranch’s Ronnie Collins registered a team-high 17 points Wednesday, which helped propel the Cougars to a 53-37 non-league victory.Collins also hauled in 11 rebounds, while Jashaun Stokes added 13 points and grabbed eight boards.Bear Creek cut its deficit to six in the third quarter, but Weston Ranch closed that period on a 10-0 run that ultimately put the Bruins away for good.FreshmanThe Cougars dropped Bear Creek on Wednesday, 49-27. Ray Poole finished with 16 points and seven assists. Deon Ely added 12 to the Cougars’ total.Isiah Losoya pitched in with six points and grabbed eight boards for Weston Ranch (4-3).It was an 18-16 contest at halftime, but the Cougars outscored the Bruins 10-2 in the third quarter and 21-9 in the fourth.The Cougars will play against Ripon Christian next Wednesday in the Block M Tournament.By JOHN-JOEL GRIFFITHS
http://www.mantecabulletin.com/articles/2006/12/21/sports/sports1.txtWeston Ranch ousts 2005 champ Modesto
Tracy Press/Press staff report Thursday, 21 December 2006
The reigning Tracy Winter Holiday Classic champion was dethroned Wednesday in the most unceremonious of fashions, 78-62, at Swenson Gym.
Modesto, the 2005 champ, was in control early, leading Weston Ranch by 15 points after a 23-point outburst in the first quarter. But the Cougars steadily chipped away at the lead, eventually turning a deficit to a solid advantage.
Led by James Nunnally and
Walter Jackson, who scored 24 and 21 points, respectively, Weston Ranch outscored Modesto in each of the remaining three quarters to secure a match today against Turlock at 7:30 p.m. at Tracy High. Modesto will play Tracy at 4:30 p.m. at West High.
http://tracypress.com/content/view/6447/2/Weston Ranch finishes strongCougars' 25-point fourth leads to victory over Modesto in Tracy
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BEE STAFF REPORTSLast Updated: December 21, 2006, 05:37:08 AM PST
TRACY — Weston Ranch, outscoring Modesto High 25-10 in the fourth quarter, prevailed 78-62 Wednesday in Tracy Winter Holiday Classic second-day action.
James Nunnally scored 24 points and
Walter Jackson 21 for Weston Ranch.
http://www.modbee.com/sports/story/13133144p-13779830c.htmlWeston Ranch pulls out a win Rally from 21-6 deficit puts Cougars in semifinals
By Stephen Roberson,, STAFF WRITER,
Article Last Updated: 12/21/2006 02:35:05 AM PST
TRACY — Fed up, Weston Ranch coach Bill Slikker put the onus on his players.
The Cougars had struggled through an ugly first half Wednesday night, falling behind Modesto 21-6 with about a minute left in the first quarter.
Slikker put forth the challenge; his players responded.
They closed the first half on a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to four by halftime, 34-30, and went on to a 78-72 win at Tracy High to advance to tonight's Tracy Winter Holiday Classic semifinals.
James Nunnally finished with a game-high 24 points and — along with teammates
Walter Jackson (22 points) and Jerrell Walker (13 points) — hauled in nine rebounds.
The Cougars will play Turlock tonight at 7:30 at Tracy High for a spot in Friday's championship game.
After a back-and-forth third quarter, Weston Ranch took the lead for good with 1:31 to play in the third on Brandon Silva's tip-in following a
Walter Jackson miss from the free-throw line.
The Cougars (4-3) then pulled away in the fourth quarter.
Silva had the go-ahead putback, but it was his defense that coach Bill Slikker credited as the difference.
"Sammy Yeager's a great player. Our whole focus was to get him frustrated. I thought Brandon Silva did an excellent job. That's why we won the ballgame tonight. Brandon Silva flat beat him up."
Yeager did finish with a team-high 22 points, but his frustration was visible, and it limited his effectiveness after the first quarter, whenhe scored 10 points.
Slikker's demeanor wasn't so positive during the Cougars' early struggles.
