Former TAMIU head men’s basketball coach Shane Rinner (in white) was one of more mercurial and successful coaches I’ve covered in my seven years as a sports journalist. Here he is talking with me (in black) along with star guard Ryan McLucas after winning the program’s first conference tournament championship in 2011.
(Since 2009, I covered Shane Rinner’s stint as head coach of the Texas A&M International men’s basketball team. I was the beat writer for the program – and was from June 2007 through January 2012 – and recently learned of him leaving the program last week for a job in California. As one of the more mercurial and successful figures I’ve had the joy of reporting on in my career, here is my recollection of Rinner’s tenure in Laredo, Texas).
One of South Texas’ most brilliant and calculating basketball minds resigned last week to head to California for a better gig. But what Laredo’s Texas A&M International men’s basketball program lost in head coach Shane Rinner was not only a man who revived what had been a scandalous doormat of an athletic institution, but an individual presided upon ethics who embraced right from wrong and expected his staff and players to follow suit.
As complex as Rinner, who will be the first assistant head women’s basketball coach at Fresno State, may seem, he’s actually not. The fiery, no-holds-barred tornado that whirled the sidelines in the “Gateway City’s” north side is actually, in essence, an affable, thoughtful, considerate human being without a selfish bone in his body. All the evidence necessary is the reason why he took the Fresno State gig, and that was to get his wife Amanda, a Cali native and Fresno State alum, back home to be with her family, knowing that’s what she’s wanted all along. That was priority No. 1: do what’s right by his family.
See, there’s Shane Rinner, the coach, and there’s Shane Rinner, the person. It’s important to learn how to differentiate between the two.
In a brief but substantially rewarding three years at the helm of the Dustdevils, Rinner – who accepted what appeared to be a career death sentence in 2009 when he accepted the position following a cheating scandal the prior spring in which the program had six players who cheated on a spanish exam, resulting in the NCAA stripping the program of all wins in 2008-09 and putting it on probation for following seasons – led TAMIU to its first NCAA conference tournament postseason appearance in his first year and earning two consecutive conference championships in his next two seasons. He won a school-record 21 games in each the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons, and in 2010-11 he guided the program on an epic run toward the NCAA Division II tournament, where the Dustdevils fell to No. 1 seed and site host Central Oklahoma by nine points in overtime in the first round. In his three years at TAMIU, Rinner’s Dustdevils won 54 games. In his final campaign last year, he earned the conference’s Coach of the Year honor and helped Evan Matteson (his first recruit to TAMIU) nab MVP.
It was easy to assume that basketball is all Rinner eats, sleeps and drinks. It’s true that his work ethic is legendary. It’s also true that he is incredibly meticulous on all matters in his program, nothing was void of his fingerprints, and is the definition of “hands-on,” from the style of marketing posters made for the team to the way a player closes out on a potential shooter. But there is certainly a method to his perceived madness, and if you can say one thing about Rinner it’s that it’s blatantly clear that he cares way too much. That goes for any waters he dips his toes into. If he pleads his allegiance, it will be done, and it will be done right.
But basketball is not the end-all, be-all with Rinner. In a sit-down chat right after a heated practice before the start of the 2011-12 season last winter, I found out a few cool things about a leader who is as multi-faceted as he is demanding. Rinner actually does not necessarily aspire to be a head coach at a prominent Division I university. He’d be perfectly fine as an assistant coach at a mid-major DI. He boasts other interests, vastly different from his current vocation. He loves politics. He’s been known to sit in on campaigns and craves that kind of stuff, even going as far as tinkering with the idea of running for office back home in Alaska.
He also likes fundraising. Loves it, in fact. In previous conversations, he has mentioned how he doesn’t necessarily have to coach and he would still be happy in college athletics. He’s talked about his passion for building a program. He also joked that he would like the lifestyle involved in fundraising, which is “little more than playing golf and going out to dinners.” He has a passion for helping others, for building, for structure. It’s a cliche, but Shane Rinner is all about the journey, all about being immersed in the process.
While I was taken aback a bit at the sudden nature of Rinner’s departure for Fresno State last week, I was far from totally surprised. His move not only achieved the goal of getting his wife closer to her family and back home, but also opened the door for former player, longtime associate head coach and dear friend Bryan Weakley to run his own program and keep TAMIU afloat all at the same time. It was a no-brainer for Rinner. It was a calculated move. It was an unselfish move. No one loses. Everyone wins.
It’s the end result to a past three years that have been hellaciously tiring and emotional. It’s why Rinner busted his tail in otherwise deplorable circumstances.
Consider:
– The Dustdevils are one of three Heartland Conference teams not fully funded. TAMIU, in the 2011-12 conference championship season, played with 5.2 scholarships. The rest of the 5.9 went to redshirts. TAMIU played with 5.8 schollys this year, 6.8 total.
– In the Heartland Conference, Laredo is considered the second-least desirable attraction other than Oklahoma’s Panhandle State. The program is also second-worst in scholarship allotment, also behind OPSU, and TAMIU has the fewest number of students on campus (approximately 600). The next fewest is 1,600 in Odessa at Texas-Permian Basin.
– Any increase in Rinner’s budget has come from his own fundraising, which is approximately $2,000 in his three years. That money helped for upgrades in the men’s locker room as well as the women’, due to Title IX. He was the program’s chief fundraiser and drove the initiatives, finding little support from department administrators.
The only plus of being in the situation in Laredo, Rinner told me, is how bad it was before he got there. It was a program mired in scandal and mediocrity; a program of apathy and a revolving door of head coaches, philosophies and principles. For a first-time head coach, it was also a beneficial one. Anything and everything Rinner and his staff would be able to accomplish in Laredo would be seen as the next great thing, simply because the program had never escaped the depths of college basketball purgatory. Had Rinner failed, it would have been thought of as nothing. But if he succeeded – he would be seen by university leaders as nothing less than a savior. It was win-win. Low risk, high reward. Much like his move to leave TAMIU, interestingly enough.
Give Shane Rinner this: No move goes unplanned. He’s always thinking 2-3 steps ahead, on and off the court. He is a throwback to the old age of coaches who demanded excellence on the court, off it and in the classroom. The plus is that TAMIU won’t skip a beat with Weakley. Weakley shares Rinner’s thrill for helping student-athletes succeed, in the classroom first before on the court. And while I have no doubt the Dustdevils – who graduated eight seniors and are in an ideal rebuilding situation with a motivated, hungry teacher like Weakley running the show – will maintain the program’s integrity and growth initiated three years ago, it’s important to take a moment and understand what Rinner truly accomplished, coming to Laredo like a dark knight from his home of Alaska, willing to put his career on the line and sacrificing for the greater good of the university.
And now that sacrifice has been rewarded, for the greater good of his family.
Kaleb Canales, the pride of Laredo, Texas, finds himself in the limelight as the interim head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers. (AP PHOTO)
I met Kaleb Canales in the summer of 2009. As sports editor of the Laredo Morning Times, a small daily newspaper on the border in Laredo, Texas, I had received word that Canales would be in town for the first of what would be his annual summer basketball camps in his hometown.
I was enthused. As an NBA aficionado, to know that someone affiliated with a team, in this case the Portland Trail Blazers, was coming to town was a story I craved, particularly in the ho-hum days of summer when storylines are few and wire reports are many. Still, I did not know what to expect. My experience dealing with pros has been fair. They answer a few questions, but almost always cut things short. After all, got things to do and people to see, right?
When I walked into the gym of Alexander High – Canales’ alma mater, where he finished his high school career after spending two years at United High – I waited in the bleachers. The turnout was respectable, maybe 100-125 kids in attendance, and instantly I spotted Canales, a human Red Bull sprinting around giving directions, clapping every 10-20 seconds it seemed, and a broad smile never once leaving his face. Eventually he came around to me, during the middle of the camp, apparently eyeing a new face. Before I could utter a word, he introduced himself. I introduced myself and we talked, spending 20-30 minutes on a variety of subjects, basically being given his life story. Throughout the entire time, his answers were short, yet spirited. Countless times, he boasted how his rise — as a 5-foot-11 graduate assistant coach at UT-Arlington, to assistant coach at Martin and United high schools in Laredo, and to becoming a video intern with the Blazers in 2004 and, at that time, now a video coordinator with Portland — was a “blessing.” He thanked God early and often, and you could tell he was genuine. It’s what I imagine it’s like talking to Tim Tebow, who is also joyful and authentic in his ways. This was who Canales was, someone eternally grateful for the opportunities thrown his way, and paying back that gratitude with the way he treated others, as if they were a part of his own family.
