Sentinel staff report–
Brothers Nanik and Zubin Tagore, an energetic duo at San Juan High School, were recognized Thursday in the school district’s annual “Spirit of San Juan” awards.
In a video shown during the award ceremony and also posted on Youtube, the brothers, in grades 10 and 12, were highlighted for their efforts to create video and podcasts to showcase efforts at San Juan High School and the San Juan Unified School District as a whole.
The pair are credited with making various videos to promote different career pathways at their highschool, like media arts, culinary, construction and automotive.
“When you see students like that you just see that there is no limit to what they’re going to accomplish, way beyond even high school,” Superintendent Kent Kern says in the video. “So it’s just exciting to think about what kind of opportunities lie ahead for both of these two young men.”
By Nanik Tagore—
Following two years without a game due to COVID-19, almost all of the girls of Lichen K-8 were new to middle school sports.
This was an adjustment for Coach Johnathan Wilson, who had the task of preparing the girls basketball team for the season.
“Throughout the course of the season they started to get a lot more comfortable and understanding what to do and how to do it, and we got into a groove toward the end of season getting into a good flow,” Coach Wilson said.
One of the first things Wilson focused on was teaching the girls offense, moving without the ball and setting screens. Everything started coming together for the team as they saw the wins stacking up.
Wilson pointed out it was the second game when the girls started to see the defensive press working, a turning point for the young group.
“Once they started realizing locking up on defense, the offense comes a lot easier… getting easy points,” Wilson said.
The success the team found continued all the way to the end of the season with an undefeated 10-0 record.
*This article was published as part of a new collaborative effort launched by The Sentinel to cover local sports, featuring articles written by student journalists from Citrus Heights high schools.
San Juan High School Spartans. // Photo courtesy, Nanik Tagore
By Nanik Tagore—
Following word of the death of a former teammate, San Juan Spartans won the league championship against Esparto High School on Saturday, with a final score of 76 to 43.
Spartan Shooting Guard Narco Gallon came out hot, stealing the ball and finishing at the rim. Team co-captain Cesar Bejarano, performed on the glass and on defense.
Closing in on the 4th quarter, San Juan had an opportunity to let the younger players finish the game. The Spartans’ starters sat on the bench with the reality setting in that they had just won their first league championship in 10 years.
The buzzer went off and the Spartans descended on the court, cheering and hugging each other.
The game was played in honor of former basketball star and teammate Devin Johnson. San Juan High was notified that the 18-year-old Johnson died unexpectedly on Friday. Players on the team were emotional after receiving the news.
“It was very sad; you could just tell by the look on everyone’s face,” Junior Guard Ryan Martin said. “But we didn’t let the loss of our brother get to us on the court, he would have wanted one of us to win league and he was always supportive, even if he didn’t show up sometimes.”
With Saturday’s win, San Juan moves their league record to an impressive 11-1. Following the game, coach Fred Bryant recognized the senior players with a plaque and words of encouragement.
After Saturday’s game, The Spartans defeated Casa Roble 69-48 in a play-in game Wednesday night. The team will next take on Calaveras High School Friday at 7 p.m. in an away game.
*This article was published as part of a new collaborative effort launched by The Sentinel to cover local sports, featuring articles written by student journalists from Citrus Heights high schools.
By Nanik Tagore–
San Juan High School Spartans met Vacaville Christian for their second match up of the season Friday in Vacaville.
San Juan went into the away game number one in league with a 4-0 record. Spartans jumped on Vacaville to open the game with Senior Guard Nanik Tagore going 3-3 from deep in the first quarter, taking a commanding lead.
San Juan’s gritty defense paired with a highly efficient offense led to a strong lead of 26-14 at the half.
Coming out of the half, Vacaville made a pivotal defensive adjustment going into a box-and-one defense, attempting to take Tagore out of the rotation and slow the Spartans offense. Coming out of the third quarter the energy in Vacaville’s gym was through the roof.
Down six going into the fourth, Spartans buckled down with key plays from team Captains Nanik Tagore, Cesar Bejarano, and from wing Sam Silchuk coming off the bench. Spartans emerged victoriously, winning 41 to 36.
Continue to follow the Spartans on their teams’ Instagram account @_sjhsbasketball.
*This article was published as part of a new collaborative effort launched by The Sentinel to cover local sports, featuring articles written by student journalists from Citrus Heights high schools.
Sophomore guard Nanik Tagore channeling his inner-Mamba with a shot from deep. // Marcus D. Smith
*Local sports coverage on The Sentinel is made possible by generous support from Stones Gambling Hall.
By Marcus D. Smith— Mournful is how to describe the news of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant that shook the world as if it were hit by an earthquake with an 8.24 magnitude. Bryant, along with eight others, including his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, died in a helicopter crash traveling to compete in their next basketball game in Southern California on Jan. 26.
