Scotts Valley High is getting a much-needed lift in the boy’s basketball department. First year head coach Drew Snelgrove has settled in, bringing a plethora of basketball know-how with him.
Snelgrove has coached at nearly every level, including at the National Basketball Association’s NBA Cares camps in China, where he worked alongside former star Vlade Divac.
Most recently serving as the men’s basketball coach and athletic director at Bethany University, he previously coached at Capital Christian High School in Sacramento, where he won a California Interscholastic Federation Northern Section Championship and made two CIF final four appearances in the Northern Section. He also assisted at Sacramento State University under former NBA all-star John Block.
The Falcons, who finished 1-12 last year in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League, are a tenacious bunch looking to improve their situation.
Team captains Desmond Balco and Kyle Fletscher are quick, feisty guards who plan to put pressure on opposing teams’ offenses and carry the scoring load, along with Trevor Areola, Sam Gjerstad and Corey Reitsma and guard Jack Pasquini.
“He (Balco) is one of the best shooters in the league,” Fletscher said of his teammate. “When he gets on fire, it’s scary.”
Snelgrove is proud of his team’s progress and thinks its hard work should pay off.
“The boys are working incredibly hard,” Snelgrove said “We are putting in a whole new offense and a new defense. We are a shorter team, but they’re learning fast.”
The coach is aware, though, about the power of the league.
“It’s gonna be a tough league. Santa Cruz is returning a strong team, Aptos and Harbor both are looking daunting, and (San Lorenzo Valley) has some great athletes.”
On the young season, the Falcons are 2-2.
With new direction and a newly kindled fire under their seats, the only place for the Falcons to go is onward and upward.
San Lorenzo Valley boys
SLV has a new boy’s varsity head coach as well in Marcus Northcutt. As the athletic director at SLV, Northcutt has coached the girl’s team the past four years.
“This is a whole different mentality,” Northcutt said. “Boys have a much different attitude toward the game than the girls did. The game is faster and played more above the rim.”
The Cougar boys finished sixth in league last season, with a 4-8 league and an 8-16 overall record under then-head coach Matt Meisner.
They return nine seniors from last year’s squad. But Northcutt had to wait for most of his team to finish the football season before he could get practices going.
Nine players from the Cougars’ playoff football team, including stars Nick Gorman, Luke Roberts and Nick Lipperd, will play hoops for the Cougars this season.
The Cougars lost their Central Coast Section playoff football game to Menlo School, 34-14, on Nov. 20. It was only last week the players could join teammates Blake Bechtle, Mason Brewer, Brad Clements and Connor Barton on the hardwood.
Bechtle is the Cougars’ scoring ace, averaging about 17 points per game so far this season.
“He is a deadly shooter,” senior Jared Johnson-Payne said. “He should be fun to watch this year.”
Bechtle, Gorman and Johnson-Payne are the team captains.
The Cougars have one of the most athletic teams in the league, but also the least time to prepare because of the football team’s playoff exploits.
“We have a lot of work to do” said Northcutt. “These guys are playing games already and putting in their new offense and defense at the same time.”
At a glance
What: Dad’s Club Basketball Tournament
When: Dec. 9 through 11
Where: Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church St., in Santa Cruz
COST: General admission, $6; students and seniors, $3.
DETAILS: Scotts Valley High and San Lorenzo Valley High played their first games of the double-elimination tournament after press time on Dec. 9.
INFO: www.santacruzhs.santacruz.k12.ca.us