From that point, Kaleb and I exchanged contact information and we talked maybe once or twice every six months, though we talk a bit more often now. I always covered his camps when he came the following years, and eventually met other NBA folks – like current Minnesota scout Pat Zipfel, who worked with Kaleb when the latter was an intern in Portland – who sung Kaleb’s praises to no end. Whether it was Zipfel, LaMarcus Aldridge or Jerryd Bayless – all individuals Kaleb brought to Laredo to help assist his camps – there was never a bad word mentioned about him. Two things were always brought up in any conversation regarding Kaleb: His relentless work ethic (he often sleeps in the practice facility and hardly ever sees his apartment) and his uplifting attitude, which can inspire the most solemn of Debbie Downers, this I assure you.
It should surprise no one that, aside from his youth camps every summer, Canales also hosted private sessions with any local high school coach or player who wanted to attend, drilling the players and letting friends like Zipfel offer their knowledge to the coaches. The turnout for these particular camps was significant, probably 200-300 for an event that was not advertised or promoted (on Canales’ want) in order to not have distractions and so that he could work with the local talent on a one-on-one basis.
So to see Canales now as the head coach of the Blazers on an interim basis as of Thursday is not entirely surprising. Kaleb is an individual who has worked tirelessly to get to this point, never cutting corners and never making excuses. When he talks to the media, he speaks in cliche (and I will say he has improved drastically in that regard since I first talked to him that summer), but when I joked with him about that, we both acknowledged that cliches exist because they are true in some form, and many people abide by them. So when he talks about focusing on just that night’s game, or staying “in the moment”, he’s being honest. It’s not coachspeak, at least not in his instance. It’s Kaleb. Although, I did witness a sort of media breakthrough last summer when Canales allowed a photo shoot to be arranged for a feature story. He bounced into the gym (he does bounce, not walk), and said, “D, buddy, I don’t do this for anyone other than you … ” and we shared a handshake. Throughout the entire shoot, I told Kaleb, who later beat me by a letter in a game of H-O-R-S-E, how appreciative I was.
Kaleb is a man of integrity and honor. As a result, he is well-respected, having represented the NBA and its Basketball Beyond Borders program last summer in Brazil (which precious few are given the honor to go) and having been inducted into the National Hispanic Sports Hall of Fame last fall. The greatest thing you can say about him is that, in a profession of tireless, driven, obsessive individuals, Kaleb is regarded by his peers as the hardest worker of them all.
Over the years, I managed to write more than my fair share of stories while covering Kaleb, who is beloved and adored in Laredo, for obvious reasons. I’d like to share some of my favorites so that you get a better idea of the youngest head coach currently walking the sidelines in the NBA. Photos are courtesy of the Associated Press:
Making it big: Laredoan gives back to community
By DENNIS SILVA II LAREDO MORNING TIMES Published: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 8:09 AM CDT
Kaleb Canales, an assistant coach/video coordinator for the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, has more in common with Laredo youngsters than just a love for hoops.
He, too, was once one of them.
The former Alexander High grad, who was a member of the Bulldogs’ first ever graduation class and an assistant coach at Martin and United, has never forgotten his roots.
He returned home this summer to conduct his first series of basketball camps at Alexander and LBJ High. From Thursday through Monday of last week, Canales hosted approximately 100 kids a day, for eight hours each day, and taught his hometown’s youth the game he loves so deeply, hoping one day they end up just like him.
“For him to do this says a lot,” said Martin High head basketball coach Hecky Noyola, who played against Canales in high school and is one of his best friends.
“Guys in Kaleb’s position are busy throughout the whole year.
“For him to do this in his one or two weeks off a year means a lot to these kids and community.”
Gateway upbringing
Noyola and Canales met when Noyola was in high school, playing ball at Martin.
Canales was two grades older than Noyola.
He went to high school his first two years at United before moving to Alexander, when it first opened. He was a role player throughout his high school career, but he had his moments, such as a few 20-point outings, as well as a deadly go-to move.
“He had one signature move that nobody could stop … we called it the ‘Canales shuffle’,” Noyola said, laughing. “He’d get on the low block, turn, quick fake and everybody would fall for it. He’d take one dribble and score.
“He was always getting people with that move.”
Canales grins at the mention of the move.
“It was my only move in the post,” he said with a smile. “Guys were always so intent on blocking me, so I’d get them up and go in and score a layup.”
After graduating as part of the first senior class from Alexander, Canales went to Laredo Community College, but was still around high school basketball.
During Noyola’s senior year at Martin, Canales, whenever he had time, helped out as an unofficial team manager, washing uniforms and doing the scorebook, or whatever was necessary to stay involved in the game.
He went on to eventually graduate from the University of Texas-Arlington, where he spent one year as a manager while Noyola was a player, before serving on coach Bobby Cruz’s staff for one year at Martin.
From there, he moved to United with Cruz, now the athletic director for the United Independent School District, before returning to UTA for an assistant’s job for a year.
After that, Canales served as an intern with the Trail Blazers, and was promoted to video coordinator after head coach Maurice Cheeks was dismissed in March 2005.
Canales served in that capacity until the 2008-09 season, when he was named assistant coach/video coordinator.
He is primarily responsible for video work, scouting of opponents and player development.
“It’s incredible to see his dreams come true,” Noyola said. “I remember when he was younger, he used to always tell us he’d be on SportsCenter, as a sports anchor. He’d write letters to ESPN and ask how he could get a job.
“It’s just funny, because now he’s on SportsCenter, but as a coach.
“When they give highlights of the Blazers games, there’s Kaleb, coaching the NBA guys.”
Big-game star
It seems Canales’ career has been that of a dream.
“It’s like a book,” he said. “I’m extremely blessed. I think I’ve done it the right way, as far as pecking order.
“I’m just trying to learn and pay my dues right now so I can get where I want to be, a head coach in the NBA.”
The 31-year-old Canales has certainly put in the work to achieve that lofty goal.
This summer alone, he has spent time in Indiana (working out with Blazers center Greg Oden), Austin (with Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge), Oregon (with Roy) and Spain (with Blazers guard Rudy Fernandez).
“It’s like high school, it just blows by so quickly,” Canales said. “My career has been like that. I’ve just tried to stay humble, work hard and enjoy the process.”
Asked if he was still starry-eyed from the fact he’s a Laredoan working amongst the game’s best, Canales smiled.
“At the end of the day, those guys are kids and you just want to coach them,” he said.
“You just want them to get better. Initially, when I got to the league, I was taken aback, but the bottom line is coaching and teaching.
“You coach them just like you’d coach United and Martin kids.”
Canales did note, however, that the NBA is a whole different world in regard to pure basketball ability.
“It’s day and night,” he said. “First, these guys have God-given gifts. They’re so athletic, so strong, so fast. I mean, LaMarcus was here the past couple of days, and when we do our workouts, we work on 3-pointers … and he’s 6-foot-11! He’s 6-foot-11, shooting 3s, making 7 out of 10.
“The NBA is such where the big, huge guys can do what guards can do.”
Luis Valdez, an assistant coach during Canales’ time at Alexander and now the head coach of the Bulldogs, is not surprised at his former pupil’s success.
“His passion for the game was always evident,” Valdez said. “He has not changed a bit.
“He has grown to be a wonderful man and a wonderful ambassador for basketball.”
Staying grounded
If there’s one thing Canales has kept in his memory banks from his Laredo days, it’s the coaching he received.
“One thing I learned is that you appreciate the things they did for us at that age,” he said. “At that time, you may not agree with coaches and how they go about things, but as you grow up, you learn and start to understand why they did what they did.
“To this day, I keep up with all my coaches and the high school sports here in Laredo. I’m on lmtonline.com every day, all the time, because I still have a lot of love and appreciation for this city.”
Valdez said Canales’ story is one every Laredo hoopster with big dreams should abide by.
