Page 9 - Sanger Herald 7-5-18 E-edition

SangerSports
SANGER HERALD * PAGE 1B * THURSDAY, JULY 5, 2018
Sanger Boxing Club inspires young people to put on the gloves
Editor’s note: This story is the first in a series about the young people who have joined the Sanger Boxing Club, which works out most days starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Sanger Youth Center, 818 L St.
By Mike Nemeth
Sanger Herald
Carolina Briones started boxing to lose some weight. She did that. But the 15-year-old said she also gained a lot during the past year since she joined the Sanger Boxing Club and became one of its most ardent members. She added muscle mass and learned
how to punch.
Her takeaway was
more than just fighting technique, she said. She took a break from punching the heavy bag to talk about how slamming her fists into a speed bag, heavy bag or coach Ernesto Betancourt’s mitts boosted her self confidence.
“Iwasinsecureaboutmy body,. My self esteem was like this,” Briones said,
Mike Nemeth / Sanger Herald
Carolina Briones shares a break with coach Ernesto Betancourt at the Sanger Youth Club, which has a ring and workout area for young boxers.
paces as he held the mitts and they worked on their combinations, footwork and style.
Two hours later, sweat dripped as much off his brow as that of any of the boxers in the ring at the Sanger Youth Center.
Briones said her training regimen continues when she gets home. “My dad also helps with the mitts,” she said, explaining the process in which the boxer just hits the hands of a coach, or in this case the father. “We spar at home, too. We fight. I learn a lot from them and my coach.”
Briones is the first girl in her family to start boxing. Her brothers and cousins, all boys, already boxed.
“At first they weren’t quite so sure,” she said. “They suspected I’d last maybe a few days. But it’s been a year. So they encourage me. Pretty much all my family now — and people in the gym.”
Briones’ aunt, Graciela Servin, is a fan. She watched her niece work out that particular night.
“The first time I saw her fighting, I said, ‘Some day you’re going to be big,’” Servin said. “She’s really into it. I really love her. She beat up a boy about a month ago. He was 13, 14 years old.
“She doesn’t like to miss any days coming here.”
Like the other young boxers, Briones started the training that night with multiple laps around the small park just to the north of the youth center. Briones did 10, which amounts to about a mile or mile and a half. She said at first it was tough, but now it’s like nothing.
“What motivated me most was my parents,” Briones said. And then she started adding her godparents and other members of her family.
The reporter can be contacted by email at sangerheraldsports@gmail. com or by phone at the Herald at (559) 875-2511.
holding her hand down low. “Now I’m more talkative. I interact with people more.
My grades are perfect.” Briones will start her sophomore year in high
school in the fall. Betancourt said her work
ethicimpressedhim.“Isay, ‘Do this,’ and she does it,”
he said. “She comes every day. She’s strong.”
Betancourt said in fights Briones “throws a lot of punches. Not all of them are good, not all of them are perfect, but she gets the job done.”
And as a coach, Betancourt can be tough.
He’s old school and expects his students to pay attention and work hard. However, he appeared to be the kind of coach who listens more than he speaks. Last week during a workout, he went from student to studentofferingadviceor putting them through their
Sanger shines at all star basketball
The best in the Central Valley played at Fresno City College on June 30
By Mike Nemeth
Sanger Herald
The North-South game in the 48th Annual City County All Star Basketball game featured a couple of Apaches — Morice “Mo” Norris and Isaiah “I-Rod” Rodriguez.
And both made outstanding plays at Fresno City College on June 30, earning the respect of what was decidedly the best basketball talent of the class of 2018. But they weren’t the only ones from Sanger.
Al Alvarado III brought his brother Mark Alvarado and Mike Paredes to fill out his coaching team. Both serve as assistants during the regular season at Sanger High. Of course Rodriguez and Norris were familiar with the Alvarado system and his style.
The other high school players not so much.
But they definitely got used to it, blowing out the South team 129-85 in front of what appeared to be about a three-quarters capacity crowd in the Rams’ main gym.
“They weren’t ready,” said Roosevelt’s Emountay Moultrie, who played for North, referring to the South team. “They didn’t come out.”
Moultrie said it could have gone either way.
The North-South game followed the East-West game and two girls all star games at the Fresno City gym that same day. To establish the game rosters, coaches drafted players so athletes from the same school sometimes found themselves playing against a teammate.
Apache and outside shooter Isaiah Cuevas
Mike Nemeth / Sanger Herald
Al Alvarado, second from right, coached the North All Star team with Morice Norris and Isaiah Rodriguez. Isaiah Cuevas, white shirt, played for the East All Stars. Rodriguez, left, and Norris return from their time on the court during the game. The contest featured the most talented players of the class of 2018. For more photos of the game, go to the Herald's Facebook page under photos.
played for coach Tim Hurt of Kerman on the East team. West beat East 121- 90.
South had no shortage of talent. Under coach Joe Vasquez of Immanuel, the team had William Pallesi and Tiveon Stroud of Selma and Cam’ron Wilson of Central plus other players from Edison, Lemoore, Immanuel, Clovis, Kerman, Madera South and Sunnyside.
“It was awesome just to sit back and let the kids play,” Alvarado said via text. “They were all stars — great point guards,
shooters, a couple bigs and everyone was very long and athletic. I felt truly honored to have been selected, and it was an amazing experience.”
As in every all star match, the emotion and will to win wasn’t quite the same as playing for the home team. The score indicated more of an offensive contest,
and North had it dialed in. Bullard’s Andrew Parker and Central’s Cash Williams represented themselves well at the basket, scoring often.
On the outside for North, Edison’s Jatarious Johnson bombed in three pointers early in the contest. And Sunnyside’s Amari Stroud thrilled the audience with
multiple dunks.
Nor did the Apaches
disappoint. Norris fought his way inside and climbed the air ladder to the basket. And when he couldn’t, he found a spot outside the arc from downtown. Rodriguez nabbed a key rebound early, got another on the offensive boards and an assist. He also scored, doing what he
did best during the regular season under the basket, playing cleanup.
After the game, Norris and Rodriguez posed for several shots and caught up with their temporary teammates. Conversations continued throughout the gym, and many stuck around.
“I like them all,” Norris said. “I have friendships with some of them outside basketball (too).”
And answering a question as to the level of talent in this particular group, Norris said it was high. “Good class of athletes,” he said.
“They’re really good players,” Rodriguez agreed. And he was off with Zoie Buchanan to get dinner. Rodriguez frequently had food on his mind after regular season games —
like most athletes. Moultrie didn’t mention
dinner. He had an entire cheering section who came out to support their favorite player. “They come to all my games,” he said. “They’re my brothers.”
He said he plans to play at Gavilan College in Gilroy. Johnson, one of the last to leave and his girlfriend gave him the look, also said the talent level was high. And he said his takeaway was “learning how to share
the ball.”
In addition, Ray
Alvarado, Al’s big brother, was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame along with Amy Parrish and Chris Hernandez. The elder Alvarado started his coaching career at Sanger High with girls basketball. He has been head coach of the women’s program at the College of the Sequoias in Visalia for the past eight years.
In the girls games, East beat West 56-48 and South beat North 75-67.
The reporter can be contacted by email at sangerheraldsports@gmail. com or by phone at the Herald at (559) 875-2511.