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Fallbrook boys' basketball earns Div. 5 No. 1 seed in CIF playoffs

From one win all of last season to the No. 1 seed in the CIF San Diego Section Division 5 Boys' Basketball playoffs and a home quarterfinal game Friday, Feb. 21, having earned a first-round bye, the Fallbrook High School Warriors are back.

Last week, they finished 5-5 in the Valley League and 17-8 overall after avenging a tough road loss to Mission Vista High School earlier in the season with a convincing 84-66 home win over the Timberwolves on Valentine's Day.

The win put the Warriors in fourth place in the league, one spot behind Mission Vista, capping off a great season.

"I think they did tremendous," Head Coach Ryan Smith said of his team. "We won more even than I thought we were going to win."

Led by senior co-captains Joel Calhoun and Cooper Sherman, both team leaders in scoring and most offensive categories, Smith credited newcomers with improving throughout the year to make the Warriors the team to beat heading into the postseason.

"We just got better each and every game," he said. "Guys got more comfortable with their roles. It wasn't really only two guys with the ball. They got smarter, they got better; they learned the system."

Sophomore guard Charlie Stallings is a player Smith singled out for his contributions and growth.

"He still has some sophomore moments, but he's also had games where he's come in and he's had like eight points and five blocks and a couple of steals," Smith said. "He's been a good guy off the bench that comes in and provides the energy for us. Especially defensively, he's probably been our top shot blocker and has been a great rebounder too."

Senior guard Steve Fuentes has steadily improved for the Warriors.

"He had a back injury kind of earlier on in the year, and he's rounded into form and probably average at 6-7 points in the last couple of games," Smith said. "He provides a little bit of a spark off the bench as well."

Senior forward Zach Allegro came back to the team after focusing on baseball the last couple of years.

"He's been really good for us lately," Smith said. "He had 12 points against Mission Vista. Those guys have kind of stepped up and done a good job."

Posting 17 wins following a year that saw only one win for the program, Smith said he is focused on keeping the team's confidence in check.

The Warriors will play host to the winner of Vincent Memorial versus Health Science high schools at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21

"We just have to do the same thing we've been doing," Smith said. "We have to come in and understand that it's one game at a time and not take any opponents lightly. It's hard when you go from a year where you won one game to a year where now you're the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. So, we have to maintain the sense that its one game at a time. Anyone could beat anyone; just because we're the 1 seed, it does not mean we're unbeatable."

Smith knows the Warriors have a target on their back.

"We're supposed to get to the championship game, and now every team's going to want to beat you," he said. "We need to make sure we come out and we play just like we have all season where we play hard, we listen, play together as a team. Because, otherwise, if not we could lose in the first game if we start playing the wrong way."

Though he is warning his players about complacency, Smith said he is confident the Warriors can go all the way and bring home a title.

"I fully expected to get to a championship game," he said. "But again, it doesn't happen if we don't do the right things."

Jeff Pack can be reached by email at [email protected].

 

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