TOP 10 TEAMS HIGH SCHOOL SA GIRLS BASKETBALL 1-29-15

Just like the Oscar's are upon us celebrating and awarding the Years Best Pictures and Best Actors/Actresses, so are the Girls Basketball HS Playoffs around the corner.

Teams are jockeying for positions and rankings. Players are putting on performances on the court, hoping it will be enough to be recognized at the end, when its all said and done.

Just like the Oscar's where you have a lot of Movie Pictures worthy of Best Movie, you also have a lot of teams worthy of being the best team in the City. But from witnessing last night's performance, one team has shot up as the favorite to win it all.

Last night, O"Connor beat Brennan with an effort worthy of Best Team Performance (Ensemble Cast)! 
Maybe I am making too much of it, but the 5 starters had 11, 11, 11, 11 and 10 points Respectivelly! Pretty Amazing! Can you have any more team balance than that? Just the same defensively, O'Connor players seemed to have more sense of urgency hustling  for loose balls and rebounds, tying up ball when other team got the rebound, poking the ball away from offensive players, deflecting passes and you get the Picture. It almost seems you can't take a break and get a moment rest against them. I mean this in a good way, the team is pesky and they can frustrate the heck out of you.
Offensively, they moved the ball well making 3, 4, 5 passes before someone shot. They have the mindset of flying across the court for fast break opportunities from steals or defensive rebounds. I've been saying it since early last year, don't underestimate their guard play.

But one game doesn't necessarily determine ones team fate if you still qualify for the Big Dance. Anything can happen once that starts. 
Brennan is still going to be a tough out come playoff time. They have great size across the board, depth and guard play just to mention a few of their strong points.  They beat a real good Clark team pretty handily just a few days ago.

Last night though belonged to O'Connor. 

Saturday, O'Connor vs Clark 2pm Paul Taylor Gym
A lot of people including myself have been saying how good Clark is all season. This is a game Clark can make a statement they belong in the Best of the City category. For O'Connor, they can solidify their grip as the Best Team in the City with a win.

Looking ahead, One game Can definitely determine a team's fate though when it comes to making the playoffs.

Case in point, going down the Standings in each District, starting with District 25-6A, Smithson Valley needs to virtually win out to have a chance to make the playoffs. Judson is probably in with 1 more win unless SV does sweep, they need two wins in the last 3 games. Wagner and Clemens are in. Steele needs to win 2 out of 4 to safely assure their playoff spot.

In District 26-6A, Johnson and Madison are locks to make the playoffs. The last 2 spots are between Roosevelt, Churchill and Reagan. I feel the magic number 7 wins in District will be enough to get you in the playoffs in this district. That means Roosevelt needs a win from either Madison, Johnson or Churchill to go in. No easy task.  Churchill needs to win 3 out of 4. Two of those games are against the bottom 2 teams in district. If they take care of business there, then they need to beat either Reagan or Roosevelt and Churchill is in. Reagan has the toughest road. I feel they have to beat Churchill for starters. Then they have to beat either Madison or Johnson and take care of MacArthur.

In District 27-6A, O'Connor, Brennan, Brandeis, Clark are almost locks. Other teams are mathematically still in it but it's just a matter of playing out the remaining games. Brennan, Clark and Brandeis are all tied for number 2 seed and will be fighting for positioning. It may not seem like much but number 4 seed gets CC Carroll in the first round.

In District 28-6A, Carroll, Southwest, CC Ray and East Central are locked in for the playoff spots. Southwest is playing much better now and may be peaking. East Central can be dangerous with their dynamic young center.

In the Large Private School side, Incarnate Word got a good win over Antonian and then followed that up by beating Private School State Ranked #10 St. Stephens in Austin. IWHS and Antonian should represent well once the playoff starts. Antonian is deep. IWHS is playing well on both ends of the court. 

Who will eventually be the best in the City? Just like the Oscar's, is it going to be the favorite or is there going to be an upset.
Which team has the best players? Who has the best Coach? Who has the best supporting cast?

