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Special basketball Sunday at Saint Mary's
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Saint Mary’s College men’s and women’s basketball players get a break from practice Sunday, even though they’ll hit the McKeon Pavilion basketball court at 9:30 a.m.
The players will participate with more than 60 Bay Area Special Olympians at the free “Give It Your Best Shot” skills clinic, working with the athletes on dribbling, passing, rebounding and shooting skills. The athletes receive free event T-shirts and free tickets to the men’s Dec. 18 game against Pacific.
The women’s team will follow the clinic opening their season with a 2 p.m. exhibition game against Chico State.
Matt Cohen, Vice President of Sports for Special Olympics Northern California, said it was a “great opportunity” for Special Olympics athletes to get on the basketball court with Division I players.
“They are rock stars to our athletes, great role models who help build their self-confidence and teach them new skills,” he said in a Saint Mary’s release.
Saint Mary’s coaches Randy Bennett and Paul Thomas were happy with the opportunity for community outreach by their players, something they and the college try to stress.
“Our teams are looking forward to getting out there and having some fun with the athletes on the court,” Bennett said.
Both Bennett and Thomas are pleased with early practices.
Thomas has his deepest team ever and arguably one of the deepest in Saint Mary’s history.
He and his assistants are using the catch phrase “competitive chemistry” for a team that could easily go 10 deep with 11 returnees and six newcomers.
Louella Tomlinson, a 6-foot-4 junior from Australia, returns as the reigning West Coast Conference defender of the year and has a school record 317 blocks in her first two season.
Also back is two-time all-conference guard Jontelle Smith, a redshirt senior who injured her knee in the first game last year and missed the rest of the season.
Three sophomores, who got significant playing time last year, Ashlee Smith, Alex Carbajal and Katie Batlin, are back.
Heading the list of newcomers is Jasmine Smith, Jontelle’s sister, a transfer from Oregon State who has not played in two years, and freshmen Morgan Hatten a California all-state selection and the Central Section’s player of the year, and Kate Gaze, who was a member of the Australian Under-19 team.
“In year four of the program, the majority of kids are kids you’ve recruited,” Thomas said. “Our overall depth is better. We’re ready to take the next step after going 7-7 (in conference) last year.”
The Gaels’ men’s team lost six players, including stars Patrick Mills, currently with the Portland Trail Blazers, and Diamon Simpson, voted the West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year last year.
“When you lose guys like Patty and Diamon, and four other guys, too, you’re not going to replace them,” Bennett said. “Hopefully, the program replaces them.”
Bennett said his team’s August trip to Australia helped his returning players, allowing the nucleus of that group to bond and develop roles and trust in one another.
Omar Samhan, a returning all-conference selection, started all 35 games last year. The fifth-year senior led the team in blocks (69) and averaged 14.1 points and 9.4 rebounds.
Guards Wayne Hunter and Mickey McConnell started a combined 27 games last year, primarily when Mills was sidelined with a broken hand.
“I’m impressed how coachable this group is,” Bennett said. “I wasn’t sure where we would be.”
Freshman Matt Dellavedova, who played internationally on Australia’s Under-19 team during the summer, will “be a good player this year, a key player for us to be successful,” said Bennett.
“He’s not your typical freshman. He’s played with older guys and had a lot of big games, games that matter, against older players.”
