By Stefan Modrich | Staff Writer
Starting three sophomores would be a sign of a rebuild for some programs. That is not the case at Pace under coach Jose Luis Ramirez.
While the Vikings have a prolific offense – fronted by playmaking point guard Cristian Guajardo, and sharpshooters Elias Fortaneli and Alexander Agado – their early non-district schedule has put their defense to the test.
“We know we can play defense because we’re fast,” Guajardo said. “Our consistency with how we press the ball lacks sometimes. If we’re able to to that the whole game, we’re going to be a dangerous team, but until we get there, it’s going to be hard for us.”
Ramirez, for his part, appeared to agree with his point guard’s assessment.
“We need to play better defense,” Pace coach Ramirez said. “Defensively I thought we were a little stagnant. I don’t think we moved, we didn’t rotate, and that’s something that hindered us last game that I thought we covered it in the last couple practices.”
The Vikings also will look to improve their rebounding on both ends of the floor after dropping Tuesday’s game against PSJA North 68-49.
“When (PSJA North) missed, they got their second and third opportunities,” Ramirez said. “It’s a losing proposition if you’re going to give them four or five shots every time and (we’re) only getting one.”
Pace did space the floor well against the Raiders, but the three-pointers simply didn’t fall at a clip that Ramirez and those who have seen his teams over the years have come to expect.
“We need to continue to attack and be more confident in our shot,” Ramirez. “I’ve seen them shoot in practice, and we’re a way better team than that.”
Guajardo’s intelligence and awareness, as well as his play on the court have helped him establish himself as the clear leader of the Vikings. Like his coach, Guajardo is unafraid to diagnose some of the problems exposed during preseason scrimmages and non-district play, one of which was transition defense. How can they improve it?
“The way we read the ball,” Guajardo said. “We really don’t communicate, so all of our movement, we when go (double-team an opposing ball-handler) we don’t communicate we’re going to double. Our transition between each guy is off, and so that’s what gives them easy buckets and that’s how they’re able to get inside quickly. If we can just patch everything up, we’ll be a solid team.
“We need to do more reps,” Guajardo said. “(Some guys) are (just getting back) from football and they don’t really know how the game works, the speed is different. Just for them to see when I’m in trouble and for me to see when they’re in trouble is what we need to connect on.”
As the oft-repeated idiom goes, the best defense is a good offense. But this is perhaps no better illustrated than by the game of basketball, especially at the breakneck pace the Vikings like to play at.
In other words, it’s difficult to give up points in transition if the other team has to take the ball out from under the basket.
“If I can hit the open shooter and they can knock down the shots, that’s really what’s going to propel us,” Guajardo said. “We’re a good shooting team, so it’s really just our confidence that we’re lacking because we’re on a three-game losing streak. We just need to keep battling through it.”
With Fortaneli and Agado to spread the floor, Pace loves to launch the rock from behind the arc.
“(Fortaneli) a big help for me,” Guajardo said. “This year he’s way more confident in his shot. Right now (Agado) is going through some slumps, but he is a lethal shooter, it’s hard for him to stop once he gets hot.”
Pace’s outside-in game will also create high-percentage looks for players like 6-foot-4 sophomore Chase Morales, Esequiel Hernandez, and Dominick Morales in and around the paint.
“We have bigs, but they’re pretty young too,” Guajardo said. “So they don’t understand ball-fakes and stuff. But once we really teach them how to be big, then our bigs will start producing the way we want them to produce.”
Fortaneli said he, Guajardo and Agado have gelled because of their history of playing basketball together before they arrived at Pace, and the three have elevated their games after their first year of varsity experience.
“We’ve been playing (together) for the past five years,” Fortaneli said. “We just wanted to translate it to the high school level. Freshman year, we just tried building that bond. We’ve clicked together and that helps us win games. … Last year was rough for us, but we know what to expect now.”