Whooosh! Just like that DHS boys make top 16
If the regular season ended Monday, the Davis High boys would be going to The Big Dance.
Ranked 16th in Monday’s Sac-Joaquin Section basketball rankings, the Blue Devils — on a three-game winning streak — made a strong move from 23rd a week ago to get into the elite mix.
The CIF will take the top 16 Division I teams once it creates the final brackets on Sunday, Feb. 19.
DHS coach Dan Gonzalez and assistants Gary Smith and George Sousa have been fine-tuning The System — Smith’s seemingly helter-skelter style that he ran when his teams were scoring 120 points a night at the University of Redlands.
Smith and Gonzalez both told The Enterprise that it takes the better part of a season for first-time squads to get the hang of the shoot-shoot-shoot offense.
Occasionally throwing up less-than-mediocre outings in plodding to a 10-10 record, the Devils have found their stride in victories over Elk Grove, Grant and Laguna Creek.
The Grant win (94-81 last Wednesday) was especially meaningful since it avenged a 109-101 loss last month. It also helped move the Pacers from just in front of Davis in the rankings, all the way down to 26th, and showed skeptics that the Blue Devils are improving defensively.
On Friday, DHS traveled to Laguna Creek and played a near-flawless game in a 104-66 triumph.
Now — with three games left in Delta Valley Conference play — Davis has little breathing room. The run to the playoffs begins Friday when Monterey Trail (6-18, 2-5) comes to town for Break the Record Night.
Despite their record, the Mustangs are not to be taken lightly. On Jan. 20, DHS played The Trail on the road, and were stunned, 64-61. It was the lowest point total of the season for the high-octane Devils, who are averaging 83 a game — still the most prolific offense in California.
After Monterey Trail, Franklin arrives for Senior Night on Wednesday, Feb. 15. The first-place Wildcats (16-5, 6-1) are ranked fourth in D-I. Not only will that be Senior Night, but players, coaches and fans will get to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Davis High’s undefeated 1962 boys championship team. Members of that Royal Morrison-coached squad will be introduced.
Then there’s a tricky finale for the locals …
The Blue Devils head to Elk Grove (10-11, 4-3) on Friday, Feb. 17. The Thundering Herd almost got Davis, 86-84, on Jan. 27. The Grove is ranked 20th in the D-II grouping and has won three of its last four outings.
Meanwhile, the Lady Blue Devils moved up one spot in the sections rankings — to the 26th position — thanks to a 50-42 win over Laguna Creek on Friday. Again, only the top 16 schools advance to the postseason.
DHS’ girls are 9-13 and 2-5 in DVC play. On Tuesday, the Lady Devils travel to Inderkum for a nonleague outing (7 p.m.) that will not count in CIF’s rating system. The Tigers are 16-5.
Notes: Game time for the boys game on Break the Record Night is 8 p.m. The DHS girls varsity plays at 6:30 p.m. with the girls junior varsity going at 5 p.m. Coach Bob Silva’s red-hot JV boys tip off at 3:30 p.m. … According to former Davis athletic director Mark Dietrich, the all-time attendance mark is 1,117 set five years ago.
— Reach Bruce Gallaudet at bgallaudet@davisenterprise.net or (530) 747-8047. View galleries or purchase prints of Blue Devil sports photos at http://davisenterprise.zenfolio.com
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Posted by Bruce Gallaudet
on Feb 6 2012.
Last Login: Tue 22 May 2012 11:46:20 PM PDT
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