“Kids like Kaleb is what makes coaching worthwhile,” Valdez said. “It’s not about the money or championships. It’s about kids like Kaleb coming back and saying ‘Thank you.'”
The talented coaching in Laredo is why Canales has a lot of faith in the future of basketball in the Gateway City.
“As a city, we don’t have great height, but our kids are skilled, they’re good and they play so hard,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of skill here in Laredo, and Laredo basketball has a great future.”
Aside from being an exemplary basketball mind, Canales is also an affable and thoughtful person. It’s not uncommon for him to call Noyola before a big game, just to talk basketball. He never forgets birthdays, and he always calls Valdez for Father’s Day, or to speak with his daughter on her birthday.
“She calls him ‘Tío Kaleb’,” Valdez said with a laugh.
All around, Canales is a role model for Laredo in every aspect.
“He’s always been the hardest working guy and he does things 100 percent and the right way,” Noyola said. “It’s good to see someone from Laredo succeed like this; it’s good for kids to see that anything is possible.”
Canales inspires Laredo hoops
By Dennis Silva II Gateway sports Published: Sunday, August 15, 2010 3:17 AM CDT
They came by the hundreds. Kids from all over Laredo, San Antonio and the Valley all rushed to the Gateway City last week for Kaleb Canales’ Assist XIII basketball camps that were held at LBJ and Alexander high schools.
By now, everyone is aware of Canales’ story. The Laredo native was a graduate of Alexander, went to Laredo Community College for a year and then embarked on a fast and furious road that eventually led him to where he is today, as the assistant coach of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers.
Last week, during a lengthy stay in his hometown, Canales hugged, chatted, clapped, cheered, encouraged, motivated and excited a legion of supporters.
He brought in Blazers guard Jerryd Bayless, as well as high-ranking coaches and scouts from around the NBA.
Laredo’s ambassador
“Kaleb is an ambassador for Laredo,” said Houston Rockets advanced scout Patrick Zipfel.
And Zipfel should know. He worked with Canales when the two were with the Blazers a few years ago, and Canales was just a video intern.
Together, they shared 22-hour work days and grew a bond that is everlasting.
“Look at what he’s done,” Zipfel said, gesturing to the hundreds of kids and local high school coaches who listened under Canales. “Just look at what he’s done.”
If there is a more humble, kind and gentlemanly man in professional sports than Kaleb Canales, I have yet to meet him. He is a man of few words, but the few he speaks resonate strongly.
“I’m blessed,” he says whenever asked to talk about his unique situation from Laredoan to NBA coaching star. “I’ve been very blessed.”
Everywhere at once
Canales is a man in constant motion.
If he’s not mentoring kids on how to do a left-handed lay-up, he’s chatting with his “coaches” — who consist of Laredoans who desire to coach basketball one day — about the nuances of the game. If he’s not doing that, he’s talking with the media, doing video interviews, or merely just shooting the breeze.
This previous week was a tremendous opportunity for local basketball enthusiasts, and if Canales has his way, it will continue to be so every year in August whenever he takes a break from the grind of the NBA to make the trip back home.
Canales will be roaming the sidelines for the Blazers again this season, a year smarter after serving as the head coach of the Blazers’ summer league team in Las Vegas in early July (he won four games and lost one).
But Laredo will be there every step of the way with him. Already, the amount of Blazers paraphernalia seen around town is staggering, and that’s due to one man.
“I know everyone’s a Spurs fan,” Canales said with a grin, “but I’m seeing more red and black a lot lately.”
And that’s exactly how it should be.
Inducted: Laredo’s Canales enshrined
By DENNIS SILVA II LAREDO MORNING TIMES Published: Friday, September 16, 2011 2:17 AM CDT
As Kaleb Canales’ career ascends, so does recognition of his talents.
On Thursday evening, Canales – a Laredo native and current assistant coach with the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers – was inducted into the National Hispanic Sports Hall of Fame at the organization’s 17th annual event in San Antonio.
“It’s extremely humbling,” Canales said early Thursday afternoon. “Talking to (founder) Mr. (Raul) Zuniga, who I’ve known for a couple of years, I do know he’d mentioned he was following me and keeping track of my career.
“To be in a hall of fame is a privilege and an honor.”
Canales was one of six honorees on Thursday, and one of four who were awarded for their accomplishments in athletics. The organization is run by the Latinos In Action Sports Association and its mission of providing opportunities for students in various high schools for college support.
Latinos In Action, according to a press release, “inducts individuals who have made a name and example for all the youths of our nation.”
“It’s really exciting for my family, just to see the smiles on their faces,” said Canales, who was joined by his father and mother at Thursday’s induction. “I love seeing that, more than anything else. They put as much sacrifice, just as much as I have.”
Canales said that, while being a Hispanic has not provided particular obstacles toward his career’s growth, he does have more than a mere chip on his shoulder
“It’s more like a brick,” he said with a laugh. “We all get motivated and we’re all competitive and I’ve definitely found things to make me work harder. I’m just like anybody else, man; I get motivated by different things.”
Canales, 33, graduated from Alexander High – where he played as a 5-foot-10 power forward and was part of its first graduating senior class – and quickly climbed the coaching ranks, rising from team manager after graduating at UT-Arlington, to assistant high school coach back in Laredo at Martin and United, to video intern with the Blazers.
He was promoted full-time with the Blazers in March 2005 and served in that capacity until 2008-09, when he was promoted again to assistant coach/video coordinator.
This summer, Canales was chosen by the NBA to be part of its distinguished “Basketball Without Borders” campaign, coaching young kids in Brazil.
“His passion for the game was always evident,” said Luis Valdez, now Alexander’s head boys’ basketball coach who was an assistant there when Canales played. “He has not changed a bit. He has grown to be a wonderful man and a wonderful ambassador for basketball.”
Latinos in Action has awarded more than $90,000 worth of scholarships since it was initially founded in 1989. Also inducted alongside Canales on Thursday were Natalie Gamez (St. Mary’s University All-American basketball player), Tony Moreno (two-time National Golden Gloves champion) and John Luna (former Southwest Texas all-conference pick and San Antonio Toros player).
Receiving Lifetime Achievement Awards for Community Service were Wal-Mart executive Robert Romo and the former Commander of Coalition Forces in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez.
Canales will return to Portland on Saturday and get back to the weekly coaches’ meetings the Blazers are holding.
Finally game time for Kaleb and the NBA
By Dennis Silva II Gateway sports Published: Sunday, December 25, 2011 3:28 AM CST
A hurried and bustling 66th NBA season tips off today.
With that comes the annual reminder the past eight years that a Laredoan will once again roam the sidelines, overseeing the best of the best in an effort to take advantage of a compressed 66-game schedule.
Alexander High graduate and former Martin and United coach Kaleb Canales will once again ply his trade as an assistant coach for the remodeled Portland Trail Blazers, who lost franchise guard Brandon Roy to retirement but gained veteran pieces in Jamal Crawford, Kurt Thomas and Craig Smith after flaming out in the first round of last year’s playoffs to eventual champ Dallas.
This particularly lengthy offseason – obscured by the childish antics of the NBA and its players association during the league’s second lockout in the past 11 years – served as a chance to get back to the basics for Canales, who was inducted into the National Hispanic Sports Hall of Fame in September after serving as a league ambassador for its prestigious Basketball Without Borders program.
Broadening his horizons
More importantly, however, Canales was able to broaden his knowledge of the game. The boyish-faced 33-year-old visited the men’s basketball programs at Baylor, Oregon, Oregon State, University of Portland, Texas and TAMIU.
He met with coaches, sat in on practices and discussed new ideas and theories with some of the game’s best leaders.
“It was still very much a busy offseason,” Canales said late Thursday night as he prepped for Monday’s season opener against Philadelphia. “Getting the opportunity to go study different coaches and different programs in college basketball and going back and forth on ideas, philosophies and concepts … it was a great, great time and a blessing.”
Canales said it was a welcome time for his “personal growth and learning.” He also spent most of his offseason in Portland, meeting with coaches, developing game plans and basically doing whatever head coach Nate McMillan thought could help the team.
So when Canales got the call from McMillan 17 days ago that the lockout was officially done and over with, there was no panic. No rush. No heavy concern.
