HOOPING INTO THE HOLIDAYS

Despite extended layoff going into the Christmas break, Meridian Yellowjackets begin defense of their District 20-1A title with convincing opening victory over Walnut Springs

Coming off 10 days without taking the court for a game, Christmas came early for the Meridian Yellowjacket boys basketball team. Opening District 20-1A competition before taking another seven days off for the holidays, Meridian knocked off the Walnut Springs Hornets, 58-36, Dec. 19 in Yellowjacket Gymnasium.

“We were definitely rusty offensively coming off the week off,” Meridian head coach Grant Schur said. “I was extremely impressed with our effort and how we played defensively. We made a few minor adjustments defensively on how we were going to rotate and play different looks, the kids did a really good job of executing those adjustments.

“We probably missed a season’s worth of point-blank shots and fast break layups in this game. I’m going to contribute that to the time off in hopes it isn’t going to be a trend. I was very proud of freshman and role players coming off the bench. They stepped up huge tonight.”

Despite the struggles offensively, freshmen Josh Nunez and Guillermo Ortiz rose to the occasion to lead the Jackets (1-0 in district, 7-5 overall), while junior Jesus Martinez anchored the defensive effort against Walnut Springs (0-1, 4-4).

“I was very proud of Jesus Martinez,” Schur said. “That was probably the best I have seen him play defensively, and we really needed it from him. Josh Nunez and Guillermo Ortiz really stepped up offensively as well.”

Following a seven-day break for Christmas, the Jackets will return to action this week by playing in the Bynum Tournament Dec. 27-29, before resuming District 20-1A competition against the Covington Owls (1-0, 11-5) at 7:15 p.m. Jan. 2, who opened district with a 43-31 victory over the Kopperl Eagles (0-1, 6-6). In other District 20-1A action, the Morgan Eagles (1-0, 12-1) soared to a 69-44 win over Iredell (0-1, 4-9), while the Blum Bobcats (0-9) had an open date.

“It wasn’t very pretty, but we found a way to win and start district off 1-0 against a really tough Walnut Springs team,” Schur said. “It’s always really nice to win going into Christmas Break. It makes those five days off a lot less stressful when you can do that.”

Coming off a strong performance at the Santo Tournament Dec. 7-9, the Meridian Yellowjacket boys basketball team anticipated an opportunity to build some momentum going into the holiday, but some time off from action on the court came a little earlier than expected.

After the Jackets enjoying an open date in the schedule Dec. 12, the Cranfills Gap Lions unexpectedly cancelled the non-district game scheduled for Dec. 15, leaving Meridian with a 10-day without playing a game before taking off for Christmas.

“When it first happened that we were going to be off all week, I wasn’t very fired up about it,” Schur said. “Now that it got here, I think it could be pretty good for us. We were pretty banged up. I felt like we weren’t just physically worn out, but mentally as well. We are still pretty banged up, but I think the rest was pretty good for us.”

After getting off to a slow start losing their first three games of the season, the Jackets have won six of their last eight games.

“I feel like we are headed in the right direction as a team right now,” Schur said. “We do some really good things at times, and then we have moments and games where our youth and inexperience really show. We just need to start limiting those moments and games a little more.

“I do feel really good about where we are headed though. Not just this year, but in the years coming also. We can finish really strong this year and continue to build on what we have in place.”

After capturing the Bluff Dale Tournament championship Nov. 30-Dec. 2 with four straight wins, the Jackets followed it up with a strong performance in the abbreviated Santo Tournament.

Coming off their first district championship in 20 years and advancing three round deep in the playoffs, the Jackets utilized two tournaments and a busy non-district schedule to get up to speed and back on track after losing six seniors to graduation following last season.

With basically a new group of starters learning to play together, the Jackets were still trying to find their groove before playing in the first tournament of the season in Bluff Dale. Snapping a three-game skid, the Jackets won four straight in the Bluff Dale Tournament to capture the tourney championship with junior Matty Jones named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

“Overall, I am very proud of our guys, winning a tournament and having Matty Jones selected as the Tournament MVP is awesome,” Schur said. “I for sure think we got a lot better over the weekend, but we still have work to do to get where we want to be.”

When District 20-1A competition resumes following the holiday break, Covington and Morgan look like the primary challenges to the Jackets being able to repeat as district champions. But certainly, Meridian can not look past Blum, Iredell and Kopperl.

“I think our district is going to be really tough,” Schur said. “Coach Underwood in Covington does a really good job, and I know those guys are going to be tough. Iredell is returning a lot of guys and have some good young talent coming into high school. Blum is going to be really athletic and play hard. Morgan really pushed us to our limits last year both times we played, so they are going to be tough as well. Walnut Springs has a ton of talent also, so I really think this year the district could be a really tight race.

“For us, it is just going to be how our young guys mature and play as the season goes on. We definitely have the ability to repeat again this year. But we are going to go through some growing pains at times. And how will we respond to them when they do happen will determine how successful our season will be.”