SHOWCASE SHOWDOWN

Fresno City College is the site of a big spring tournament.

By Joe Pacheco
VSP Contributing Writer-

High school players gathered from all over the state Saturday for the first day of the second annual Cen Cal Showdown at the Fresno City College Gymnasium. The event featured AAU and high school teams comprised of high school kids from both northern and southern California as well as local teams from right here in the Central Valley.

The event is a golden opportunity for kids from all over to see how their skills compare with their peers from other parts of the state. It also affords them the opportunity to get exposure from college scouts that they might not otherwise get during the regular high school basketball season.

An event like this serves different purposes for different coaches. The South Valley Fever coach, Phillip Wash, has a team comprised of players from around the Central Valley and uses this as an opportunity to help his kids mature.

“This event helps kids overall growing up,” he said. “I love coaching and seeing kids grow. I feel that I am able to give back a sense of love. It takes just one person to see you. I tell them that they have to play with mind, heart, and respect.”

Edison High boys basketball coach Arturo Ormond is coaching a team that is comprised of players from the Tigers basketball team. Ormond uses an event like this to evaluate the talent that he has.

“The reason I like it is because it’s a sneak preview for next year’s team,” he said. “In the summer you give the kids the freedom to expand their game. This allows them to have more freedom.”

A change for this year’s event is the addition of the slam dunk contest. The winner of the inaugural contest was James Ennis of Ventura.

“It means a lot to do this in front of my family and the team,” said Ennis. “I was really nervous and my knees are sore, but the hard work paid off.”

Marco Vazquez organized the event, and also coaches two of the teams participating. The event was started last year after he was able to partner up with teams from Los Angeles and bring them to play here.

“It’s great to bring basketball and a big time tournament back to the Central Valley,” said Vazquez. “This year there is more talent and more exposure for the kids. Last year a couple of the kids were signed to scholarships.”

Vazquez was very pleased with the first dunk contest.

“I loved it,” he said. “Everything has turned out real good this year and exceeded my expectations.”

Former Portland Trailblazer and Fresno State standout Pete Verhoeven was in attendance to see his son Grant play.

“I think this event is good,” said Verhoeven. “Any time you can bring different talent together it’s a good thing.”

The former NBA player enjoyed the opportunity for the kids to show off their dunking skills.

“I wish I was a little bit looser,” said Verhoeven jokingly. “I would’ve gone out there to show them how to do it.” Verhoeven speaks from some experience having participated in a slam dunk contest during one of the Rod Higgins Summer Jams.

Day one of the Cen Cal Showdown consisted of pool play to determine seeding for Sunday’s tournament, which will wrap up the event.

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