“We had prepared every day just like every other team,” Canales said. “We were ready to get back out there.”
Back to the game
The Blazers, and the rest of the league, rushed through a frenzied free agency period, though their biggest coup – the scoring dynamo Crawford – wasn’t secured until early last week during the team’s brief preseason schedule.
Fortunately, Canales said, the whole thing has been relatively smooth, which he credits Blazers veterans like LaMarcus Aldridge, Marcus Camby and Raymond Felton for.
At a time many thought would set teams back in regard to firmly setting a foundation for this season, the Blazers were perfectly fine.
“Just talking to Kurt, Jamal and Craig, they’ve said it feels seamless, as if they’ve been with us for awhile,” Canales said. “That’s a credit to the core of the team and it’s a credit to our training camp. We have veterans that know how to play and have been here awhile and they understand the challenges.
“We had a great training camp. Great collective spirit. Obviously the schedule will come fast and furious, but we’re prepared. Everything’s been going well. The guys have been wonderful about getting up to speed.”
The main difference in the shortened preseason was that the Blazers have gone with one long practice each day instead of McMillan’s preferred two-a-days.
It helps keep the Blazers rested and moving forward to win the battle of attrition and rest and recovery for a unique season that features the hated back-to-back-to-backs (three) and five games in one week.
“The schedule is always going to feel like it does. Games are always fast and furious,” Canales said. “It looks like a lot, but every team is faced with it. The one thing is being in basketball game-ready shape. That will be the biggest challenge, and the only way to do that is to play games.
“Everyone will be faced with that.”
Up in the air
Popular consensus is that the teams with an abundance of youth and depth stand the best chance to prevail this season.
Canales, however, doesn’t figure that to be necessarily the case.
“It’s hard to say,” he said. “I’ve been blessed enough to be in the NBA for eight years, and that’s why you play the games. You just never know. Every game presents a different challenge. I know for us, when we go on the road to the east coast, that first home game back is very much a challenge. You’re still on east coast time, and obviously stuff like that will come into effect pretty often this season.”
Headlines have fluttered this month as players have moved all over the place. Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler are now Los Angeles Clippers. Dwight Howard figures to not be an Orlando Magic much longer. Vince Carter and Lamar Odom are Dallas Mavericks.
It’s been a sea of change, particularly in the Western Conference, where the Mavs, Rockets, Spurs and Blazers reside.
“We’ve been so locked into camp and practice that it’s been difficult to keep up with everything,” Canales said. “But we see the stuff on SportsCenter and anytime it affects our conference we have interest in that. Like, for instance, adding someone like Chris Paul to a talented roster to a team that didn’t make the playoffs last year is something we’re aware of.
“We see what’s going on and when it’s the West, it does affect us.”
While some of the NBA gets started back up today, the Blazers, Rockets and Spurs won’t tip off until Monday. For fans, everything points to a season that’s very much up for grabs, with no true favorite, especially with the unpredictability of 66 games in 120 days.
For Canales and the rest of the league, however, it’s back to business as usual. And that is perhaps the best Christmas gift of all for NBA fans.
“It’s no different at all,” Canales said of a season beginning on Christmas Day. “The past couple of years we’ve actually played on Christmas, which is an honor. I remember always watching the NBA on Christmas when I was a kid and how big of a deal that was and I’m sure the teams playing this year are fired up.
“But we’re approaching this season no different from any other. It’s exciting.”
And some video work I’ve done of Kaleb:
August 11, 2010:
August 5, 2011:
Before I end this 4,400-word post, I want to specifically link to my favorite Kaleb story I wrote, the feature piece that I talked about in the introduction. It was more of a personal look into a man who shys from the spotlight, yet was gracious as we enjoyed a two-hour discussion from everything, mostly his life and not so much basketball.
The story is on page 6-7 of the tabloid. Click on each page to enlarge it.
It’s such a great story. Inspiring, uplifting, magical, unbelievable … there’s not enough words to describe the gritty trek of a South Texas native up the ranks to the head coach of one of the NBA’s more prominent franchises. In fact, this blog likely does not do him justice. You have to meet him to understand how wonderful of an individual he is. I jokingly refer it to my wife as “The Kaleb Experience.” And what an experience it has been, all 34 years for the NBA’s freshest face.
Oh, by the way, Kaleb’s first game as head coach? A 100-89 win in Chicago over the Bulls on Friday. The story only gets better.
For those not in the know, I left my gig as sports editor at Laredo Morning Times last week. My wife Julie got a job as a reporter for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times in November and shortly after I also earned my way to Corpus, to work as an editor/designer on the sports central desk.
After 4 1/2 years in Laredo, I find myself somewhat back in the norm. To be honest, Laredo was a complete culture shock in some ways. I found the sports scene to be a whole lot better than advertised and the people were great, as accommodating and friendly as any. But standards were low. Laredo is content to just do enough to get by, and eventually that dwells on a person.
I see the transition to Corpus as a new lease on life. I’ve quickly grown to love the area and I can’t wait until I start my new job on January 23. It’s something new, something vastly different. I’m excited, yet also very anxious. The people in Corpus desire to emphasize a completely different aspect of my talents than anyone has before. In a way we’re on different pages in regard to where we see myself fitting in, but I consider it a leap of faith. Not everything is going to run smoothly and not everything is going to be comfortable. That’s a large part of what made Corpus so attractive. I get to explore new boundaries.
I’m eager to see what opportunities lie ahead. In the meantime, until I start up, I’ve been trying to adjust to a different quality of life. I wake up at 8 a.m., make my wife breakfast and lunch. I read for a bit, then try and go explore Corpus some more. I figured I was awarded this head start for a reason. I’ve been brushing up on editing techniques and reviewed some of previous editing work on stories and sports sections, seeing what I could have done better or what I could have tweaked. It’s certainly been a reassessment period.
In a little more than a week, I formally start up at the Caller-Times and I will no longer look back on Laredo. If there’s one thing about me that’s a gift and a curse, it’s my ability to turn the page and focus on the present. I wish I could tell you what I expect or that I’m confident heading in, but I’m far from sure. It’s like the first day of school. You think you know what to expect out of what’s to come, but you truly never really do.
Junior guard Tyree Murray, along with sophomore forward Joe Reid, is a big reason why this year's Dustdevils are destined for an outstanding finish to the season. (PHOTO BY JOEY SANCHEZ | JSPHOTOSTUDIO.COM)
It’s been awhile since I’ve updated on the TAMIU men’s basketball team. It’s been an off-and-on month consisting of a nine-day holiday break and four games against cupcakes so that preparatory work is at a minimum while the team focused on finals and improving on last season’s program-best GPA.
However, these Dustdevils being defense of their conference title on Thursday on a record roll. They stand at 10-3, the best non-conference record in the program’s nine years, barely nipping last year’s 9-4 mark. Among those wins are demonstrative tallies against Incarnate Word, West Texas A&M, Abilene Christian, Notre Dame College, and most recently on Saturday, Cedarville.
In my opinion, Incarnate Word was the most impressive of the bunch, with Cedarville a close, close second.
The Dustdevils are beating their opponents by a little less than 18 points per game. They average 78.2 points on 51 percent shooting (including 40 percent from 3) and also compile an unheard of 18 assists per game. There are NBA teams that don’t even sniff that many.
But, as we know, offense is not what drives TAMIU. It’s defense.
On that end, TAMIU allows just 60.5 points per game on 39 percent shooting. Opponents shoot just 32 percent from deep and have amassed 28 more total turnovers than assists against the Dustdevils.
Every aspect of the game has been upgraded for the Dustdevils’ from last year to this year. But what’s the big difference? In my opinion, it’s the fact that TAMIU has some wild cards this year, and I mean that in the best light possible.
Last year, you knew what you were getting when you faced TAMIU. A precise, halfcourt-oriented team that used defense as its fuel. Aside from Brian Schaeffer, who has almost doubled his scoring average from last year to become a primary scoring threat, most of the eight returners are pretty much set in who they are.
However, this year, there is some nice change of pace off the bench in sophomore forward Joe Reid and junior guard Tyree Murray, both junior college transfers. Reid, in particular, is a huge factor, simply because of his versatility, length and shooting ability. He averages 8.1 points on 57 percent shooting. He takes good, smart shots, but he can really frustrate a defense, particularly off the bench.
