BOYS' BASKETBALL: MOVING UP : VALENCIA'S MCDANIELS MAKING BIG IMPACT.Byline: Brian The name Brian (sometimes spelled Bryan) comes from an Irish backround. It is of Celtic origin and its meaning may be "hill" or "strong, noble, and high"[1]. Dalziel Dalziel, Dalzell or Dalyell is a common Scottish surname. It is pronounced deeyel (IPA /diː'ɛl/), though a pronunciation with /z/ may now also be heard outside Scotland. Daily News Staff Writer Eskias McDaniels' time to shine is finally here. And he's taking full advantage of it. Valencia's 6-foot-6 senior forward has become one of the premier players in the Santa Clarita Valley The Santa Clarita Valley is the valley of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. It stretches through Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Its main population center is the city of Santa Clarita. The valley was part of the 48,612-acre (19,672. , averaging a team-high 22.5 points and 12.5 rebounds. Last season, All-CIF player Jerrohn Jordan and All-Foothill League player Fabian Leon soaked soak v. soaked, soak·ing, soaks v.tr. 1. a. To make thoroughly wet or saturated by or as if by placing in liquid. b. To immerse in liquid for a period of time. 2. up the glamour as seniors while McDaniels quietly scored his 8 to 10 points a game. But now the spotlight Spotlight can refer to at least three types of lighting:
``It doesn't surprise us as coaches,'' said Valencia coach Gary Spindt of McDaniels' performance this season. ``We expected something like this all along.'' This is McDaniels' fourth varsity season, and coming into his final year the recently-turned 17-year-old had a feeling that his abilities would come out. ``I thought this would be my breakout year and that I would show you everything I had,'' he said. ``The past season I was one-dimensional. I would just hang outside and shoot three-pointers. ``This year I'm doing it inside and outside and I'm still shooting the threes.'' His offensive numbers are impressive, but Spindt said McDaniels has improved on other aspects of his game. ``His rebounding has been an area of his biggest improvement,'' Spindt said. ``He'll go right back up on a missed shot and put it right back in. He just has tremendous quickness. ``He's a very good shot blocker and his timing on shot blocking helps our defense.'' With McDaniels dominating the team statistically, he's finding that opposing teams are sometimes double teaming him. But he just shrugs off the pressure. ``If I make a couple of quick shots, teams will double on me,'' he said. ``But I just have to go with the flow. If they double team me that means somebody (else) is open.'' Said Spindt: ``He doesn't get frustrated frus·trate tr.v. frus·trat·ed, frus·trat·ing, frus·trates 1. a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart: when teams do that. He takes it as a challenge. One game he had eight points and another he had 12. When he did that, the other kids stepped up.'' McDaniels' best outing of the season came against San Fernando San Fernando, city, Argentina San Fernando (săn fərnăn`dō), city (1991 pop. 144,761), Buenos Aires prov., E Argentina. It is a district administrative center in the Greater Buenos Aires area. on Dec. 16. Before anyone knew it, McDaniels scored the first 15 points of the game and had 28 points and nine rebounds by halftime. By the time the Vikings walked off the floor, they had reached the century mark for the first time this season, 100-75. ``He was all right in the flow of things,'' Spindt said. ``He came ready to play and got us off on the right foot.'' It's no surprise that McDaniels is a well-rounded basketball player. His father Jim played for the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Lakers See Lake poets as a 7-foot power forward in 1976-77, and since he was 6 years old, Eskias has competed on youth teams. ``Basketball has been a big part of his life,'' Spindt said. Basketball took the back burner Noun 1. back burner - reduced priority; "dozens of cases were put on the back burner" precedence, precedency, priority - status established in order of importance or urgency; "... recently for McDaniels and his teammates when team manager Sean Williams
Sean Llewellyn Williams (born 1967) is a New York Times best selling science fiction author who lives in Adelaide, Australia. , a senior at Valencia, was tragically killed in a house fire on New Year's Eve day. ``The first day I heard about it I was shocked,'' McDaniels said. ``I didn't know him that well, but I talked to him on the bus and I would see him in class. I just saw him before Christmas and wished him a Merry Christmas. It's hard to imagine. ``He was our emotional leader, always cheering us on. Not to here that at practice was hard. I just pray for him a lot and for his family. We're all using this as a learning experience, because life is short.'' Playing Division I college basketball College basketball most often refers to the American basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, or NCAA. History
But right now McDaniels is concentrating on improving the Vikings' 7-8 overall record and doing well once Foothill League play starts Friday. ``I'm not sure where I'm going to go next year,'' he said. ``I definitely want to play in college. But I'm going to wait and weigh all my options after the season and go from there.'' Spindt has no doubts that McDaniels can play at the next level. ``His best basketball is ahead of him,'' Spindt said. ``He's constantly maturing and I definitely think he's a college prospect.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Valencia's Eskias McDaniels is averaging a team-high 22.5 points and 12.5 rebounds. Myung J. Chun/Daily News |
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