"I thought we were down and out there for a while," the coach said. "We called a timeout, and my kids were bickering at each other back and forth. ... I finally said, 'I've had enough. You do it on your own.'
"That's the first time I've ever done anything like that. I just wanted to get their attention. ... I'll tell you what: They responded."
http://www.insidebayarea.com/prepsports/ci_4878225
Weston Ranch soars into winner’s bracket in Tracy tournament
TRACY—Sharing was caring for the Weston Ranch High boys basketball team in Tuesday’s Tracy Winter Holiday Classic opener, and it was sharing that sent the Cougars flying into the winner’s bracket.
James Nunnally,
Walter Jackson and Jerrell Walker took turns taking over in a 70-50 blowout of Kennedy at Tracy High’s Swenson Gym.“We just work as a team,”
Jackson said. “We know that when somebody is hot, we’re going to feed him the ball.”The 6-foot-5 Nunnally was the one in flames in the first half when he scored all 16 of his points, including a one-handed tomahawk dunk on a fastbreak early in the second quarter. He also had six rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
After a shaky second quarter, the Cougars looked to get things back on track to open the third, doing so with a nice alley-oop feed from Nunnally to
Jackson for a slam.
Jackson dropped in nine of his 13 in the third, also ending up with nine boards.In the fourth, Walker, a 6-6 center, was the centerpiece of a 13-2 flurry, accounting for 10 of those points, that put the Cougars of Sacramento away for good.
Walker finished with a game-high 20 points and pulled down eight rebounds.Reserve guard Brandon Silva was all over the hardwood, as he turned in five points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals.
Coming off the prestigious Maldonado Memorial Classic in Reno, Nev., where tall and highly-skilled athletes were the norm, Walker had no trouble making the adjustment Tuesday.“Those guys were like 6-8, 6-9 — just huge,” Walker said of his previous defensive assignments. “Here, it seems a bit easier, but not by much (Tuesday). They played us hard.”Weston Ranch (3-3) was brilliant in spurts, especially in the start when it fired in the game’s first 11 points just 3 minutes, 50 seconds into the first.“I thought the game was lost in the first four minutes,” Kennedy coach Al Seyford said. “I thought they came out playing real hard, and I thought we were very timid.“We made a little run, and they adjusted. Quite frankly, they’re just a lot better than us.”
Weston Ranch coach Bill Slikker, though, wasn’t 100 percent pleased.With a 20-8 lead in hand heading into the first, Weston Ranch got sloppy.Kennedy was able to stay within striking distance by taking it more aggressively to the hoop for easy buckets and trips to the free-throw line.Weston Ranch turned it over seven times in the second quarter, finishing with 18 total.The margin remained the same going into halftime at 36-24, but Slikker felt that his team missed out on a chance to completely blow it open.“We could have looked a lot better,” Slikker said. “We jumped out to an early lead, and all of the sudden — after coming back from that tournament (in Reno) — they were like, ‘This is kind of easy.’“They started to play a little selfishly. It took about a quarter to get that out of them.
They started passing better, recognizing where the mismatch was and the mismatch was inside to Jerrell. That really opened it up for us.”Kennedy 6-4 wingman Justin James and Deandre Bradstreet kept the Cougars in it with their athleticism and intensity.James had 14 points, nine rebounds and two blocks; while Bradstreet contributed 13 points, 13 boards and six steals.“
Weston Ranch is very athletic, and I think their length really bothered us,” Seyford said. “That was a huge advantage there.”Tonight’s marquee tournament matchup will be between Weston Ranch and Modesto Metro Conference power Modesto High (7-1) at 6 back at Swenson Gym.“We got a tough draw, but I’ll tell you what, the kids are up the task,” Slikker said. “We played them over the summer at (Modesto Junior College) and lost by one point. There’s no better motivation than something like that.”By JONAMAR JACINTO
http://www.mantecabulletin.com/articles/2006/12/20/sports/sports5.txtWeston Ranch bests Kennedy; Modesto advances
Tracy Press/Press staff reports Wednesday, 20 December 2006
At Tracy High, Weston Ranch (3-3) used double-digit outbursts from James Nunnally and Jerrell Walker to rout Kennedy (2-4).