Murray is a pure scorer, but he’s really improved as a facilitator. He had big trouble with shot selection earlier this season, but he has moved the ball extremely well and seems to have a much better grasp on when and where to get his shots.
I know for a fact both guys had a real tough time acclimating to coach Shane Rinner’s system earlier this season. At one point, I even thought there was a chance they may not be much of contributors after all. It seemed they were fostering a mindset that Rinner’s emphasis on structure, discipline and teamwork was too much to overcome.
But there’s a reason Rinner recruited them. Of course for their skills, but also because of their toughness. And their ultimate acclimation to buying in and sacrificing numbers and glory for the team is a testament to just that. In fact, how quickly they have turned things around is why I’m even more optimistic this team is more than capable of defending their conference title and winning a NCAA tourney game or two. I seriously thought it wouldn’t be until four or five more games until they really hit their strides, but they’ve proven me wrong.
It’s going to be interesting. I think Arkansas-Fort Smith and St. Mary’s are the top threats to TAMIU’s crown, but at this point, having watched the Dustdevils grow and mature over the last couple of weeks, it’s hard to see anyone taking down TAMIU for the title. TAMIU is well equipped to deal with teams of size, quickness and/or versatility. All I needed to see was the wins over Incarnate Word and Cedarville to know they can really play with anyone. And while it’s fine for me to be optimistic about their chances, I know Rinner isn’t even thinking that far ahead.
“I’m pleased, but nervous,” he said about where his team stands at the moment. “Now it really starts.”
Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky is carried by players Rick Bolinsky (92) and Jason Wallace (88) after they defeated Texas A&M in the Alamo Bowl, Tuesday night, Dec. 28, 1999. Sandusky marks his 381st and final game as a member of Penn State's coaching staff. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
It’s been tough to get into the spirit of the holidays. In fact, this particular season, it’s been downright impossible.
At an especially delicious time for sports when we’re supposed to be consumed by the drama of the NFL, NBA and college basketball, instead I find myself having to go through story after story of child abuse scandals.
If it’s not Penn State’s Jerry Sandusky, it’s Syracuse’s Bernie Fine. If it’s not Bernie Fine, it’s veteran Philly Daily News sports writer and distinguished journalist Bill Conlin.
It’s gross, unsettling and mind-blowingly disturbing to know that these human beings violated many young children – boys and girls, in Conlin’s case – and continued living their lives as if all is well. How are we supposed to realistically focus on the spirit of a giving season when we know of stories like the aforementioned, with surely many, many, many more left uncovered.
The plight of these three individuals has done nothing but remind us of the constant suffering that is overwhelming our youth. It’s deplorable for two of these three men to use their status as coaches as bait for their crimes. It’s sickening to think how many children’s lives these three men alone have been responsible for ruining.
As coaches and influential administrators in a child’s game, they should know better. They should be better.
I hate to even bring this up at a time like this, with a new year on the horizon and hope and optimism never higher, but it would be wrong to ignore it. In my eyes, if found guilty, these men deserve life in prison without parole. And I understand this probably happens more often than we think, but it maddens me to no end that they took advantage of the trust and admiration of young boys and girls.
However, it also makes you appreciate more the coaches who do completely hold precious that trust and admiration and use it as a gift to, in fact, help the youth. We have plenty of those in Laredo. They are coaches who are under scrutiny because of that nagging win-loss column, but when tragedy – and yes, the circumstances involving these three men are indeed tragic – strikes, it forces you to re-evaluate.
And the bottom line is that Laredo is home to many coaches who devote their entire beings to benefit the city’s youth.
The stories of the three men have darkened public perception of the coaching profession, and sports in general. It’s unfortunate, but it’s painfully obvious eyes need to be opened. It’s not a good look, and it will only get worse before it gets better.
But the horrifying actions of the two coaches should not take away from those who do their job with honor and accountability. For every Fine or Sandusky, there are dozens of Hecky Noyola Jr.’s, J.J. Gomezes and Oscar Villasenors.
This holiday season, be thankful for who the city’s coaches are and what they stand for. For we have seen too closely what others have become.
BRIAN SCHAEFFER (PHOTO BY CUATE SANTOS | LAREDO MORNING TIMES)
One of the best things about my job is working within the nuances of a team. As a beat writer, I love unveiling the little things that make players/coaches who they are. Essentially those bits are what make up a team.
Recently, I got to spend a few days writing a profile on TAMIU senior men’s basketball guard Brian Schaeffer. Schaeffer leads the team in scoring and is second in rebounding as a 6-foot-2 guard. He has grown leaps and bounds since averaging six points for last year’s conference champion Dustdevils, but as you’ll see, he has grown even more as a man during these last few years.
Enjoy
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Not long ago, during the depths of the draining monotony known as preseason practices, Texas A&M International senior guard Brian Schaeffer held court.
Literally.
Sensing a lack of accountability amongst a team of veterans, Schaeffer preached. He reminded his teammates what they were there for (to win basketball games) and, more importantly, for whom they were there for (each other.)
He talked about coming too far just to give up now. He talked about one last ride for the seniors and the chance to do something special, to possibly repeat as NCAA Division II conference champions and maybe even win a NCAA tournament game.
It was a speech of passion, of truth. In essence, however, it was a speech of survival. And that’s something all too familiar to Schaeffer.
The Dustdevils’ leading scorer and second-leading rebounder grew up too fast, too soon. Living with three families as a kid, without a father during his childhood and now a father himself, Schaeffer is the definition of rising through adversity and refusing to fold.
“Brian’s a kid who never got to be a kid,” said Mike Fetters, a 16-year veteran pitcher of Major League Baseball who took in Schaeffer late in his high school years. “He grew up quick. He’s one of those kids who learns from his mistakes and he can be proud that any success he’s had, he’s done it on his own.”
Rough start
The true gift of Schaeffer, 25, is not in his 12.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. It’s not in his 56.6 percent shooting or 3.3 assists per game, either.
It’s in his resiliency. It’s in his ability to not cave in when too many rocks were hurled his way.
“I’m somebody that’s always had to work for stuff,” Schaeffer said. “I come from a situation where parents were in and out. Finally met my father at a late age, had a kid of my own. Those are all things that are motivating me this year because I know this is my last go-round.
“I want to leave everything out there.”
Schaeffer’s struggles began at the age of 2, when his mother Tammy was put in prison for the first of two times before he turned 13.
Tammy was incarcerated the first time for eight months for leading police on a high-speed chase. Five years later, she spent another year in prison for borrowing a car that a friend reported to the police as stolen.
“It was tough, very tough,” Tammy said. “Living in a poverty role … I wouldn’t have been incarcerated at all if I could have gotten an attorney. You just learn to make the best of it. Prison, for me, was a good learning experience.
“It was just about me. I started to learn and grow.”
With Tammy in and out during his child years, and his father Floyd Johnson nowhere to be found, Brian lived with three families, but two men in particular left an impact he carries with him to this day.
Direction
Joe Jackson, an older sibling to three brothers and four sisters, took Brian under his wing and kept him out on the field or court, disciplining him and quenching Brian’s thirst for the games. He kept Brian from trouble and only aided his love for basketball.
If Jackson was Brian’s guiding light early during his prep years, Fetters was just that late during those years. It was Fetters and his family who took Brian in prior to his junior year at Hamilton High School in Arizona.
“I was helping coach as volunteer assistant for high school basketball,” Fetters said. “Brian was a good player and a good kid. I liked his desire. One day he came up to me, and he said, ‘Well, thanks, Coach, but I have to quit.’ Well, his mom had gotten out of jail and he was being looked at as a runaway. His mom was coming and he was going to move back with her and get a job. But I took him home and introduced him to my wife, and said, ‘This is Brian Schaeffer. He’ll be staying with us.’ We did our homework and promised him if he stayed, he had to go through high school. From there, he can do what he wanted. We pledged to keep him in school and that’s what we did.
“He was a joy to be around.”
Through it all, Schaeffer never held ill will toward Tammy. But those feelings were not the same for Floyd, who entered back into Brian’s life when Brian was 17.
