4-1 Start for BG Hoops

Chris Alvarez #10, All-Tournament, Sierra Vista-Baldwin Park Tournament.

Making Teammates Better--Kobe Bryant

"How to truly make players better, what that really means. It's not just passing to your guys and getting them shots. It's not getting this or that many players into double figures. That's bull[expletive]. That's not how you win championships. You've got to change the culture of your team - that's how you truly make guys better. In a way, you have to help them to get the same DNA that you have, the same focus you have, maybe even close to the same drive. That's how you make guys better. I've never understood this stuff, where a star player sits out and a team goes into the tank. Well, they need him because he makes them better. Well, if he's making them better, they should be able to survive without him. That's how you lead your guys. You've got to be able to make guys suffice on their own, without you. If you're there all the time and they take you away, they shouldn't need a respirator.
"Once I understood all that, I looked at things completely different. I took my hands off. I didn't try to control them. I let them make decisions, make their own [expletive]-ups and I was there to try and help them through it." -- Kobe Bryant

BG Hoops: Opens Regular Season November 30th

BG Hoops Practice

After days, weeks, and months of practice the Lancers will open the regular season with a five game tournament at the Baldwin Park-Sierra Vista Winter Tip-Off Tournament. They open with games Tuesday versus South El Monte, Wednesday versus Azusa, and Thursday against perennial power Glendora. Check Schedule link for game location and times.

Midnight Madness

Midnight Madness 2010

BG Hoops opened up the 2010-2011 season with a Midnight Madness practice. As soon as the clock struck 12 AM on November 13th, the team was running up and down the court getting ready for a big season.

The Lancers open up the season with a scrimmage against the Swordsmen of St. Paul high school at BGHS on Wednesday, November 24th, 2010.

BG Hoops: Photo Booth

BG Hoops & New Boyz-"You're a Jerk"

Power 106 vs BGHS: Tuesday, October 19th, 2010 at 7PM

Artists Nick Cannon, New Boyz, & a Surprise Artist will be performing.

BG Hoops Store

Order BG Hoops Gear Now!

Mental Toughness

Mental Toughness

Mental toughness is not something you have on game day. It is a habit of mind that becomes a part of your pride and your self image. It is something you carry with you everywhere: patience in a line of traffic, attentiveness in a classroom, a nobility on the practice floor. It's a quality of mind.

What do you care if you are fouled going for a shot in a pickup game? What do you care if the court you are playing on isn't very will-lit or if the temperature isn't just right? What do you care about how well your uniform fits?

What do you care about referee's calls, length of practice, or the criticism you get? There are thousands of potential complaints, and there is also a certain kind of nobility that surmounts it all. You don't need to worry about all the tiny things, the minor problems, the childish complaints.

Develop a noble quality of mind. Learn to do your best quietly, methodically, without regard for tiny problems and adverse conditions. There are players who ignore all the negatives and give EVERY game, EVERY practice, everything they do their best shot. That is what mental toughness is. That is what every player should strive for.

Advanced Ball-Handling

Make Your Shot Automatic! - by Hal Wissel

"Most basketball players want to improve their shooting. That is good, but to reach your basketball shooting goals takes daily, specific, measurable goal setting and correct practice. For the average player it takes 20,000 correct repetitions to make your shot automatic. If you shoot 1000 correct shots each day, how many days would it take for your shot to be automatic?

The answer is 20 days or less than three weeks. If you shoot 100 correct shots each day, how many days would it take for your shot to be automatic? The answer is 200 days or almost seven months. You have a decision to make. How bad do you want it?

The Truth to Success

"Don't cry to give up. Cry to keep going." Cry because you want it that much. And, the thought of NOT having the opportunity is more painful than quitting midway.

BG Hoops Store: Hurry merchandise is going fast!

BG Hoops Store
Shop Now!!

The BG Hoops Store is now online. All players needing practice gear should order it here. BG Hoops fans everywhere can order and wear what the players and coaches will be wearing this year.

Our online store is safe! All our online transactions are handling by Eastbay, a major national sports company, and Sports Sign-Up, a company that is dedicated to youth sports and keeping young people safe. Feel secure that all of your information is safe and secure in our store.

Click on the link above to go to our web store now!

Make sure you check out completely, we're getting a lot of orders that are being left in the shopping carts.

BG Hoops In The Pros

Coach Cuevas sending
off two BG Hoops Stars

On September 1st, BG Hoops star (Class of 2002) Arcenio Ramirez, returned from Potros Itson in the LNBP in Mexico after being released. On the same day Coach Robert Zaragoza boarded a plane to Mexico City to become the coach of Captial Titanes.