Following are my teams going down the RED CARPET to the playoffs, all contenders.  Everyone take your seats, the Show will begin shortly.....

1. O'Connor: Wins- Johnson, Madison, Reagan, Steele, Brennan (Twice), Brandeis. Losses- Waco La Vega, #1 3A Wall, Amarillo 

2.Brennan: Wins- Wagner, Manvel, Madison (Twice), Reagan, Steele, Johnson, Brandeis, Clark. Losses- Reagan, Georgetown, #1 5A Vista Ridge, #1 6A North Shore, Amarillo, O'Connor(Twice)

3. Wagner: Wins- Johnson, Steven, Brandeis, Schertz Clemens(Twice), Steele Losses-Brennan, Madison, Antonian, Argyle, Reagan, Cedar Ridge, Austin Westlake, Pflugerville

4. Schetz Clemens: Wins-Reagan, Steele, Roosevelt, Round Rock.   Losses-Corpus Christi Carroll, Liberty Christian, Brandeis, Wagner(Twice)

5. Clark: Wins-Madison, Cedar Park, Churchill. Losses- Liberty Christian, Brandeis, Brennan

6. Johnson: Wins-Brandeis (3 times), Stevens, Reagan, IWHS, Brandeis, Churchill, Madison. Losses- O'Connor, Wagner, Carroll, Amarillo, Brennan, Antonian, Churchill

7. Madison: Wins-Wagner, Brandeis, Stevens, IWHS, Reagan, Churchill. Losses-Brennan, Clark, O'Connor, Johnson

8. Brandeis: Wins- Antonian, Clemens, Clark Losses-Churchill, Johnson (3 Times), Steele, Madison, Wagner, Madison, Brennan, OConnor

9. Roosevelt: Wins- Reagan, Churchill, Antonian. Losses Clemens, Churchill

Tied for 10th

Reagan: Wins- Wagner, Brennan, Steele, Judson, Smithson Valley. Losses- Stevens, Carrol, MacArthur, RR Cedar Ridge, Clemens, Johnson, O'Connor, Madison, Churchill, Roosevelt

Churchill: Wins- Brandeis, Roosevelt, Reagan, Johnson. Losses- Clark(Twice), Antonian, Johnson, Madison, Roosevelt, Madison

Honorable Mention
Incarnate Word, Southwest, Steele, Antonian, Judson, Smithson Valley

Remember, Anything can happen, I'm sure there will be plenty of surprises. 

So try and Relax and Enjoy the Show........

Go Support Girls High School Basketball!!!!

2016 ANABELLE "Belle" TOVAR

Anabelle "Belle" Tovar has been an Islander since middle school. Along with Alexia Torres and Tara Molina, the trio form a backcourt that have played Club Ball together going into 4 years. 

Belle with Islanders Tara Molina, Lexi Torres

Along the way, Belle has put on some shows on the basketball court!

Look up Baller in the Sports Dictionary and you will find that it's definition literally means Belle Tovar! Ok, better yet, one thing no one can argue about, is that Belle Tovar is a BALLER!

She has been lacing up her shoes since she was a tot and I am sure fans alike were saying the same thing then when they would see her play on the court back then.

Belle Tovar

Behind the fierce competitor, the tough no nonsense player you see on the court is undeniably a joking, jovial, free spirited, easy going, friendly young lady.

Her family is a huge support group. Family is very important to her. Every now and then, you can hear her 4 now 5 yr old brother Ayden getting after her when she misses a shot. She is very close to her family which fits perfect with our relatively small Islander Player-Parent Organization.

Ayden, Mom Brenda, Belle, Matt

Belle, Brothers Matt, Ayden

La Familia!

She is anxious and ready to show her skills and talents on the court. Soon, she begins full time basketball training and vigorous strength and conditioning workouts after an ACL injury sidelined her the last few months.