Beginning to mature into a young man himself, Schaeffer was dealt with a unique hand: welcoming stability back into his family when he had already accomplished much of his growth on his own.
“Especially at that age, 18 and growing up, it was tough,” he admitted. “It was always easy for me to accept my mom, because that was my mother. The times she was there, she took care of me like nobody else. She sacrificed so much for me. She would always try and give me things like other kids had. It was always easy to accept her.
“For my father, it was tougher, because when I finally met him I was already a man. I hadn’t had him growing up and it was tougher to accept him back in my life. But as you get older and have a kid of your own, you start to realize family is important. Even if he didn’t spend time with me when I was younger, now he gets to spend time and enjoy it with my son.
“That’s what’s important to me.”
Making moves
Tammy regrets wholeheartedly the circumstances she put Brian through. However, she does feel she helped guide him toward mentors like Jackson and Fetters who helped make him who he is today.
“When I came back, he was almost a teenager,” Tammy said. “But one thing is, I would always go without before he would. He grew up without a father and I grew up without a dad, too. I’m grateful my mom didn’t give up on us and I feel I put a lot of good mentors in his life he could talk to.
“It was a moment in our life that I did a lot of growing and it changed our relationship from buddies to mother and son.”
Because of his upbringing, Schaeffer tends to put up a guard around others. Smiles are rare, stares are studious and he keeps to himself.
Tammy said that image is not the real Brian.
“Brian was a perfect child,” Tammy said. “So loving … he tries to be hard and tough and it cracks me up. Tell him that’s not who he is. He’s so loving and caring.”
After playing college basketball at a junior college his freshman year, Schaeffer, then 19, was kicked off the team for getting into a fight. He hardly picked up another ball over the next four years.
Over that time, however, is when priorities started to arrange themselves. Approximately three years after he left, he had his son, Dasaan, now 3.
His life would never be the same.
“It was the best thing that could have happened to me,” Schaeffer said. “It put life in perspective. I started taking things a lot more seriously and realized what I needed to do to take care of my son and be a part of his life like I didn’t have. I want to be that father he could always turn to so that he doesn’t have to learn the hard way like I did.
“So the best thing for me to do is get back to school, and then figuring out how to pay for it, well I’d play basketball again like I used to. That’s what led me back to going back to school and playing basketball.”
After playing for South Mountain Community College and earning honorable mention all-conference honors in 2008-09, Schaeffer was recruited by TAMIU head coach Shane Rinner, who had turned around the Dustdevils’ program in his first season on the gig, not even a year after it had been mired in scandal and mediocrity.
Schaeffer fits all of Rinner’s desires: tough, accountable, smart, gritty, unselfish. It was a perfect match. In a matter of three years, Schaeffer went from being done with basketball to contributing 6.1 points in 29 games for a conference champion last season.
This season, everything – from his personal life to his play on the court – has become one, hence a season in which Schaeffer is the backbone of a team looking to repeat and go beyond.
“I’m extremely pleased with Brian,” Rinner said. “He’s definitely taken everything to another level. He’s grown a lot, not only in basketball but his personal life as well. He’s been our most consistent player and our strongest leader.
“His attitude is superior and his mindset is great. When you coach, you hope everyone’s moved the way Brian moves. You hope they all make the strides Brian has.”
A happy ending
Brian’s and Tammy’s relationship remains strong. His and Floyd’s is still a work in progress, but headed in the right direction.
Brian holds no bitterness toward any of them.
“Every one of us is continuing to grow and that’s all you can really ask for,” he said. “Everybody’s healthy, everybody’s still living and that’s what’s important.”
He may play with a chip on his shoulder – after he left that junior college team his freshman year, a coach told him he would never play basketball again – but he is admirably appreciative of what’s been thrown his way.
“I’ve had a lot of people that really wanted to see me make it,” he said. “They helped me to this position. While my own situation was not stable, I had families take me in who really believed in me and saw me through things, like finishing high school.”
“Part of his upbringing is what makes him who he is,” said Fetters, now an assistant to the general manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks. “He’s tough as nails. He didn’t have a great life growing up, but I’m proud of him for getting through it.”
Schaeffer has grown from someone who needed a role model to someone who is one.
“By the grace of God, he is where he is today,” Tammy said. “He could have been anywhere else. A lot of people in our neighborhood have a lot of respect for him and they look up to him for not going down the wrong path.
“He’s done an excellent job. He’s done an awesome job.”
When he looks back on it all – from living family to family, to being a conference champion and now on the brink of earning his degree in business administration with a minor in management information systems – Schaeffer has taken it all in stride, almost as if it’s simply a rollercoaster he’s had no other choice but to keep riding.
“I didn’t expect anything when I came to Laredo, when I came to TAMIU,” he said. “All I knew is I was coming to a place where coaches wanted hard workers and they have a winning mentality and a winning philosophy. I just wanted to fit in.
“I didn’t see any of this for me, but that’s what happens when you stay positive, believe you can do things and just trust. For all this to happen, it’s been a blessing.”
United South's John Garcia (24) and Nixon's Ricky Arana (10) will have a say in this year's District 29-5A boys' basketball race. (PHOTO BY ULYSSES S. ROMERO | LAREDO MORNING TIMES)
Up to this point, the 2011-12 Laredo high school sports season has been the Year of the Bulldog. That doesn’t figure to change much as the 29-5A boys’ basketball campaign tips off tonight.
United South hosts Martin, Nixon hosts LBJ, Cigarroa hosts C.C. Winn, Alexander travels to Del Rio and United heads to Eagle Pass. All games are scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.
This year is as wide open as one can remember, though Alexander, off to a fast start at 13-2, is the favorite to take home the district championship.
It won’t lack threats, however. United figures to be right in the mix again as well, with United South returning a nice amount of talent and Martin a darkhorse to create quite a stir.
Once again, it figures to be another memorable year for Laredo high school basketball.
“I think the games in this district will come down to how they’re officiated because of how physical games are these days,” LBJ coach Bill Groogan said. “It’s like rugby now. It’s scrum after scrum. That’s what’s happening. And it’s everywhere.
“The game has gotten really, really rough, and the reason why is because everyone is focused on getting their teams bigger and stronger.”
It’s for that reason why many feel Alexander, United and United South – in no particular order – have the advantage, with everyone else fighting for fourth place in district.
“They have seven or eight guys that can step in there and fill the void,” Groogan said of the aforementioned three. “They have size and height. Eighteen (district) games is a lot of games, you know.
“The best teams with a chance are those with size.”
The Nixon Mustangs (9-5) are the youngest team in 29-5A, but coach Pete Solis Jr.’s squad has gotten off to an impressive start in spite of the lack of experience.
The Bulldogs, winners of this year’s Border Olympics and Edinburg tournaments, return six, including three starters. They have the most depth in the frontcourt with the likes of Diego Solis, Philip Connor and Nolan Wilson, to go with a backcourt stable of Alex Bryand, Brian Swain, Beau Kraus and Kevin Garcia.
“We’re playing well,” Alexander coach Luis Valdez said. “We’re still juggling having Alex and Brian back, coming in from football. The guys have played well. They’re a good group of kids. They play for each other.
“The unselfishness of everybody has been the key for us. No one cares about stats.”
The Tigers (9-6) return eight, including four starters. The addition of 6-foot-5 Gabriel Rubio has added a different dynamic to an already dangerous attack.
“The past two years, I’ve been making the schedule to where we have a week to prepare for district,” Martin coach Hecky Noyola Jr. said. “I know how important it is to start district 1-0.”
The Wolves (7-5) return seven, including three starters and their core in 3-point marksman Javier Rodriguez and rangy playmakers Peter Servin and Ricky Castro.
“I think we’re a middle-of-the-packer. I hope, anyway,” Groogan said. “We have quality players, but we’re not very deep. Physically we’re a small team. Not only are we short, but we’re light.
“Those who have big-bodied athletes have the best chance to win this thing.”
The Longhorns (5-8) return five, and one starter, but plenty of shot-blocking and rebounding with Eddie Vasquez, Rudy Gonzalez, Jorge Cardenas and Andrew Zipprian.
“We’ve made great improvements since our first day of practice,” United coach Archie Ramos said. “We have great depth, but we’re looking for some consistency.”
