Modesto City Schools boys basketball tourney ready to tip off

For 23 years, the Modesto City Schools Tournament has signaled the start of the winter season for Grace Davis boys basketball coach Dan Pacheco.

“I’ve been doing this a long time,” Pacheco said. “We think it’s a really good early-season tournament.”

He’s not alone. While other longstanding tournaments in the region have downsized in recent years, the Modesto City Schools Tournament has flourished and evolved.

The tournament expanded to 16 teams three years ago and changed to its current two-flight, round-robin format last winter. The tournament also abides by an open-door policy that has become its hallmark. Teams that have played in the tournament are welcomed back.

To that point, regulars fill out the flights at Grace Davis and Gregori high schools. All seven Modesto city schools teams will be in action, including Downey, Enochs, Gregori and Modesto.

Beyer is the defending champion. The Patriots are coached by Kyle McKim and paced by point guard Georgie Dancer, who recently became the first basketball player in school history to commit to a Division I university. Dancer will attend Sacramento State in the fall of 2016.

The Patriots topped Buhach Colony in their Foundation Game on Monday and will open tournament play against Edison at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Gregori.

Dancer had 17 points against the Thunder, while post Dylan Weltmer had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Dom Dancer had 11 points and five assists.

“We’re really looking forward to competing in this tournament again,” McKim said. “Winning it last year really gave our team a ton of confidence early in the year and springboarded us to a lot of success.”

Other games at that site include: Mariposa vs. Pitman, 5 p.m.; Lathrop vs. Gregori, 6:30 p.m.; and Memorial of Fresno vs. Modesto, 8 p.m.

“They had a great team last year and they’ve got a great team this year,” Pacheco said of Beyer, which finished 24-5 and lost to Burbank in overtime 85-82 in the second round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II tournament. “They haven’t lost much.”

Pacheco believes Johansen is a “big-time” sleeper.

The Vikings feature 6-foot-6 senior Maurice Woods, a returning all-Modesto Metro Conference first-team selection. Woods dropped 40 points on West in a season-opening victory.

Johansen will open with East Union at 4:15 p.m. at Davis. The Lancers are led by junior guard Gyse Hulsebosch, an all-Valley Oak League honorable mention last winter.

“Those are two marquee players in the tournament,” Pacheco said of Dancer and Woods.

Pacheco has two of his own on the low block: 6-6 center Tre Bryant, a developing post and active shot blocker; and 6-4 forward Talolo Limu-Jones, one of the district’s top athletes.

Their length frustrated Merced during Monday’s Foundation Game. Bryant had four blocks as the Bears were limited to 17 points in the second half. Davis won 53-43.

“Tre changed a lot of stuff inside,” Pacheco said. “I haven’t had that kind of stuff (height and length) in a long time. He did a great job on the boards. And when everyone’s worried about Tre, Talolo is there to get the other side of the backboard.

“We limited them to one (shot) every time and made them shoot over the top of us.”

Davis will open with Patterson on Wednesday at 5:45 p.m. at Davis. Downey and Atwater will play the nightcap at 7:30.

All teams are guaranteed four games in four days except Davis, Downey and Enochs, all of whom lost a game when a team pulled out at the last minute.

On Saturday, Davis will host the “championship” flight: the top six teams, based on record, fewest points allowed and margin of victory.

While he hopes to be included in that group, Pacheco has been at this long enough to understand the importance of a tournament this early in the season.

His team is on the hunt for a rhythm and flow, not a trophy.

“We’re just trying to look at players and roles,” Pacheco said. “We’re trying to develop our team’s chemistry. Plus, it’s good competition for us.”

This story was originally published December 1, 2015 at 6:20 PM with the headline "Modesto City Schools boys basketball tourney ready to tip off."