Her basketball IQ, instincts on the court, skill level, defensive prowess, shooters mentality and ability to score in a variety of ways have her on the list of many colleges around the country.

She is Hungry to say the least!

She is a mainstay to the SA Islander Black team. She plays with Passion and Hates to lose. She simply brings to the table so many intangibles that just can't be coached.

Her range is from deep, I mean from a different zip code. A lot of kids can hit open shots from behind  the arc, she is one of a few players with an aggressive defender on her face that create space for herself and hit an open 3 point shot with remarkable consistency.

Below is a Question and Answer with her.
It will give you a little insight of what a great young lady she is.
A Future Leader in our community!

1) What have you learned playing with the Islanders?
I learned about being a Leader on and off the court. To learn from your mistakes and applying what you have learned.

2) What does being an Islander represent?
Being an Islander represents that there is more to life than just basketball and its also important to having family around.

3) Who is your favorite basketball player?
Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls)

4) What were your thoughts about basketball as you went through surgery and rehab?
That it was just a minor setback. I was just thinking about how to get myself back to the way I was and I couldn't let anything get in the way of that.

5) What do love about the game?
I love it because it is my second home. It is my stress reliever. I just love the game of basketball in general, I have been playing for so long that everything feels like second nature like its just part of me.

Belle with College letters

6) Once College Coaches were able to call you, you had plenty of Coaches calling you when you were still in the middle of rehab, how did that make you feel?
Having a lot of Colleges call on me just justifies all the hard work I have put in to the game and that it has really paid off. Basically that I'm not doing this for nothing. Especially with my injury, having College Coaches still calling me is indescribable. It just gave me a lot of confidence that I have lost when I got hurt. It just makes me believe more in myself and makes me realize that I am that much closer to my dreams!

Belle's family #1 Fans

When it comes to lives Challenges, you can either ask "Why Me?" or you can meet those Challenges head on. Belle chose the latter which speaks a lot about her Character and Personality!

And in case you need a reminder of what she can do, check out both videos below

Belle with No Ordinary 3pt shot

Belle Highlights


TAKE NOTICE, Belle Tovar is coming to a gym near you!

SA Islanders
La Familia!

Coach Drew workout and SA Islanders Tryouts

SA Islanders having Girls HS Basketball Tryouts the month of February!

Please refer to our website for dates, locations and times

SA Islanders Calendar

Coach Drew with 4thQuarterWork will be Head Skills Coach.

Click link Below to show video training with 2017 Bri Soliz before she goes for 21points friday night. Also teammate 2017 Jordan Brooks went for 8 points handling ball pressure all night. Also in video IWHS 2018 Brooke Orme working hard on polishing up her skills. She has been a spark plug for the team with her defense, energy and scoring on timely situations.

Coach Drew Training Bri Soliz, Jordan Brooks and Brooke Orme

2016 ANALISA NARRO

We want to welcome 2016 Analisa Narro and her family to the SA Islanders family. 

First, let me start with she is Academically one of the top students in IWHS. She is taking the toughest HS curriculum possible with advance AP classes. That is no easy task by itself. Now add that she plays Varsity Basketball to the mix with all the extra late night games and practices, that is impressive.

She is the definition of overcoming adversity. She has gone through setbacks but has always managed to bounce back with a Positive Attitude.

She has a tremendous work ethic to accompany her passion for the game! She has refined her shot to one of the best in the city.

Looking forward to her having a great AAU Club season!

Click below for some IWHS highlights

2016 ANALISA NARRO

COACH DREW TRAINING READY FOR SA ISLANDERS SEASON and TRYOUTS

SA Islanders tryouts are right around the corner and so is Club ball.

Coach Drew with another video training with Alexia Torres getting ready for the AAU Club Season and tryouts!

Click Link below

COACH DREW TRAINING  

Anyone interested in tryouts, visit saislanders.com 

TOP 10 TEAMS HIGH SCHOOL SA GIRLS BASKETBALL 1-9-15

Just like the winter cold air that is settling in San Antonio, so are teams settling into their positions in District Standings as district play is in full swing.