The Cougars advance to the winner’s bracket, where they will face 2005 champion Modesto at 6 p.m.
Nunnally scored all 16 of his points in the first half, dropping in 10 in the second quarter to keep Kennedy at bay after the Cougars opened up a 20-8 first-quarter lead. Weston Ranch led 36-24 at halftime.
Walker led all scorers with 20, scoring 11 in the fourth to increase the Cougars’ final lead to 20.
Walter Jackson added 13 points.
Senior Deandre Bradstreet led the Sacramento Cougars with 13 points, and Justin James added 11. All of senior C.J. Brown’s seven points came in the second quarter, when Kennedy matched Weston Ranch in scoring 16 to 16.
Kennedy will play Franklin, 69-51, losers to the Panthers, at 3 p.m. today.
http://tracypress.com/content/view/6433/2/Weston Ranch 70,
Kennedy-Sacramento 50
TRACY — Jerrell Walker muscled in 12 points in the fourth quarter and led Weston Ranch with 20 points in the opening-round victory.
"We really turned it on in the second half," Walker said. "Those were some good passes that got inside, and I was able to put it up."
Michael Nunnally (16 points) scored six points for Weston Ranch (3-3) while it jumped out to a 14-2 first-quarter lead. Mic'eal Thomas and Vinnie Devencenzi added five points each for Weston Ranch in the opening frame.
"Weston Ranch was a very athletic team, and their length really bothered us," Kennedy coach Al Seyford said. "They were able to get in the passing lanes, back us in and get a good look.
"I thought the game was lost in the first four minutes. They came out and jumped on us quick, and that was pretty much it.
Walter Jackson (13 points) of Weston Ranch led all rebounders with 11 and teammate Brandon Silva dished out seven assists, with four going to Walker in the final period.
Jackson brought the crowd to its feet when he took an Alley Oop pass from Nunnally and slammed a dunk for the first points of the second half.
"It took us a whole quarter to get our selfish play out of the way," Weston Ranch coach Bill Slikker said. "We started passing and recognized that our mismatch was inside with Jerrell (Walker). Then we started getting him some looks, and that opened it up for us.
"Walker had a tough tournament in Reno last week, and that helped him here. He took a beating up there."
Deandre Bradstreet led Kennedy (2-4) with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Teammate Justin James chipped in nine points.
http://www.insidebayarea.com/prepsports/ci_4871500
Cougars wrap up tourney strong
RENO, Nev.— It was better late than never for the Weston Ranch Cougars Saturday, as they beat Orem of Utah 52-46 in the seventh place game of the Maldonado Memorial Classic before returning home.
Walter Jackson led a balanced scoring attack for the Cougars with 14 points. Jerrell Walker picthed in 11, and James Nunnally sent in nine.Weston Ranch now heads to the Tracy Winter Holiday Classic starting Tuesday against Kennedy of Stockton.“I’d like to consider us one of the favorites,” Cougars head coach Bill Slikker said. “If we can get past Kennedy, Modesto looks like a formidible opponent in the second round.“Coming off the Reno Tournament, we’ve faced some tough competition and even though our record doesn’t show it, we’re playing at a high level.”The Cougars tip off against Kennedy at 4:30 at Tracy High.
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Offensive struggles continue for Weston Ranch
RENO, Nev.—Free throws and 3-point shooting were downfalls for Weston Ranch High boys basketball’s 63-50 loss to George Maldonado Classic host Galena Thursday.Weston Ranch (1-2) trailed by six with just over 2 minutes remaining, but a 17-of-22 shooting effort from the free-throw line helped Galena add some distance down the stretch.Defense, though, was not the reason why the Cougars lost the first-round contest says head coach Bill Slikker.Weston Ranch tossed up 3-pointer after 3-pointer, ultimately sinking six in a gaudy 29 attempts.“Like the old saying goes, you live and die by the three, and (Thursday) we died by it,” Slikker said. “We weren’t being aggressive enough and kept settling for 3-pointers. That’s not our style of basketball, and that’s what I’m most upset about.“What I was pleased with was our defense.”
