last night i saw one of the most thrilling scintillating basketbal games i have ever seen at any level, when sheldon high school beat salesian high school and our recruit mario dunn in overtime in a northern california division semifinal playoff game. there was a wild desperation half-court heave by sheldon just before halftime that banked in; a highlight reel no-look lob dunk back over his head by cal-bound jabari bird; incredible nba-range three-point shooting by sheldon, and enough high-flying dunks to satisfy the most addicted dunkaholic. i don't know when i've been more engrossed in a basketball game. three kids from each team will be playing division one ball next year, and i'll be interested to see how they all turn out.
especially our mario dunn. if he'd gone to high school in montana, he'd be ranked as one of the all-time greats ever to come out of the state. if you wonder why the griz don't have more montana players, it's testimony to tinkle's incredible out-of-state recruiting. cherry and jabar both led their teams to vicotry and were their team's high scorer in california state championship games. dunn's team won 30 games this year, and should have won last night. and we're beginning to see what special players gregory and deshields can be. all of these kids would have been phenomonal montana high school players.
mario--what to say? the comparisons to will cherry are inevitable. i'd say mario has even greater physical skills--uber quickness, phenomonal leaping ability. last night i watched him drive to the hoop as two of sheldon's big quick atheletes moved in for the block. i was sitting at the perfect angle to witness what was surely a huge mistake on mario's part, taking on two big guys. and? mario just soared over both, neatly dropping the ball in for what appeared to be an easy layup. on all opposing foul shots, mario lined up in the lane in the position closest to the basket, indicating the confidence his coaches must have in his leaping abiity.
what will has that mario lacks, however, is swagger. mario is selfless to a fault. i've never seen him fail to make the right pass, but i've many times seen him pass when he was best option, either to shoot or take the ball to the hoop. he'll make an incredible high-flying, double-clutch drive around a stunned post player, but then you won't see him do it again, choosing to pass the ball, pass the ball. he's perfectly capable of taking games over, but that just doesn't seem to be in his character. seldom you say this about a player, but he needs to be a bit more selfish.
in any case, montana has another special talent on the way. there'll be oohs and ahhs aplenty reverberating through dahlberg the next four years. in a high school game featuring incredible talent on both sides, tinks has swooped in and grabbed one of the best, no question.
p.s. mario's younger brother was a starter last night. he doesn't have mario's evident physical skills, but he's worth keeping an eye on.
especially our mario dunn. if he'd gone to high school in montana, he'd be ranked as one of the all-time greats ever to come out of the state. if you wonder why the griz don't have more montana players, it's testimony to tinkle's incredible out-of-state recruiting. cherry and jabar both led their teams to vicotry and were their team's high scorer in california state championship games. dunn's team won 30 games this year, and should have won last night. and we're beginning to see what special players gregory and deshields can be. all of these kids would have been phenomonal montana high school players.
mario--what to say? the comparisons to will cherry are inevitable. i'd say mario has even greater physical skills--uber quickness, phenomonal leaping ability. last night i watched him drive to the hoop as two of sheldon's big quick atheletes moved in for the block. i was sitting at the perfect angle to witness what was surely a huge mistake on mario's part, taking on two big guys. and? mario just soared over both, neatly dropping the ball in for what appeared to be an easy layup. on all opposing foul shots, mario lined up in the lane in the position closest to the basket, indicating the confidence his coaches must have in his leaping abiity.
what will has that mario lacks, however, is swagger. mario is selfless to a fault. i've never seen him fail to make the right pass, but i've many times seen him pass when he was best option, either to shoot or take the ball to the hoop. he'll make an incredible high-flying, double-clutch drive around a stunned post player, but then you won't see him do it again, choosing to pass the ball, pass the ball. he's perfectly capable of taking games over, but that just doesn't seem to be in his character. seldom you say this about a player, but he needs to be a bit more selfish.
in any case, montana has another special talent on the way. there'll be oohs and ahhs aplenty reverberating through dahlberg the next four years. in a high school game featuring incredible talent on both sides, tinks has swooped in and grabbed one of the best, no question.
p.s. mario's younger brother was a starter last night. he doesn't have mario's evident physical skills, but he's worth keeping an eye on.
