Kleckner has more than one
reason to smile
I'm
figuring Etiwanda Coach Dave Kleckner is in a pretty
good mood these days. The Eagles are undefeated and Illinois is
headed to the Rose Bowl.
Kleckner's brother, Bill, played for the Fighting Illini
in the early 1970s, and his nephew, Kyle,
played defensive back during the dark years from 2001-05.
When
I last spoke to Kleckner toward the end of last
season, he was so frustrated with his young basketball team,
he was ready to throw in the towel on his coaching career.
That
would've been a bummer because few high school coaches can turn water into wine
like he can. Remember, he took a couple neighborhood kids, Darren Collison and Jeff Pendergraph, and helped make them Pac-10
stars.
Now,
the youngsters he ran ragged last season have matured into one of the most
talented junior classes around. Throw in Alta Loma senior transfer Tre Brewer and the Eagles
have re-formed into one of the top 10 teams in
Etiwanda
(14-0) will put its unbeaten streak on the line tonight in the championship
game of the Modesto Christian tournament. The Eagles will face tournament host
Modesto Christian at 8:15 p.m.
The
Crusaders are led by 6-foot-7 junior Reeves Nelson,
ranked as one of the nation's top 10 power forwards in his class, and 6-4
shooting guard D.J. Seeley,
who signed with
Reeves
scored 33 points Friday night and Seeley had 24 in a 90-84
semifinal victory over San Francisco Sacred Heart.
Even
if the Eagles lose tonight, I have a feeling Kleckner
will still be smiling.
--
Dan Arritt
�Etiwanda lets its defense do the talkin' in Modesto
I
love reading the excuses from the Modesto Christian boys' basketball coach
after the Crusaders were stuck in first gear from start to finish Saturday
night against Etiwanda
in the championship game of their own tournament.
Not
even their home-grown refs could save them from this 60-52
loss.
"We
didn't play our best tonight,'' said Modesto Christian Coach Gary Porter.
Is
that because you were out-coached by Dave Kleckner,
one of the best basketball minds the Southern Section has to offer?
"Maybe
we spent ourselves after the semifinal win,'' Porter added.
As
in mentally spent, from watching the Eagles' relentless man-to-man defense
snuff out
Etiwanda,
a team full of juniors and one senior transfer, apparently had no problem
running its record to 15-0 against a team that features a Pac-10 bound
shooting guard and one of the top junior power
forwards in the nation.
At
least the Crusaders broke 50 points; none of Etiwanda's other tournament foes
managed to reach that mark.
I'm
figuring all of Etiwanda has reason to
smile now.
--
Dan Arritt