James Nunnally led Weston Ranch with 25 points.Galena, which had a 23-20 halftime lead, itself struggled on the offensive end before racing away with 26 points in the fourth.
Galena’s star 6-foot-8 junior Luke Babbitt was limited to 12 points until hitting nine free throws in the fourth. He ended up with 23 points.
Despite being hampered by an ankle sprain, Weston Ranch forward
Walter Jackson held his own defensively against Babbitt.
Jackson finished with just three points and seven rebounds.“I thought we did a great job of containing Babbitt and everyone else on his team,” Slikker said. “
Walter is just a gamer. His ankle was starting to swell up real bad. He sacrificed defense for offense.“I don’t know if he’s going to play the next two games of this tournament, because I’d rather have him healthy for the long haul.”
Reserve center Reggie Spiers is also out with an ankle sprain.Weston Ranch next faces Utah powerhouse Lehi, 65-59 losers to two-time defending Florida state champion Arlington Country Day, today at 5 p.m.Staff reports of theManteca (Calif.) Bulletin
http://www.mantecabulletin.com/articles/2006/12/15/sports/sports7.txt
Cougars crash and burn in Reno tournament
RENO, Nev.—The prestigious George Maldonado Memorial Classic at Galena High officially tips off today, but the eight teams in the tournament were showcased Wednesday in what were called “marquee matchups.”
It was everything but a showcase for Weston Ranch, which stumbled to a 75-44 loss to two-time defending Arizona state champion Mountain View of Mesa.Onlookers also got to take a peep at 2005-06 California Interscholastic Federation State Division I champion Artesia (Lakewood), which boasts two collegiate signees and top-rated sophomore Renardo Sidney.Several coaches and scouts, including UCLA head coach Ben Howland, were in attendance.“
It was kind of like we were a little starry-eyed,” Weston Ranch coach Bill Slikker said. “We just didn’t look comfortable, and weren’t that confident team anymore.”It showed early on, when the Toros of Mountain View (5-0) shot out to a 22-12 first-quarter lead.
Trailing by 13 at halftime, bad went to worse for the Cougars (1-1), who were held to just six points in the third.“What it boiled down to was us missing shots,” Slikker said. “We were missing 10-foot jumpers and easy putbacks. We were in position to score, but everything was short.“They’re a good team, no question, but we also took ourselves out of the ball game.”The Cougars struggled to contain Mountain View’s 6-foot-8 Cal signee, Karper Kamp, who turned in 18 points.
Walter Jackson was one of Weston Ranch’s few bright spots, as he turned in 19 points and 15 rebounds. James Nunnally added 11 points and five boards.“They were all very upset after the game knowing that they can play better than that,” Slikker said. “I told them that one of two things can happen: We can sulk and boohoo about it, or we can come back and show everyone that we’re the Weston Ranch team they expected us to be.“(The latter) has to happen, because it doesn’t get any easier.”Weston Ranch opens tournament play with host Galena (3-4)The Cougars will again have their hands full with 6-8 junior swingman Luke Babbit, who is being recruited by collegiate powerhouses such as Arizona, Duke, Washington and Texas.“That’s why we’re here,” Slikker said. “We’re here so that our guys can expose themselves, but also because they won’t see those types of players in the (North San Joaquin) valley.”Staff reports of theManteca (Calif.) Bulletin
http://www.mantecabulletin.com/articles/2006/12/14/sports/sports2.txt
Dec 11, 2006
Weston Ranch 82,
West Campus 44
MANTECA — James Nunnally had 23 points for Weston Ranch in the non-league rout.
"It was 37-31 at the half," Cougars coach Bill Slicker said "We went on a 19-4 run to start the third quarter and blew it open.
Walter Jackson was our defensive catalyst in that third period. Our subs outscored them 26-9 in the fourth quarter."
Jackson had 14 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. Jerell Walker added 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Michael Thomas and Brandon Silva each had five steals.
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