SoCal High School & Prep Report

Games of Note: Manual Arts
Beats Venice 76-68--(January 14, 1998)

Well, the season is underway and one of the most exciting games took place today in the City Section Coastal Conference between Venice and Manual Arts at Manual. And considering that Venice doesn't have David Bluthenthal, who transferred to Westchester to play for the consensus No. 1 team in the region this year, and considering that Venice was playing in Manual's gym, and trailed by only 5 points late in the fourth quarter, and considering that Venice only played 6 players to Manual's 13 deep bench, and finally, considering that Manual's average size is about 6'-5 whereas Venice is only about 6'-0 this year, this was actually a fairly close game in which Venice almost pulled off the upset win.

One look at these lineups tells you that Manual has something Venice doesn't: SIZE. And a look at the respective benches confirms that Manual's bench players could start almost anywhere else and be a pretty formidable group.

While it may look like Venice has got more depth, numbers can be deceiving. Size isn't everything (sure, that's what they all say--we know differently. . .haven't you seen those "Godzilla" trailers---"Size Matters"). Nevertheless, it also helps to have speed, quickness, great ball handling, and a bench consisting of "starters". Manual's got that; Venice is still searching for that kind of depth.

Manual came out pressing and trapping, and unfortunately for Venice, their little point guards just couldn't see over the traps and press, and so Coach Goosen was forced to switch Glen McGowan back to his "natural" position and he played point for most of the game. At 6'-6" he handled the job ably, and was able to break the press, beat the traps, and get the ball to his teammates. McGowan was actually forced to do it all, passing, scoring, driving, dishing and rebounding as the tallest member of his team, and while Johnny Hardwick is a formidable presence inside, at about 220 pounds, McGowan, who's still trying to remember that he's no longer the 6'-1" kid he was only six months ago, still managed to collect 14 rebounds against the much bigger Hardwick, who himself only managed 8 rebounds in the entire game.

This game was not a high scoring affair for Manual from the standpoint that only two of their starters had double figures in scoring, with Millage scoring 12 points, and James Wright hitting for 13. Ricky Duff had 8, and Brandon Moore had 8. But it was the depth of the bench for Manual which swung the difference. While Manual played the entire bench and everyone scored, Venice only played 5'-11" Kyle Morrison off the bench, and he had 12 points and 5 boards. Call it anything you want, call it coach's decision, but considering that Venice had played 5 games in 5 days last week, winning 4 of them, including last Friday's contest against San Pedro, and we can't say that we'd disagree with the decision to limit the rotation to what's been working. Just ask Steve Lavin about a 6 man rotation. Go ahead. Ask him.

So what was working for Venice. Actually, besides McGowan, a whole lot, including Kevin McQueen, who had 26 points, including 6 three pointers. He was literally on fire from the perimeter and it was all that Manual could contend with to have McQueen and McGowan attacking from the perimeter. Who knows, with a little inside game, and another big body who might have given McGowan or McQueen a rest, Venice might have pulled it off. Kevin Johnson played great, scoring 8 points, grabbing 14 rebounds and making 4 blocks, and Kevin Matsubayashi did a very credible job of dishing and feeding McGowan and McQueen the ball, collecting 9 assists and committing only 3 turnovers in the game. Oh yeah, he also had 3 points.

This was a game which was won by Manual in the first couple of minutes, lost by Venice in those same couple of minutes and then played virtually dead even throughout the rest of the game. In the first quarter, Venice came out tight, feeling over-matched and nervous, and Manual jumped out to an early lead; at the end of the first quarter, the score was 19-10. After that, Venice and Manual played to a virtual dead heat, and even though Venice was able to close the gap a couple of times, Manual would always manage to regain a comfortable 9 or 10 point margin. The two teams played even in the second quarter, scoring 16-16, and so Manual took a 9 point lead into the locker room with the score at 35-26. In the third quarter Venice actually outscored Manual 16-15, and at the end of three the score was 50-42. And then in the fourth, it was off to the races, as each team traded baskets, scoring dead-even again, at 26 points each, a 52 point quarter. Pretty impressive.

For Manual Arts, this is a game they should have won, and did what was expected. For Venice, it was something of a moral victory, and they can take solace in the fact that the way City Section conference play works, they won't have to face Manual again until either the playoffs or most likely until next year (each team in the conference plays it's non-league conference opponents only once, and it's league opponents twice--this was a Conference game, not a league game. . . confused? So are we.

In any event, Venice has nothing to be down about. They played great, and McGowan and Kevin Johnson are two kids who will be top prospects by the time the year is out. Bet on it.

©Copyright SoCalHoops 1997,1998
All rights reserved
Questions? Comments? Need Information?
Contact: jegesq@SoCalHoops.com