United South (9-6) returns a district-best nine from last year’s squad, including two starters. The Panthers have the depth and size to compete for a district title, with sharpshooter Jose Cardenas and big men Rolando Valdez and John Garcia leading the way in the paint.
“We’re still trying to find our consistency, our rhythm,” South coach Carmelo Gonzalez said. “We haven’t hit our peak. We’ve been playing well, but sometimes we just don’t play that good. Our record kind of reflects that.”
Cigarroa (6-8) returns six, including three starters, and Nixon returns two, no starters.
“Every team, every game is going to be a war,” Valdez said. “Boys’ basketball is one of the more competitive sports in our district; kids today play so much basketball that everyone is pretty even.
“You have to come out ready to play. Every mistake is magnified.”
CREAM OF THE CROP
My picks for the top four Laredo teams heading into district play: 1. ALEXANDER (13-2): The Bulldogs have what Valdez thinks is most essential to a championship team: chemistry. “Size in basketball helps a lot, to be sure,” he said. “But you also have to have ballhandlers and shooters. As far as depth, Martin has made the playoffs before playing just five guys. What I think is key is team chemistry, a team that’s unselfish.” 2. UNITED (5-8): The Longhorns are raw, but blooming with potential. A rough early schedule provided plenty of growing pains, but significantly telling was how United played Alexander in the Border Olympics final a few weeks ago. The gap between the two is not as wide as the records indicate. “I don’t think we’ve lost a game,” Ramos said, “I just think we’ve gotten beat by really good, talented teams, and there is a difference.” 3. UNITED SOUTH (9-6): The Panthers return a lot of starters from last year’s team that finally put South back into the postseason. But they lost their identity with the graduation of guard Kevin Flores and forward Carlos Hernandez. “Now it’s more of a shared thing,” Gonzalez said. “What Carlos and Kevin were doing as far as leaders has been distributed and the young guys are stepping up pretty nicely. Everyone’s playing into the roles and I’m pleased with how they’ve improved.” 4. MARTIN (9-6): After going through a trying year last season with a young crop, Noyola can finally reap the benefits. Along with star guard C.J. Martinez, the Tigers also have a formidable frontcourt with Edgar Benavides and probable newcomer of the year Gabriel Rubio. “I did stats a few days ago and what impressed me was that we’re assisting on a lot of baskets, about 16 assists per game,” Noyola said. “I like how we’re moving and sharing the ball. We struggled with that early on.”
FIVE TO WATCH
My preseason picks for Laredo’s All-City team heading into what is sure to be a memorable district season. POINT GUARD: UNITED SENIOR THOMAS JOHNSON: The fearless floor leader has made strides in his growth and is ready to lead a team that has its share of uncertainty surrounding it. “He’s had a great offseason,” Ramos said. “Sometimes I feel he thinks he has to do too much, but he’s seen others step up and he’s leaning on his teammates more. He’s trusting them more.” SHOOTING GUARD: LBJ SENIOR JAVIER RODRIGUEZ: Averaging 13.8 points per game, Rodriguez will be targeted by opposing defenses, and for good reason. There are few shooters like him around. “He’s a much more mature player than he was a year ago, especially defensively,” Groogan said. “I imagine nine other teams in this district would like to have him. He can shoot it. He’s improved his release time, shot selection and mental toughness.” WING: UNITED SOUTH SENIOR JOSE CARDENAS: Speaking of sharpshooters, Gonzalez will be leaning hard on Cardenas, whose smooth stroke will be needed to keep defenses honest and allow the Panthers’ size to go to work. FORWARD: ALEXANDER SENIOR DIEGO SOLIS: Averaging 14.2 points, on 55 percent shooting, and 7.9 rebounds per game, Solis is the early frontrunner to take home the District 29-5A and All-City MVP awards. “He’s just been a hard worker,” Alexander coach Luis Valdez said. “Since the end of last year, he’s been in the gym and weight room. He was chosen as captain recently and that’s big because we as coaches don’t choose captains. It’s up to the players, so it says a lot about what his peers think of him.” CENTER: MARTIN SENIOR GABRIEL RUBIO: The 6-foot-5 big man who came to Martin last December from Nuevo Laredo has made the Tigers a must-see game this season. Rubio is averaging 15 points, six rebounds and four assists per game. “He gives us another body in the paint and that helps us out big time,” Noyola said. “He’s long and athletic and gets a lot of rebounds and can alter shots. He takes pressure off our guards and teams have to make decisions defensively now.”
Joe Reid and the TAMIU Dustdevils have won six of nine games this season. (PHOTO BY DANNY ZARAGOZA | LAREDO MORNING TIMES)
It’s been a while since I blogged about the TAMIU men’s hoops team. This is a period of trial-and-error that generally serves as a time for the team to find itself and hopefully gain some momentum heading into the start of conference play in January.
So how do they look? What’s the latest? Well, the Dustdevils are playing great basketball, winning five of their last six games for a 6-3 record heading into Saturday’s bout against NCAA Division I Texas-Pan American. Up to this point, they’ve been without the services of senior forward James Silvie, still out with a pulled groin. That’s about 12-15 points and 6-8 rebounds missing from the lineup.
In short, they’ll only get stronger and bigger once the 6-foot-6 Silvie gets back on the floor. It’s important to remember that, because as well as TAMIU has been playing of late, I tend to forget it as well. Things will only get better.
Last weekend’s slate against Hillsdale Freewill Baptist and Arlington Baptist – christian collegiate athletic programs that TAMIU defeated by an average of 56.5 points per game – were hardly telling about where this team stands right now. Those teams were cupcakes. They tried and gave a nice effort, but they’re about 2-3 levels below where TAMIU stands on the ladder.
What you had to look at was how the Dustdevils played in regard to accomplishing goals they wanted to achieve.
TAMIU has adopted a motto of “playing against perfection” of late. It’s meant to keep the team focused on playing against its own standard opposed to the name across the front of the opponent’s jersey, whether it’s an Arlington Baptist or UTPA.
The players, for one, have bought in. After last weekend’s games, they didn’t talk about beating Hillsdale or Arlington so much as they talked about limiting turnovers, playing better positions defensively and playing with full effort from the opening tip. They weren’t patting themselves on the back for scoring 100 points against Hillsdale or shooting 60 percent against Arlington.
They harped on the spurts of lack of focus and too many turnovers. Against Hillsdale, the Dustdevils were sloppy. They played hard, but they didn’t play TAMIU basketball.
Against Arlington, they did. And that’s what matters. They won the games within the game.
“If we just focus on what we have to do, we’ll be fine,” senior guard Ryan McLucas said. “We’re not worried about (other teams).”
Even when it comes to the thought of playing a DI, it doesn’t affect them. Just another day at the office.
“We have a lot of players that could be playing at the DI level, so we’ve just got to worry about what we’ve got to do. If we do that, we’ll be successful,” McLucas assured.
Their actions support their words. From Friday’s 62-point win against Hillsdale to Saturday’s 51-point victory against Arlington, the Dustdevils cut down on turnovers (from 16-10), fouls (20 to 13) and cleaned up other subtle, yet relevant, nuances, such as cutting strong in their motion sets, employing a relatively fresh fullcourt defense and doing an all-around better job as far as moving the ball and knowing when and where to get shots.
From the starters to the third-stringers, every single Dustdevil worked. And that’s not easy to do when you could probably beat those respective teams by starting just your third-stringers. I get sloppy just playing a Minnesota or Washington in NBA 2K12, so I can only imagine how disciplined you have to be to keep your intensity and focus consistent in a college basketball game.
It’s obvious this team is settling into its groove, and for that, all you need to do is look at how fast the new kids on the block are acclimating themselves to a veteran unit.
Sophomore forward Joe Reid has grown more comfortable in his role. He’s not pressing as much and his production is impressive (7 points and 4 rebounds in 13 minutes per game). He still can get in foul trouble — hence the few minutes — but he’s aggressive and he attacks. He is getting into a nice rhythm offensively (he hit all seven of his field goals against Arlington Baptist) and that, in turn, has delivered more confidence defensively.
