The Mission Bay High men’s varsity basketball team opened its 2007-2008 season with a zigzag trip down the court, earning two wins and a pair of losses during the 61st annual Kiwanis Holiday Basketball Tournament.
The defending CIF Division III champion Buccaneers opened the tournament Wednesday, Dec. 19 with a decisive win over Brawley High.
In their second outing, the Bucs met up with the select squad from The Bishop’s School in La Jolla. Mission Bay trailed by 19 at the half and never caught up. Bishop’s went on to win the tournament, which included powerhouse clubs such as Torrey Pines and Poway.
On Friday, Dec. 21, the Bucs jumped out to a 19-9 lead in the first quarter against Mira Mesa and held on for a 64-55 win.
Six-foot-7-inch senior Thomas Tiop again led the scoring for Mission Bay with 22 points.
The final game against Rancho Buena Vista on Saturday, Dec. 22, began beautifully with an 11-0 lead, which continued toward a 17-8 Buccaneer mark at the quarter. Unfortunately, the stats were reversed in the final quarter, where the Longhorns put up 19 to the Bucs 5 points.
“They just wore us down ” they out-physicaled us,” said Buccaneer head coach Dennis Kane. “We are fast ” we’re quick, but we need to be more physical. Rancho gave us a pounding around the basket. We need our big guys to take more control.”
The Bucs took advantage of openings with a balanced inside-outside attack in the first half. But midway through the third quarter, the Longhorns flirted with the lead. Then in the fourth quarter they pushed the Bucs off their game, and the Mission Bay shots stopped dropping in.
“The key is our post positions (Tiop and Charles Jock),” Kane said. “If they succeed, we succeed.”
The final score was Longhorns 60, Bucs 48.
For Mission Bay, Esaias Tsegai delivered 20 points, Tiop 13, Eliskhan Sheripone 7, Derrick Thompson 6 and 6-foot-4-inch Jock 2.
Tiop was named to the All-Tournament team.
The Kiwanis Tournament, which started in 1947, is the oldest prep tournament in the county. The Pacific Beach Kiwanis is one of the three club sponsors of the tournament.
“It is the primary object of Kiwanis to support youth as they mature into leadership positions. We believe there is no more important endeavor,” said tournament director John Haigis.
The Bucs will next take the court Thursday, Dec. 27, at 9 a.m. in the Mission Bay gym during the annual Surf ‘N’ Slam Tournament.
“It should be challenging,” Kane said. “You never know who you will get. Tournaments are a chance to build experience.”
The regular season starts after the first of the year. “The (Western) League is a five-way race,” Kane added. “La Jolla, Cathedral, Saints, University City and us ” we’re all good. There is a lot of parity. The team that wants it most can win it.”