'Completing games and getting better' is the main focus for NVC women's basketball team
By MARTY JAMES
The Napa Valley College women's basketball team got a scare the other day when Maira Montañez, a guard out of Calistoga High School, injured her knee.
"She seems to be OK and may play this weekend," coach Paul DeBolt said Monday.
"We're all still intact," added DeBolt, who is in his first season with the Storm. "And we're still at it."
It's the first season of women's basketball at Napa Valley since the 2017-18 season. With just six players, the Storm went 3-21 overall, 3-13 in the Bay Valley Conference during that season.
Napa Valley was forced to cancel the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons due to not having enough players to field teams. Due to Brian Fonseca resigning as coach and not enough players forced Napa Valley to also cancel the 2018-19 season.
"We're really starting over," said DeBolt. "We're playing to win basketball games. We're competing to win basketball games.
"But I think our main focus, really this year, has to be on completing games and getting better. And so far, so good. We still have our eight players."
Napa Valley is off to a 0-5 start, with nonconference losses to Modesto, 84-32; Ohlone-Fremont, 73-47; American River-Sacramento, 89-44; Las Positas-Livermore, 66-39; and Ohlone, 85-40.
In the California Community College Women's Basketball Coaches Association North Region Poll, released on Dec. 2, Modesto is tied for 15th.
The Storm continues its season by opening play in the Modesto Tournament on Friday. There are seven teams in the tournament, which ends on Saturday.
"I think for us, a victory is completing a game," said DeBolt. "It's just a matter of trying to hold things together this year, while recruiting for next year, and understanding the situation we're in. We have a place where kids can come and play.
"Patience has not been my best virtue in my coaching career. I'm in a place where I just really have to be patient and trust the process."
The players are learning about basketball from one of the top coaches in the state, as DeBolt ranks sixth for wins all-time in California community college women's basketball history and was named as the California Community College Women's Basketball Coaches Association State Coach of the Year during the 2000-2001 season.
He was the head coach at Contra Costa College-San Pablo for 30 years (1986-2016), leading one of the top programs in the state. DeBolt guided the Comets to 11 Bay Valley Conference titles and 19 postseason appearances. The Comets finished as the state runner-up at the California Community College Athletic Association state tournament in both 2001 and 2003.
DeBolt led Contra Costa to three state final four berths, four state elite eight berths, and seven state Sweet 16 berths, compiling a 562-380 record.
He is a three-time CCCWBCA Junior College Region 8 Coach of the Year and an eight-time BVC Coach of the Year.
Napa Valley is averaging 40.4 points on 25.7 percent shooting and 17.8 percent three-point shooting, 34.8 rebounds and 25 turnovers per game.
The Storm's top player is Ajaloni Irvin, a guard from Mare Island Technology Academy in Vallejo. Irvin, the Storm's only sophomore who also played on the 2017-18 team, is averaging 15.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals, 2 assists and 1.6 blocks per game.
"She has been giving us real consistent play at the guard spot," said DeBolt. "She has some nice numbers. Ajaloni, as a sophomore, has really stepped her game up."
Egypt Asaeli, a guard out of Smiley, Texas, is averaging 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.8 steals and 1 block per game.
Montañez is averaging 6.3 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1.3 steals per game.
Maleiah Cronin, a guard out of Benicia High, is averaging 3.8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal per game.
"We've got some players making some adjustments," said DeBolt. "Maleiah Cronin is learning how to play at the level, as is Maira Montañez. Egypt Asaeli has scored some points for us.
"We are getting to a place where we can do individual work, working on some shots. We're doing things the right way. It's a growing thing and I think we'll get better.
"As the season progresses, some teams fall apart and some teams come together. I think this could be a team that sticks together and comes together and gets some wins at some point. It's having the team experience and playing together."
Also on the team is Dominique Jones-Torres, Martha Sanchez (4.2 rebounds per game), Alexia Stewart (4.6 rebounds per game), and Stephanie Rodin (1.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1.3 steals, 2.3 blocks per game).
Stewart is a forward out of American Canyon High, Jones-Torres is a forward out of Wooster High in Reno, Nevada, Sanchez is a guard out of Vintage High, and Rodin is a center out of Turlock High.
Gabriela Silva is redshirting as a freshman guard out of New Tech in Napa.
"We're not going to give up," said DeBolt. "We're going to show up for games. We're going to play and we're going to get a little better. Hopefully somewhere along the line we get some W's.
"We're going to play, we're going to have some fun. One of the fun parts is just seeing the players get to know each other. They're getting more comfortable with each other – on the court, off the court. They have friendships. They're doing well in their classes. They're serious students."
NVC plays at De Anza-Cupertino on Dec. 10.
The Storm is at home for games against Shasta-Redding on Dec. 13 and Siskiyous-Weed on Dec. 15.
NVC opens the Bay Valley Conference season on Dec. 18 at home against Merritt-Oakland.
In the game against Modesto, the Storm was led by Asaeli (17 points, four steals, three assists), Irvin (11 points, five steals, five rebounds), and Stewart (eight rebounds).
In the first game against Ohlone, NVC was led by Asaeli (21 points, six rebounds), Cronin (12 points, eight rebounds, five steals), Irvin (eight points, five assists), and Montañez (six points, seven rebounds).
In the game against American River, NVC was led by Irvin (15 points, six rebounds), Asaeli (14 points),
Montañez (11 points, three steals), Rodin (eight rebounds), Stewart (four rebounds), and Cronin (five assists, four rebounds).
In the game against Las Positas, the Storm was led by Irvin (20 points, 13 rebounds, four steals, four blocks), Asaeli (seven points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals), Cronin (10 rebounds), Sanchez (12 rebounds), and Rodin (10 rebounds, five blocks, four steals).
In the second game against Ohlone, the Storm was led by Irvin (23 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, three steals), Asaeli (11 points), Rodin (nine rebounds, three assists, three blocks), and Stewart (six rebounds).
* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association, Associated Press Sports Editors, and California Prep Sports Media Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in September of 2019.