On September 9th Coach Zee happily signed Arcenio to a deal to become one of his guards in Mexico City. Coach Zee stated "I'm fired up, the Rocket is one his way".

Good luck to all of our BG Hoops stars in Mexico City!!

Are you waiting to be a player? Or are you preparing?

7 C’s of Championship Team Building

There are seven primary areas that go into building your team's chemistry.

1. Common Goal Championship teams have a singular, common focus. The team is most often focused on winning a championship. This is their primary, specified, overt goal and all other goals revolve around it. This goal is firmly embraced by all members of the team, coaching staff, and support staff. Everyone understands that this is the direction and destination that the team is moving toward. Additionally, the goal that the team is striving for typically is so challenging that the only way it can be accomplished is through a unified effort.

2. Commitment While seasons may start with the entire team focused on a common goal, rarely do they end up that way. Commitment is probably the single most important factor that differentiates championship teams, coaches, athletes, businesses, schools, marriages (you name it) from the mediocre. It's much too easy to say you want to win the championship and its a whole other thing to put in the blood, sweat, and tears necessary to pursue a championship - especially when obstacles and adversity strikes. Continual commitment to the team's common goal is one of the toughest areas of team building. Championship teams buy into the mission at every level and make the mission their own. They work hard and pay their dues because they want to, not because they have to. In addition to their commitment, the team members feel a sense of personal and group accountability. The players have a clear understanding of how their individual choices and decisions influence the collective psyche and success of the team. There is a true sense that if an individual is slacking off, he is not just hurting himself but his entire team. The players feel a sense of responsibility and obligation to give it their best.

3. Complementary Roles Championship teams are comprised of several individuals who willingly take pride in a playing a variety of roles. These roles, when played in concert and harmony lead to team success. Thus, each player is assigned specific responsibilities and tasks that help determine the entire team's success. While individually they are not solely responsible for the team's success or failure, collectively each role forms a synergistic whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. The major difficulty in developing complementary roles is that some roles get more attention and praise thereby making them seem more important. Championship teams however realize that all roles are critical to the overall team's success and willingly accept and value their individual roles.

4. Clear Communication A fourth characteristic of championship teams is clear communication. Successful teams communicate successfully both on and off the field/court. The on field communication helps them to perform more efficiently on the field and the off field communication allows them to monitor the team's effectiveness, modify things when necessary, and celebrate successes.

5. Constructive Conflict Along with effective communication, championship teams have the ability to keep conflict under control and often are able to use conflict constructively to further develop and strengthen the team. It is not that championship teams never experience conflict, because this is impossible. Instead they are able to handle the conflict they experience and do not let it interfere with the team's common goal.

6. Cohesion A sixth characteristic shared by many championship teams is that they genuinely like and respect each other. The players like to hang out with each other outside of scheduled practice and game times. Many championship teams will also spend a great deal of time socializing together in larger groups. The players genuinely like to spend a lot of time together outside of actual practices and games. They find reasons to stay together like going to the movies, studying, hanging out, etc. This is not to say that every single player is a part of the group, but that a majority of players tend to socialize together. Cohesion is a factor that often will help your team perform at a higher level.

7. Credible Leadership Finally, it takes a credible coach and team captains to develop, orchestrate, and monitor all the other C's. The team must have leaders who they believe in and have the skills necessary to get the most from the team. Credible leaders create an environment that allows the team to perform to their full potential.

Shop For BG Hoops

BG Hoops

Click on the link above and do your normal online shopping at hundreds of different websites and a percentage of your purchase will come back to support our basketball program. There is also a link on the right of the page. Thank you for supporting our sponsors and BG Hoops.

BG Hoops Store Is Online Now!!!

The BG Hoops Store is now online. All players needing practice gear should order it here. BG Hoops fans everywhere can order and wear what the players and coaches will be wearing this year. Click on the shirt to go to our web store now.

Arcenio Ramirez Practicing Hard!

Arcenio Ramirez has been practicing hard for the last few weeks trying to earn himself a position on the professional team Potros Itson of the professional league in Mexico (LNBP). Good luck Arcenio, everyone at BG Hoops is pulling for you.

Pre-Season Conditioning--Day 1

BG Hoops Class of 2002 Arcenio Ramirez goes pro!!

Today BGHS Class of 2002 Alumni, Arcenio Ramirez, flew from Los International Airport en route to Cuidad Obregon, Sonora Mexico to join his professional basketball team Potros ITSON.