The entire week, there have been tributes paying respects to
those who’s lives were lost. From the NBA down to high school basketball,
players paid homage in a multitude of ways such as changing their jerseys,
taking violations to start the game, or simply acknowledging with a moment of
silence.
That level of respect didn’t stop in Citrus Heights.
On Tuesday, Jan. 27, when San Juan High School hosted Highlands High School, each team took the time to honor the late-legend and the others in their own ways.
Up first were the girls varsity team(s), who took a shot-clock
violation on their first possession. This originally began in the NBA with the
24-second shot clock violation as a tribute since Bryant wore the number 24.
High School girls basketball has a 30-second shot clock, making the gesture
just as meaningful.
“It was definitely a big impact…you didn’t have to really watch basketball like that to understand the impact that he had on everybody,” said San Juan High School junior guard Paris Burney. “He’s a huge inspiration. Lately I’ve been watching him and he’s really been keeping me motivated.”
The boys varsity teams were next to play and next to pay tribute.
They agreed to set the shot clock to 24 seconds on the first possession for the
team that wins the tip-off and eight seconds for the next team’s possession.
“His dog mentality, he never stopped going whether that was in practice, games, doesn’t matter…he’s always [going to] work,” said San Juan Spartans sophomore guard Nanik Tagore. “I read his book ‘Mamba Mentality.’ It’s just working…countless reps, and just applying that is [how] I get to be where I am today.”
Both San Juan boys and girls would fall to Highlands, but at that
moment there were other matters more endearing.
“Sunday was a hard day and I understand it was harder for the families who were closer to Kobe and the others that were lost,” said San Juan High School varsity head coach Fred Bryant. “We lost a great one, as far as in the flesh. You know, the physical form we lost a great one, but his legacy will (live) on.”
On Friday night, Jan. 31, Mesa Verde hosted Dixon High School and decided to allow a 24-second moment of silence before the start of the varsity basketball games. Following the moment, a recording was played of Whitney Houston’s version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” in her Super Bowl XXV performance.
Marcus D. Smith
Mesa Verde girls basketball lost to Dixon, 51-19, but boys basketball won, 49-43. Their next games are at Mira Loma High School.
Sports Reporter Marcus D. Smith covers high school sports in Citrus Heights. Smith is a Sacramento-area native and earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2017.
Cristian Angulo looks to make a pass during a game against Vacaville Christian on Jan. 24, 2020. // Marcus D. Smith
By Marcus D. Smith– Energetic to start the game is how you could describe the San Juan Spartans when they began their game against Vacaville Christian on January 24. It was a track meet out there as the boys played at a fast tempo all throughout the first quarter.
Through the first eight minutes, the Spartans led by
four, 19-15.
As the second quarter began, Vacaville Christian
struck quick with a 9-3 in the opening two minutes of the quarter. San Juan
would go on a cold streak, only scoring seven points in the second.
Vacaville Christian would go on to score 20 points in
the second quarter and took control of the game going into the break, 35-36.
In the third quarter, coming back from the break the Spartans brought back the same energy they had in the first. They cut the lead to two points, 45-43, going into the fourth quarter.
The Falcons answered in the fourth quarter with
back-to-back buckets and took momentum of the game. With 2:49 remaining in the
game, they were up by as many as 15 points, 64-49, before the Spartans tried to
make one last push.
It was a 10-point deficit with two minutes left after the junior guard, Matt Colter, was fouled going to the basket on a layup. Colter made the layup, and the free throw awarded after, 64-54.
Cristian Angulo and Matt Colter focus on the next play, while facing the Vacaville Christian Falcons on Jan. 24, 2020.
Sophomore guard, Nanik Tagore, cut the score to a
single-digit game after he connected for a deep three pointer with a minute and
20 seconds. It was 64-57.
The next possession was big as Colter went to the line
with 55.8 remaining, after getting fouled. He missed both free throws.
After the Spartans got a stop on defense, Tagore
stepped up and stepped back for a mid-range jump shot that cut the lead to
five, 64-59, with 30.8 seconds left in the game.
Vacaville Christian would go down on the opposite and
pass the pass to attempt to run the clock out. A flagrant foul was called on
Colter when he made contact with a Falcons player making a jump pass made with
17.7 seconds left. This gave them two free throws and the ball back,
practically sealing the deal.
Vacaville Christian would make both free throws, going up by seven. San Juan would lose by five, 66-61, after a last-second field goal was made with 1.5 seconds in the game.
At the midway point of league the Spartans are 2-3 and look forward to the second half as they face Highlands in their second meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 28.
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Marcus D. Smith
Sports Reporter Marcus D. Smith covers high school sports in Citrus Heights. Smith is a Sacramento-area native and earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2017.
