League champion Segerstrom with head coach Rex Gonzales (left) and assistant coach Andrew Mendoza after Wednesday’s non-league victory. (PHOTO: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).
Segerstrom’s boys basketball team is headed into the CIF playoffs with plenty of momentum.
The Jaguars, led by second year head coach Rex Gonzales, won their last six regular season games and captured the Orange Coast League championship.
Segerstrom (18-9, 7-1) clinched the outright league title Monday with a 66-25 victory over Westminster, then defeated Godinez 52-48 in a non-league game Wednesday night in the regular season finale.
The Jaguars will find out Saturday their draw in the CIF playoffs that begin next week.
“It’s a good one coming my second year with the head coach of this program,” Gonzales said. “Like everybody knows, Coach {Ringo} Bossenmeyer {former Tustin coach who Gonzales played for} is my mentor and when I took this position he said, ‘I give you two or three years before you get a league title because I know what kind of coach you are.'”
Relying on Bossenmeyer’s advice, Gonzales emphasized defense and a balanced offense and the plan worked for Segerstrom. Gonzales also likes to see his players diving on the court for loose balls and playing hard at all times.
“I’m still learning as I go, but I would say I have the best mentor in the world, I can call Coach Boss and a few hours later, I’m on the phone with him,” Gonzales said. “Not many coaches have that and I’m lucky and blessed to have Coach Boss on my side.”
Gonzales said the players put in the hard work to attain the title. The team had a dramatic turn-around after going 11-16 overall and 1-7 in league last year.
“A title is great, it’s a credit to the boys, they fought all year, we had very difficult practices, they’re not easy, that’s how it is in games, we play in practice the way we play in games,” he said. “It’s good for the boys, good for myself and a good accomplishment so early in my career.”
“It {the league title} felt amazing, we went through a lot, we executed, we had a tough loss vs. Ocean View in the first game but we came back and adjusted and played our game what we wanted to do and we came out with a league title,” said Jaguars’ junior Angello Ramirez, who had 15 points in the win over Godinez.
The Jaguars have put in a lot of work to earn success, Ramirez said.
“Hour and hours of grinding with the team, the boys, playing hard, team bonding, every game, every night working hard and coming out with the same mind, to come out their and win,” he said.
A number of other players have also stood out including senior guards Chris Gutierrez, who had 12 points against Godinez, and junior guard Noah Martinez.
“Chris and Noah have been a spark this whole season, they are two very tough guards, they play extremely hard, if one of them plays good, we play good,” Gonzales said.
Junior Elizah Harrizon, a 6-5 center, has also contributed scoring and rebounding. He had 10 points in the win over Godinez.
“My goal with him is, ‘just give me eight {points} and eight {rebounds} every day, and the rest is a plus,'” Gonzales said.
Senior guard Ethan Rodrgiuez and senior forward Nathen Castillo, who Gonzales said “brings toughness” are among the other players who have contributed to the team’s success.
Gonzales said he hopes the Jaguars success will continue in the CIF playoffs, and added he will have his team ready.
“I tell my boys, ‘if you want to be satisified, great, be satisfied …. but be hungry, go get more,'” he said.
“Wherever they place us, I’m going to do whatever I can do in my power, that’s all I can do, prepare my boys and I guarantee you, they will come out fighting wherever we play, whether it’s here, Riverside, LA County, I don’t care, I promise you one thing, they will come out to play. We will come out fighting, 100 percent.”
Angello Ramirez is also looking forward to the playoffs.
“It’s very exciting, first time for most of us, I want to go out there and go as far as we can, wherever it is, we want to play hard,” Ramirez said.
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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