Ramirez, BGHS's 2nd All Time Leader in Points, takes his skills across the border in his 1st stint as a pro basketball player. It has been a long arduous road from his BG playing to his days at East Los Angeles College and San Francisco State but very rewarding. Ramirez earned his degree from Cal State LA but now is comfortable in taking a shot at chasing every basketball player's dream to be a professional.

Mentor & Coach Al Cuevas (left) along with pro coach Robert Zaragoza (right) joined a confident Ramirez to LAX. "We are always proud when a BG Alum can take their game to the next level. Arcenio has always been a skilled player, that along with his work ethic and attitude have got him to an opportunity at the pro level. I am confident he will do well. He always finds a way to succeed on the court".

We at BG Hoops wish Arcenio luck and we will keep updates throughout the season.

BG Hoops: Pre-Season Conditioning Program Begins August 23rd, 2010

We will begin our pre-season conditioning program on August 23rd, 2010 at the Sand Dunes at Manhattan Beach. We will leave BG at 8 AM to be at the "Dunes" by 9 AM. We all need to register on the "Dunes" website and reserve our spot. Register for 9:30 on August 23, 25, 27, 3o, Sept 1, 3, & 6th.

No one is allowed to work out without a reservation. They also charge $1 each time you work out. We will be at the "Dunes" August 23, 25, 27, 30, September 1, 3, and 6th.

Once we start school we'll go twice a week. We'll do our strength program 4 days a week as well after running. Call Coach Cuevas with questions.

Here's how you register.

1. It's free to register.
2. Click on link here:
   
3. Then click on "Sand Dune" button and create an account.
   
4. You can now go to reservation page to create a reservation.
5. Make your first reservation for August 23rd, 2010 at 9 AM.
6. You must have an account and a reservation to workout.
7. If you miss a reservation they can suspend your account and you won't be allowed to workout anymore.
8. If you need help call/text Coach Cuevas.

Props to Friend of BG-CJ Guerrero

1992 Dream Team Enters Hall Of Fame

Doing Sports Rights

Doing Sports Rights

Commentary by

Michael Josephson

When I was a kid playing sports, there were no clubs, travel teams, or private coaches. Except for summer baseball leagues, the primary place to play was high school. When I was in the 10th grade, I wanted to play basketball in the worst way.

Unfortunately, given my size and talent, that's how I played. But in those days, sports was part of the educational program and, to accommodate every kid who wanted to play, there were four skill levels - varsity, junior varsity, B, and C teams.

I was a third-stringer on the C team. My ambition was to play in 12 quarters during the season, the minimum requirement for a letterman's jacket.

Fortunately, the coach liked my spunk, so he'd put me in at the end of games when I could do no harm. In the last quarter of the last game, he made sure I got my letter by giving me an eight-second stint. Although I think I played less than two minutes of total game time during that season, I was part of the team and played in every practice.

Three years later, I was the only senior on the C team but I was a starter! Of all my high school achievements, none was more important than my three basketball letters.

It wasn't just recreation for me. It was education. My sports experience strengthened my character and helped me develop important life skills including goal-setting, preparation, and perseverance. It also taught me about honor and sportsmanship.

So when you read chilling stories about cheating coaches, out-of-control fans, or spoiled athletes, don't blame sports. Blame those who don't do it right.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

Learn more about theJosephson Institute's and sportsmanship programs

Hall of Fame

The Hall Of Fame is only legitimate when a Laker goes in.

Great Team are not built...

“Great teams are not built by extraordinary players, but by ordinary players doing extraordinary things.”

BG Hoops: Chris Alvarez Summer 2010 Mix

Coach Cuevas Gets His Head Shaved

Boys had several big winning streaks as well as 45 wins this summer so Coach Cuevas promised to let them shave his head. It happened on the last day of summer hoops.

BG Hoops Store will be online soon

Cut Throat Championships at Snow Valley Basketball School

BG Hoops Ball-Handling Workout

BG Hoops Jab Step Series

Great guard workout.

Best Interview Ever

Lakers NBA Champs 2010!

RIP Coach

John Wooden dies at 99; UCLA basketball coach won 10 national titles - latimes.com

John Wooden dies at 99; UCLA basketball coach won 10 national titles - latimes.com

LBA-Memorial Weekend Tournament Champions 2010

BG Hoops wins the annual Latino Basketball Association Memorial Weekend Tournament with a convincing win against Oak Hills High School from Victorville, CA.