Its good for many teams and not too good for others.

It doesn't matter what went on in non-district games anymore, it matters now, when your team is in the outside looking in, on playoff positions in district standings. Wins are hard to come by, so teams need to take advantage of every game they can win. It might get to the point very soon that everything including standings and playoff positions because of the cold weather will very well just FREEZE in place.

After all its troubles, Wagner is still unbeaten in District 25-6A play. Their guard play is their strong point but have a couple of freshmen healthy ready to contribute. They have a big game at Steele tonight at 7pm. Steele has a chance to stir things up with a win. Inside game is Steele's game and advantage. Which teams going to impose their will?
Judson is clinging on to the last playoff spot with an overtime victory over Smithson Valley. Because of it, Judson has an inside track, for now, for the last playoff spot despite sporting a losing overall record. Now, more than ever,  Smithson Valley needs to somehow get a win against one of the top 4 teams in District to get in the Dance, despite its great overall record. Clemens is still in the hunt but might need more firepower than just Kyra Lambert. Scoring 40 points individually might not be the answer, but then again it might!

Talk about change of fortunes in a heartbeat, That's High School girls basketball.

Earlier in non district play,  Brandeis was having trouble getting a big win all season.  So they go on and beat Clark who was the then best team in the city. Now they sit atop District 27-6A tied with O'Connor at 4-0. O'Connor is simply rolling along. Dangerous team which can beat you a variety of ways, from the outside, inside and with a stingy defense. Clark is still a mystery to me. Anxious to see what they can do against Brennan and O'Connor. They have enough good players and are deep in the bench to beat anyone in the city. Maybe the loss to Brandeis is what they needed to jumpstart them into a deep playoff run. Time will tell.  Stevens off to a great start this season has cooled down and is sitting out of the playoff picture for now. Jay is in danger of missing the playoffs in a very long, long time even though they almost pulled off a win against Brandeis. Brennan is steady rolling along as well. They are one of the most consistent teams in the city. In the end, that might be what propels them to State. Marshall's Abby Rolloque keeps impressing with her over all play. She is shooting a high percentage from downtown.

In District 26-5A, Madison and Johnson sit atop still unbeaten in district play. Johnson has shown they can matchup against any team especially when they are running the floor and playing full court defense at the right time. My early season dark horse team, MacArthur is 0-4 and now sits looking from the outside in the playoff hunt. Churchill has  huge games next week vs Reagan and Roosevelt with playoff implications written all over it. Reagan is sitting steady and could be the dark horse team once the playoff starts. They've lost to Johnson 2 times already, will the 3rd time be the charm when they play again. Reagan has a chance to knock off Madison from the unbeaten ranks Saturday, 10th, at Noon. But they have to get by Madison's Moriah Creswell first. She is having a great season.

District 28-6A could possibly be like the Football NFC South Division. There could possibly be a team make the playoffs with a losing record. By all indications, Carroll should have the inside track. Corpus Christi Ray and Southwest should be duking it out for runner up spot. In the end it probably wouldn't matter what position they come out since they will face a tough opponent either way from District 27-6A. But crazier things have happened in the playoffs. Anything is possible.

In non district play, Johnson has an interesting match up with Antonian Tuesday, 13th at 730pm. Antonian has beaten, Wagner, Judson and Churchill, will Johnson be next?

Speaking of next, Antonian then plays Incarnate Word Thursday, 15th at Littleton gym (Blossom) in their first of two Rivalry match ups. A lot of anticipation is brewing in the Private School sector. It's shaping up to be a great game for any basketball fan to come watch.

And in the topic of private schools, middle schools St George Episcopal and St Matthews might have a chance to meet if they win out in Blessed Sacrament Tournament for the Championship on Saturday. Both teams have great young talent that will be showcasing their skills next year in the High School level

And always remember, it's ultimately not what you are ranked that matters, It MATTERS how you finish!

