Basketball squad opens season at home on Nov. 27

Coach+Cueva+instructing+his+team+from+last+year+against+Edison

Coach Cueva instructing his team from last year against Edison

The Tracy High Varsity basketball team is coming off a strong 2014-2015 year. They were a senior heavy team losing Druce Asah, Joshua Clarke, Nate Brown, Jake Serrato, Kharyem Watson, and others. This year’s team is going to very young with freshman Joelle Guzman and sophomore Miles Turner but will have some veterans from last year’s team.

“It’s exciting because it’s okay to have three years of experience on varsity, and I just look to go in as a young guy and trying to be a leader and succeed at being a young kid on the team,” sophomore Turner said.

Being on varsity as a sophomore is a big accomplish. Turner was pulled up and played to the sophomore team last year as a freshman.

Senior Billy Shaddix is looking to be a big contributor. He has played basketball for the Tracy High basketball program since his freshman year.

“I’m excited to play the crosstown rivals West and Kimball. I love the excitement that comes out of those games,” Shaddix said.

Last year in the crosstown rival games Tracy was 1-1 against the Kimball Jaguars, and 2-1 against the West Wolf Pack. Tracy is looking to keep this momentum against their rivals when they play Kimball on Nov 28. at 6 p.m. and West in league play.

Head coach Genaro “Junior” Cueva is in his fourth year as head coach for the team. Cueva works at the Tracy Boys and Girls Club’s North School site.

We are adding a lot more speed, and so we are going to press and make it a lot more fun. We have four or five guys that can go up and dunk.

— Head Coach Junior Cueva

This year’s team is looking to pick up the tempo by using the speed of plays such as junior Skyler Oki and others.

Guzman is the first freshman in a number of years to make the varsity team, which is a big accomplish. “Right now I want to get to the sixth man spot because I’m like the last one to come off the beach,” Guzman said.

“Joelle is going to help us in practice more than anything. We really like that he can score the ball consistently,” Cueva said.

Guzman worked on some things during the offseason, including his ball handling and going to the gym to life weights.

This team is looking to continue the success from last year when Tracy made playoffs, but lost in the first round to Pleasant Grove of Elk Grove. Tracy will open the season at home against Mountain House on Nov. 27 at 7 p.m. then play at Kimball on Nov 28 at 6 p.m.

 

 

Senior Billy Shaddix going for a rebound against Edison from last year
Senior Billy Shaddix going for a rebound against Edison from last year