LADY BRUIN BASKETBALL OUTLOOK - PLACER - COLFAX

The Bear River Lady Bruins have their toughest match-ups this week as they will play Colfax and Placer both of which are on the road in very hostile environments.

Earlier in the season Bear River defeated Placer by a score of 58-55 and Placer defeated Colfax that went to overtime by a score of 48-43.

Placer's last loss was to the Lady Bruins and has won 7 consecutive games including their last game to Center by a score of 60-30 while Bear River's only loss this season was to Rio Americano by a score of 44-37. In that Bear River loss the Lady Bruins took twenty two 3-point shots making 4 while taking 39 from the floor as well as a season low of 6 assists.

The Lady Bruins come into this week on a 5-0 run coming but two of Rio's three losses have been to Placer and to Colfax. So this could be the week we look back on later in the season and say this was the most important week for the the winner of the PVL.

Pioneer Valley League Standings

School PVL, overall, streak

Placer        2-0,       17-2,    7 W
Bear River 2-0,       17-1,    5 W
Colfax        1-1,       11-8,    1 W
Center        1-1,         9-9,     1 L
Lincoln       0-2,       11-8,     2 L
Foothill      0-2,          6-9,    2 L


As you can see from the current standings this week's games are going to be tough. 

Placer is a big team that will look to slow the ball down and execute in the half court. They are susceptible to trying to run with their opponent which takes their advantage of size out of the equation. 

Bear River is an athletic team that will look to press and speed the game up. If they struggle from beyond the arch as they did versus Rio then anything can happen.

Colfax is also an athletic team that executes well in the half court but what may hold them back in 2013 is experience.

NEVADA UNION LADY MINERS PREVIEW - ROCKLIN - DEL ORO

How good are the 13-3 Lady Miners who have won 10 consecutive games? Fans will find out this week as they host two of the Sierra Foothill League's top teams. They will first host Rocklin on Wednesday and then Granite Bay on Friday at Nevada Union's Ali Gymnasium. Tip-offs are at 7 p.m.

Rocklin fell in their first league game of the season to Del Oro by a score of 56-43 but have gone 6-1 over there past seven games. They are a high flying fast team which averages over 61 points per game while NU scores 58. The Lady Thunder are a young team as they only have 4 seniors on their roster and their second leading scorer Jordan Purvis who delivers 11 points a game and leads the team in 3-point baskets with 32 is just a freshman. When it is not Pervis who is shooting then it is one of the Summers sisters who are averaging 12 and 10 points a game respectively.

Friday's match up looks to be a real test for coach John McDaniel and his Lady Miner's team. While the Golden Eagles record shows they have dropped seven games they play a very tough pre-season schedule including teams like perennial powers St. Francis and Oak Ridge in which they fell in both contests.

What makes Del Oro so tough is they have a beast of a player, she is Stephanie Geyer. She stands 6-foot-1 and averages 16 points and 8 rebounds a game and she will also be playing in college for Army. The Golden Eagles also have a 6-foot sophomore Lauren Heyn will also make it tough for the NU to score in the paint. Del Oro's guards are as tall as the post players on the NU roster. It is a good thing the Lady Miners do not rely on executing in the half court as they are a run and gun pressing style team. If the Lady Miners are going to be successful on Friday night they will need the game to be a track meet where if it is a slow grind-it-out type of game then it will be tough going.

Sierra Foothill Girls Basketball Standings

School, SFL, overall, streak

Nevada Union 1-0, 13-3, 10 W

Granite Bay     1-0,10-8, 2 W
Del Oro           1-0,  10-7 , 1 L
Rocklin            0-1, 12-6, 1 L
Roseville         0-1, 3-14, 3 L
Woodcreek      0-1, 8-10,  1 L

Touchdown Productions will be broadcasting both games. Please check back for the full replay of the game.

BEAR RIVER BOYS BASKETBALL PREVIEW - FOOTHILL

The Bear River boys basketball team will have their 2013 Pioneer Valley League home opener on Tuesday where they will take on Foothill with hopes of rebounding off their 53-44 loss to the streaking Fighting Zebras of Lincoln who have won their past 11 contests and sit a top of the PVL.

In order to size up Tuesday's contest I looked at Foothill's week one opponent where they defeated Colfax 58-53 on their home court. If you will recall Bear River fell to the Falcons at the Kendall Arnett tournament in December by a score of 67-53. The Bruins will need a full house filled with hostile fans in order to pull off their first league victory of the season.

