BOYS' BASKETBALL: PALMDALE COUNTING ON QUICKNESS AGAIN : SHORT BUT SPEEDY FALCONS COULD RUN THEMSELVES INTO POSTSEASON.Byline: Chris Cocoles Staff Writer In 1994, Palmdale High's little guys reached the Southern Section boys' basketball semifinals. OK, ``little'' might not be the proper description. But considering there were no starters taller than 6-foot-2, the Falcons made up for their lack of height with superior quickness and athletic ability. These 1999-2000 Falcons aren't much bigger than their predecessors. Palmdale's tallest player stands 6-foot-4, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the roster. Such a limitation is nothing new for veteran Palmdale coach Garry Phelps. ``Someone asked me recently, `Do you have any tall guys on this campus?' I said no. We usually never do, for some reason,'' Phelps said. What Phelps does have is traditional Palmdale quickness, and this year's Falcons expect to win games by running their opponents into submission. Playing up-tempo, pressing defense and taking quick but high-percentage shots is Palmdale's game. It's a philosophy that usually has the Falcons near the top of the Golden League. ``We have trouble matching up with big teams when we are in a halfcourt game,'' Phelps said. ``We're just much better equipped to play an up-tempo game.'' When a shot clock was added to the high school game, it allowed Phelps to force opponents to play a faster game rather than set up the offense and sometimes exploit the Falcons' size disadvantage. But Palmdale has a history of producing quality backcourt back·court n. 1. Sports a. The part of a court between the service line and the base line in tennis and other net games. b. talent such as Michael Hamelin, Jerome Payton, Markus Carr and Kerry Yates. ``We've had some super quick kids who can run up and down the floor,'' Phelps said. ``What we like to do is to run and see if teams can keep up with us.'' Next on the factory line for quality Palmdale guards is senior Eric Brown Eric Brown is the name of several people:
After scoring 21.8 points per game as a junior, the 6-foot, 170-pounder averaged in the 26-point range during Palmdale's first tournament, which produced a second-place finish Noun 1. second-place finish - a finish in second place (as in a race) runner-up finish finish - designated event that concludes a contest (especially a race); "excitement grew as the finish neared"; "my horse was several lengths behind at the finish"; "the and a 3-1 record at Serrano ser·ra·no n. pl. ser·ra·nos A cultivar of the tropical pepper Capsicum annuum having small, blunt, highly pungent red or green fruit used in cooking. last week. Brown will be counted on not only to score and play pressure defense but also assume a major leadership role as one of just three returnees to the varsity. Senior Jerrick Holmes, an athletic 6-3 forward who excels as a high jumper The simplest form of an on/off switch. It is just a tiny, plastic-covered metal block, which is pushed onto two pins to close that circuit. It is used to select a myriad of functions on a printed circuit board or on a peripheral device. during track season, and senior guard Travis Morse are the other varsity veterans. Morse has yet to practice after suffering a knee injury during football season. And even without Morse, considered the Golden League's fastest football player, the Falcons have enough team speed to play Phelps' brand of basketball. The Falcons are rather inexperienced in·ex·pe·ri·ence n. 1. Lack of experience. 2. Lack of the knowledge gained from experience. in , but figure to cause a lot of matchup problems in what should be a competitive Golden League race. Now only if Phelps can convince his team of its status as a dangerous playoff play·off also play-off n. Sports 1. A final game or series of games played to break a tie. 2. A series of games played to determine a championship. Noun 1. contender. ``I think we've got some potential if they are willing to work hard. I want them to play with the same amount of intensity every night,'' Phelps said. ``I don't want them playing at three-quarter speed at all. If we play hard all the time, we can compete with anyone in the Golden League.'' AT A GLANCE Coach: Garry Phelps 1998-99 record: 14-12 overall, 5-5, third place in Golden League Top returnees: Eric Brown, Sr. G; Jerrick Holmes, Sr. F; Travis Morse, Sr., G Top newcomers: Lamar Whitley, Sr. F; Turan Sanders San´ders n. 1. An old name of sandalwood, now applied only to the red sandalwood. See under Sandalwood. , Sr., G; Senior F Travis Ritchie, Gene Washington
Gene Washington (born January 14, 1947 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama) was a NFL player for many years who played for the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit , Sr., C CAPTION(S): Box Box: At a Glance (see text) |
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