Basketball - HS Team that Starts Five Asian-Americans Reaches Playoffs

[proazn]

The all-asian team (all the starters) just made it into the playoffs. A story was written about them in the newspaper. Since that article was posted, the team has been undefeated.
The article below:



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http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercu...l/16477493.htm

http://www.maxpreps.com/FanPages/Tea...7-18e899c90824





The changing face of basketball
MONTA VISTA IS A RARITY IN BOYS BASKETBALL -- A TEAM THAT STARTS FIVE ASIAN-AMERICANS
By David Kiefer
Mercury News
From left, Phil Kov, Ben Hodges, Eric Sum and David Byun study the action at a practice at Monta Vista, where more than half the team is Asian-American.
Josie Lepe / Mercury News
From left, Phil Kov, Ben Hodges, Eric Sum and David Byun study the action at a practice at Monta Vista, where more than half the team is Asian-American.

Shortly before tip-off, a referee turned to the Monta Vista basketball team, nodded toward one end of the gym and said, ``They've got to change that.''

On the wall above the main entrance is a mural, maybe 25 years old judging from the short shorts, of a long-haired blond boy competing in uniforms of various Matadors sports teams.

But the Monta Vista team that took the floor looked nothing like the caricature on the wall. In fact, Monta Vista is a rarity in boys high school basketball, a team with an all-Asian-American starting lineup.

It's not exactly Texas Western, the first college team to win a national title with five black starters, but it is significant in reflecting the changing demographics of the Santa Clara Valley.

The team has evolved from nearly all white to 69 percent Asian-American in the years since the mural was painted, yet basketball is just as important to the Matadors today as it was when long-haired blond athletes were the prototype.

In those days, the school developed a strong basketball tradition, winning Central Coast Section titles in 1977 and 1987 behind players such as Haakon ``The Hawk'' Austefjord, an import who would go on to play for the Norwegian national team, and Ron Reis, the hulking 7-footer who would become a professional wrestler under the handle ``Big Ron Stud.''

Today, the faces of Matadors basketball belong to Kevin Lang, Eric Lee, Luke Liu, Jon Ou, Marcus Woo and Sean Brar, the six players who have seen time as starters.

Significant? Ground-breaking? To some degree, it is.

``There are obstacles,'' said Luke Lang, Kevin's father and a past president of the Silicon Valley Basketball Club. ``Let's face it. This is a big man's sport, and the fact that there is an Asian starting lineup is encouraging to Asian youth. This tells them that if they work hard, they can compete. But to be fair, this might not happen if the school was only 10 percent Asian.''

All the starters are of Chinese heritage except for Brar, who is an Indo-American. Ou and Liu are first-generation Americans from Taiwan, and nearly all are products of the South Bay's flourishing Asian youth basketball clubs, some with strong traditions. Lee's San Jose Zebras date to 1930 and have been defined by the likes of coaching legend Dan Fukushima and Rex Walters, a Japanese-American who played seven seasons in the NBA.

By the time players arrive at Monta Vista, they are often well-schooled in basketball.

``To compensate for lack of height, we try to emphasize learning the game,'' Luke Lang said. ``We need to play the game smarter.''

First-year coach Matt Tait, 28, has the Matadors playing an up-tempo style that can take advantage of their quickness and abundance of guards. Liu, at 6-foot-2, starts at center in the Matadors' small-ball style, but Tait can bring in 6-10 Ben Hodges off the bench.

Going into Tuesday's play, Monta Vista was 9-9 overall but tied for first (2-1) in what is expected to be a wide-open race in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League's El Camino Division.

``I think we have a shot to win it,'' Tait said.

In recent years, the program has struggled -- no playoff appearances in the past three seasons, and only one postseason victory since 1995. Coaches have come and gone, and interest in the program has waned.

Meanwhile, the school has earned all-time high test scores.

The enduring question at Monta Vista is whether basketball and academics can mix. Tait found that they can, with some room for compromise. Some players, like Ou, skip basketball during their junior years to concentrate on academics.

``The junior academic year was too important,'' Ou said.

For others, such as Liu, who carries a weighted 4.0 grade-point average, basketball can be taken away if there is a slip in grades.

``Every job has upsides and downsides,'' Tait said. ``If you go to a school where academics isn't an issue, that can be a downside. But no matter where you are, you're going to have issues.''

But Tait is convinced basketball can remain a vital part of Monta Vista High. The trick? Just ignore the mural.

[BeTheReds]

That was like my hs volleyball team. All of the starters in my senior year were Asians

[LaiSteve66]

Well this is Monta Vista, shouldn't be too surprising.

[returntosender]

that's exactly like my saturday vietnamese classes too. All Asian.

[yoMAMA]

who cares...

[BeTheReds]

Hey come on now... simply because proAZN started the thread doesn't mean it's totally worthless. I mean, don't you think there's something significant about an all Asian team excelling in a sport that's usually dominated by Blacks? I think it's pretty neat. This makes a lot more sense to bring attention to than Timmy Chang.

[LaiSteve66]

Originally Posted by BeTheReds

Hey come on now... simply because proAZN started the thread doesn't mean it's totally worthless. I mean, don't you think there's something significant about an all Asian team excelling in a sport that's usually dominated by Blacks? I think it's pretty neat. This makes a lot more sense to bring attention to than Timmy Chang.

I think it would be more significant if the school wasn't 75%+ Asian.

[BeTheReds]

Originally Posted by LaiSteve66

I think it would be more significant if the school wasn't 75%+ Asian.

Well, you might say that, but isn't the success the team is having make that irrelevant? Sure if the team was all Asian and sucked, then they'd be nothing to talk about because of the demographics of the school.

[LaiSteve66]

Success? They're right at .500.

[yoMAMA]

Originally Posted by BeTheReds

Hey come on now... simply because proAZN started the thread doesn't mean it's totally worthless. I mean, don't you think there's something significant about an all Asian team excelling in a sport that's usually dominated by Blacks? I think it's pretty neat. This makes a lot more sense to bring attention to than Timmy Chang.

we've already go the best center in the universe, in yao, who also happened to be the #1 draft pick a while ago.

so why is it a big deal some high school team starts an all asian lineup?

yao already proved that AzN can play ball with anyone, shaq and the haters be dammed.

[proazn]

when that article was written the team was at .500..... since then, the team has been undefeated. Maybe those kids started playing with pride. Maybe they know they mean more than just H.S. basketball players. now they're 18-9 and going to the playoffs.

p.s. Timmy Chang is AA's best chance of a professional football player? tell me how many other asians are playing pro football (that doesn't have a black father).

[proazn]

Originally Posted by yoMAMA

so why is it a big deal some high school team starts an all asian lineup?

Its a big deal because asian guys in America are still stereotyped as a bunch of nerds who can't ball.

[Adaon]

Originally Posted by proazn

Its a big deal because asian guys in America are still stereotyped as a bunch of nerds who can't ball.

Where the hell do you get that from? I was just down at Venice Beach and I watched a bunch of asian cats ball up some african/latino dudes. Pfft. You also haven't been watching the pro-ams in some cities. Stinkin' ey. Don't make such a huge generalization.

[Hiroshi2]

What's their record?

[VV o n g B a]

Originally Posted by hiroshi2

What's their record?

Originally Posted by proazn

now they're 18-9

nt