The Mustangs have been led by their 5-foot-11 guard Anthony Williams who has delivered 17 points per game including 45 3-point baskets. He historically does not get to the foul line all that often which indicates he will not drive all that often. Williams best scoring game came against Oakmont where he score 28 points while draining six 3-pointers. When Williams gets hot and the defense steps out on him they will look to get the ball into the hands of their 6-foot-3 post player Douglas James who has averaged 14 points per game. Williams plays a physical style of basketball and will look to get the Bruin's big men into foul trouble. William's has made 81 baskets from the floor while making 83 from the foul-line including going 10-for-12 earlier in the season.

Pioneer Valley league Boys Basketball Standings
School , PVL, overall, streak

Lincoln  1-0,     14-4,    11 W

Foothill 1-0,      7-10,     2 W

Placer 1-0,        14-4,     2 W

Bear River 0-1,  13-4,     1 L

Colfax 0-1,          14-4,     1 L

Center 0-1,           5-11,    2 L

This is a big game for the Bruins but the biggest game of the week should be Colfax at Placer also on Tuesday. If Colfax has hopes of winning the PVL they will need to win this very tough road game.

Bear River will travel to Placer on Thursday and I will have a preview of that game on Wednesday.

REC BASKETBALL TIP-OFF - WEEK ONE

Many recreational youth basketball teams have begun their 2013 season on Saturday, half of the teams picked up their first win and the other half took their first loss.

The Bear River Parks and Rec. 6th grade boys team played on the road at Auburn's Regional park versus a 7th and 8th grade team that resulted in a David and Goliath story.

The final score was 39-16 if favor of the smaller quicker team from Bear River. Auburn owned the glass for most of the contest as they could just stand with their arms raised to get the rebound, but when the big boys brought the ball to their waist it resulted in many jump balls or a steal going for a fast breaking in the other direction which resulted in a many made layups.

The visiting team scored first to take a lead 2-0, a lead they never gave up. By halftime Auburn trailed by 12 and midway through the second half Bear River extended their lead to 20. Auburn made a run at the 12 minute mark which cut the lead back to 10 but Bear river answered with 4 quick scores coming off the full court press.

Bear River shot the ball well against their opposition's 2-3 zone where as Auburn had trouble breaking breaking the full-court press as well as shooting over the 2-3 zone.

Next up for the Bear River is an 11 a.m. contest on Saturday against another Bear River team with 6th, 7th and 8th grade boys.

NEVADA CITY'S 3RD ANNUAL SOAPBOX DERBY SIGN UPS - MATTEO'S PUBLIC

Are you or is someone you know excited about building a car and racing it down a half-mile track while being judged for creativity, speed and team spirit on Nimrod Street powered only by gravity?

Then the first thing you need to do is register and then be lucky enough to have your name pulled out of a hat at Matteo's Public in Nevada City on Saturday, January 19th. 

This years event is being sponsored by AJA Video Systems will have 42 entries which will be called to the starting line on June 22nd at Noon. All of the proceeds will benefit Pioneer Park in Nevada City.

 More info at www.ncderby.com or through their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ncderby/info

Even if you don'rt have a desire to race a car, this is a great family fun event and should not be missed.

PLACER FOOTBALL - VANDERDOSE HITS THE ROAD

While High school and College football seasons are officially over for players and coaches alike it is now time for the real game to begin. The game I'm referring to is locking up those final hold out recruits and the one player who is on almost every school in the country's menu is Placer's Eddie Vanderdose.

Click here  to see Vanderdose's most recent highlight reel. He is a beast.

If you did not see any of Army's high school All-star game which was held in Texas then you missed Vanderdose in his final high school contest. He played a great game tallying a handful of tackles a sack and a fumble recovery. The West team did loose but Eddie stood out. He looked quick off the ball, fast while running down-field and determined to show his best.

Word of the street is that he will be traveling to many schools between now and February when signing day arrives.

The Placer High senior's body type (6-foot-3 x 300 lbs) and speed has most college defensive line coaches excited to get his name on their piece of paper. Best of luck Eddie, it has been fun watching you grow up.

BEAR RIVER LITTLE LEAGUE - SPRING 2013 NEWS

If you live within the Bear River Little League boundaries and have interest in your child playing baseball this spring then you only have  two more chances to sign up your little slugger.

IMPORTANT!!! - Time change for sign-ups this Saturday. Spring Little League sign-ups will be Saturday, January 12th from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The venue is the same, Round table pizza on Combie Road near Lake of the Pines.

The League's final sign up is scheduled for Thursday January 17th from 6 to 8 p.m. also at Round Table Pizza in LOP.

On January 18 BRLL will be holding their annual tryouts from 8 am to 2 p.m. for both Minor and Major divisions as well as Juniors from 2 to 3 p.m. on their Major's field.

For further information please look at the League's calandar on their website.