That being said, just a couple changes in my Top 10.

Here is my Top 10

1. O'Connor: Wins- Johnson, Judson, Madison, Reagan, Steele, Brennan, Stevens. Losses- Waco La Vega, #1 3A Wall, Amarillo 

2.Brennan: Wins- Wagner, Manvel, Madison (Twice), Reagan, Steele, Johnson. Losses- Reagan, Georgetown, #1 5A Vista Ridge, #1 6A North Shore, Amarillo, O'Connor

3. Clark: Wins-Madison, Cedar Park, Churchill, Stevens twice, Killeen, Belton, Boerne. Losses- Liberty Christian, Brandeis

4. Johnson: Wins-Brandeis (3 times), Stevens, Reagan, IWHS, Brandeis, Churchill. Losses- O'Connor, Wagner, Carroll, Amarillo, Brennan

5. Madison: Wins-Wagner, Brandeis, Stevens, IWHS. Losses-Brennan, Clark, O'Connor

6. Wagner: Wins- Johnson, Steven, Brandeis, Schertz Clemens Losses-Brennan, Madison, Antonian, Argyle, Reagan, Cedar Ridge, Austin Westlake, Pflugerville

7. Schetz Clemens: Notable wins-Reagan, FW Timble Tech, Killeen Harker Heights, Stevens, Steele, Roosevelt, Round Rock.   Losses-Corpus Christi Carroll, Liberty Christian, Brandeis, Wagner

8. Reagan: Wins- Wagner, Brennan, Steele, Judson, Smithson Valley. Losses- Stevens, Carrol, MacArthur, RR Cedar Ridge, Clemens, Johnson, O'Connor

9. Steele: Wins-Brandeis, Southwest, IWHS, San Marcos. Losses-Reagan, Clemens, San Marcos, Stevens, Carroll, Navarro, Brennan, O'Connor

Tied for 10th

Brandeis: Wins- Highlands, Antonian, Judson, Clemens, Clark Losses-Churchill, Johnson (3 Times), Steele, Madison, Wagner, Madison

Antonian: Wins- Wagner, Judson, Churchill. Losses-MacArthur (Twice), CC Ray, Roosevelt, Brandeis

Honorable Mention

Churchill: Wins-Brandeis, MacArthur. Losses-Clark twice, Antonian, Johnson, Madison

Stevens: Wins- Reagan, Killeen Harker Heights, Austin Westlake. Losses-Clemens, Judson, FW Trimble Tech, Johnson, Wagner, Madison, Clark, O'Connor

Incarnate Word: Wins-Marion, RR, Cole Losses-Steele, Johnson, Madison, Manvel

Go Support Girls Basketball!!!!!!

SA Islanders 2017 Jordan Brooks

Jordan Brooks is coming into her own as one of the main contributors to her San Angelo Lakeview HS basketball team. The team is out to a huge start and are getting notice in all kind of rankings. She is one of a strong core of sophomores making strong contributions.

Jordan Brooks being named MVP in Consolation Bracket

Playing over the summer club ball with the SA Islanders, you can see her mature game by game slowly but surely. As the season wore on, she became one of the go to players on the White team. She seems easy going and is smooth down the court but make no mistake, she is deceivingly explosive. When her confidence is high, she can get to the basket with relentlessness attack mode. 

Another great kid that not surprising excels in soccer as well.

Following is a small glimpse of what she can do on the court.
Click Below

2017 Jordan Brooks

Coach Drew with 4thQuarterWork Joining SA Islanders Coaching Staff

SA Islanders Organization is pleased to announce Coach Drew with 4th Quarter Work is joining the Coaching Staff as Head Skills Coach as well as Head Strength and Conditioning Coach.  He will also be assisting in Coaching duties as well.

Click below to watch a little of his training with SA Islanders Alexia Torres

Coach Drew 4thQuarterWork