Junior center Jayvin Reynolds has stabilized the inside, which was desperately needed with the graduation of all-conference forward Will Faiivae. His numbers aren’t mind-blowing (5 points, 3.2 rebounds), but he does what coach Shane Rinner wants from his bigs: he runs the floor hard, screens well, protects the paint and takes advantage of the few opportunities afforded to him on offense (64 percent shooting). It helps that Reynolds is a quick study and carries a studious persona. It’s all business with him, and that’s as obvious off the floor as it is on it.
But where you can really see the Dustdevils’ growth is with junior guard Tyree Murray. A scorer by nature, all you have to do is see Murray whip the ball around and make the extra pass to know this team is very close to putting it all together. Before, he would shoot ill-advised shots and pass up on good looks. Now he makes that extra pass and shoots with authority.
“I have a good group of teammates to pass the ball to and we have an unselfish team,” Murray said. “It helps when you have great players to pass the ball to. I definitely have more room to grow, but I’m feeling a lot more comfortable. It’s getting there.”
The Dustdevils have acquired this fast start even with a relatively unstable starting rotation. Only Evan Matteson and McLucas have started all nine games. Reynolds has started seven, Brian Schaeffer 6, Scottie Payne 5, Armando Brito 4, Murray 3 and Ian Salter 2.
It speaks to the team’s depth and versatility that it can keep a nice flow going with so many transient parts. It all comes back to Rinner’s motto of playing against perfection. Even he is not too concerned about other teams. He’s too busy trying to figure out exactly what he has in his cupboard, and if that might even cost a few non-conference games, so be it.
“It takes some adjustment as far as the idea of playing against yourself,” McLucas said with a smile. “But it makes sense, because we’re trying to be the best team we can be. We have to compete against ourselves, so then it doesn’t matter what kind of team we’re going up against.”
Rinner can sleep soundly at night knowing he has a good team with all on the same page. It’s clear everyone is drinking the kool-aid. You can tell he wants this team to succeed badly. He knows he has the tools. He knows he has the talent. It’s because of that that he’s barking at a player for not cutting hard enough with three minutes left on the good side of a 40-point game. It’s because of that that he, more so than any other season, finds himself teaching, molding, shaping, growing his players.
Let it be understood how fast this team’s aura has changed. Just three, four weeks ago, some of the new guys privately questioned whether or not they thought it was a good idea to come to Laredo. They were dealing with the typical doubts of whether their talents could fit within Rinner’s meticulous, demanding system. There was a fair amount of uncertainty and self-evaluating. But they buckled up and refused to leave the car. Why? Well, it’s my opinion that they know Rinner’s style – as physically and mentally exhausting as it can be – pays off.
And now? Now they smile. Now they laugh. Now they walk with a swagger. Now they no longer worry about where they fit in. They just worry about where the team fits.
That’s pretty much all you need to know about how far this team has come in a relatively short amount of time.
“We’re looking at it as TAMIU versus perfection,” Murray said in reference to the upcoming DI game against UTPA. “We’re thrilled to be playing a DI, but the games we’ve lost, we’ve beaten ourselves.
“It’s just another opponent. We’re going up against perfection.”
The town of Harlingen resides approximately 180 miles away from Laredo. But last week, it was as if the two entities were one.
Both the Cardinals and Laredo, specifically Alexander and United, produced outstanding high school football postseason runs. Harlingen was the fourth Valley school to go four rounds deep into the playoffs. The Bulldogs and Longhorns provided the first time two Laredo programs went three rounds deep in the same year.
Speaking for Laredo, it’s gotten to the point where playing in the vaunted Alamodome is no longer considered special. That’s why Alexander chose to host Cibolo Steele this year instead of playing at one of the more elite palaces in Texas high school football.
Once a novelty, now it’s “been there, done that.” In short, Laredo football is – and has been for the last couple of years now – on a significant high.
Unfortunately, Laredo’s teams were ousted in the regional semis. But for most – players and fans alike – the season did not stop there.
Since last Saturday, all eyes turned to Harlingen. Undefeated and considered by respected people to be a legitimate threat to contend for the state title game, the Cardinals all of a sudden represented not only the Valley, but Laredo as well.
While Valley and Laredo schools are rivals, when one is no longer in the picture they tend to side with the other. In this case, Harlingen all of a sudden had Laredoans rooting for it.
After all, south Texas supports each other. It’s no secret teams from San Antonio, Houston and Austin or further north look down upon Laredo and the Valley. It’s why Laredo and the Valley have hail-sized chips on their respective shoulders.
When no one gives you a chance, let alone looks your way, your pride tends to hit another peak.
So when the Cardinals played San Antonio Madison – which ended United’s season by nine points a week earlier – in the regional finals in Kingsville on Friday, it drew attention from all over south Texas, Harlingen and Laredo alike.
All. Over. And while the Cardinals fell short – like Alexander, their only loss of the season came in their final game of the season – by 15 to Madison, it affected everyone south of the Alamo City.
My Facebook was flooded with status updates from Laredo players, following Harlingen’s every move. Twitter as well. Constantly I was asked for updates.
If I didn’t know better, it was like a Laredo team was playing.
The game was followed online. Some players even secured tickets – the game sold out 48 hours prior to kick-off, meaning it was given the green light to be televised in the Valley – and cheered on “Big Red.”
Bulldogs, Toros, Wolves, Tigers, Mustangs, Longhorns, Panthers, Cardinals. They were all of the same flock, even if it was just for seven days.
This wasn’t just Harlingen’s game. It was all of south Texas’. One of these years, Laredo and/or a Valley team will break through. Laredo’s got to reach that fourth round first, which will be sooner than later, but when it happens, you can bet good money the Valley will support, especially if the opponent never has to go through a checkpoint.
And vice versa. If there’s one thing that makes high school sports the big dog in Texas, it’s how it pulls communities together. It’s entirely possible for rivals to become friends.
San Antonio doesn’t pull for Dallas schools. Houston couldn’t care less about Austin. But the Valley, in essence, will always be behind Laredo, and likewise.
There is a unique, if not breathtaking, brotherhood between the Valley and Laredo … when they’re not playing each other, that is. Last week was another example of that.
One of these years, it will all come together. This year, the Valley and Laredo fell short. But they’re comin’.
They’re comin’.
The Lemurs released their 2012 schedule of games on Wednesday, along with the American Association’s announcement that it has allied with the Can-Am league to form interlocking, 100-game schedules.
The Lemurs begin their inaugural campaign on May 17 with a seven-game homestand against division rival Grand Prarie and then Winnipeg before taking off on a seven-game road trip.
The season wraps up on Sept. 3 when Laredo plays at Gary (Ind.) Southshore, with their last home game coming on Aug. 26 against El Paso.
The Lemurs’ 2012 season schedule, with home games in italics: May May 17-20: vs. Grand Prarie, 7:30 p.m. May 21-23: vs. Winnipeg, 7:30 p.m.
May 24-27: at Amarillo, TBD.
May 28-30: at Lincoln, TBD. June June 1-3: vs. El Paso, 7:30 p.m.
June 4-6: at Grand Prairie, TBD. June 7-10: vs. Amarillo, 7:30 p.m.
June 11-13: at Grand Prairie, TBD. June 14-16: vs. El Paso, 7:30 p.m. June 18-20: vs. Gary, 7:30 p.m.
June 22-24: at El Paso, TBD.
June 25-27: at Amarillo, TBD. June 29-July 1: vs. Worcester, 7:30 p.m. July
July 3-6: at El Paso, TBD. July 7-10: vs. Grand Prairie, 7:30 p.m. July 11-14: vs. Amarillo, 7:30 p.m. July 16-18: vs. Wichita, 7:30 p.m.
July 19-22: at Amarillo, TBD. July 23-25: vs. Lincoln, 7:30 p.m. July 27-29: vs. Wichita, 7:30 p.m. August
July 31-Aug. 2: at Lincoln, TBD.
Aug. 3-6: at Grand Prairie, TBD.
Aug. 7-9: at El Paso, TBD. Aug. 10-12: vs. Grand Prairie, 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 14-16: at Sioux Falls, TBD.
Aug. 17-19: at Kansas City, TBD. Aug. 21-23: vs. Amarillo, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 24-26: vs. El Paso, (6 p.m. on Aug. 24; 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 25-26).
Aug. 28-31: at Fargo, TBD. September
Sept. 1-3: at Gary, TBD.
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