The 2024-25 edition of the Healdsburg Greyhounds varsity basketball team split their first four games this year, and are likely to find that stiff competition lies ahead for the rest of the month.
After defeating Rio Lindo Academy on Nov. 19, 52-45, the Greyhounds hosted Maria Carrillo in Smith Robinson Gym on Nov. 23. The Pumas led from the start, although even in taking the court they displayed a distinct size advantage.
With Healdsburg’s tallest player, 6-foot-4-inch Ethan Overdorf, unavailable for the game, the Greyhounds found themselves looking up at Maria Carrillo’s bigger and bulked-up athletes. Those included the game’s top scorer, senior Eli Jamieson with 24 points, though no other Pumas scored into double digits.
For the Greyhounds, seniors Eric Nielson with 11 points and Thatcher Little with 10 kept Healdsburg in the game, though the final score of 54-30 showed they weren’t really that close after all.
New head coach AJ Crosby, at 23 years of age another young coach in the evolving Healdsburg High athletics program, was an energetic and encouraging presence on the sidelines, characteristics that are important if the Greyhounds hope to improve over their 3-19 record last year.
That promise was upheld on Monday night when the Greyhounds crushed Roseland University Prep 67-37, dominating from the first period when they held the RUP Knights to 2 points while scoring 16.
Ethan Overdorf was back in action, and younger players like freshman Pierce McWilliams and junior Frank Rea (who has quickly transitioned from football running back to basketball point guard) helped on both the offense and defense. And junior Vincenzo Loupy in the first half alone had 12 points and 13 rebounds for a “double-double,” ending with 15 points for the team high.
“But it was a real team effort all around,” Crosby said. “The points were spread apart. The ball moved well. We played interesting basketball.”
The Greyhounds played again the next night, Tuesday against the so-far-undefeated (3-0) Marin Academy on their San Rafael court. Before the game coach Crosby pointed out that so far the Greyhounds are undefeated on the road, and it would be their first game with the full squad healthy and participating. The final score however handed the Hounds their first road loss, 82-43.
Upcoming this weekend is a three-day tournament in St. Helena, and next weekend the three-day REIBT (Redwood Empire Invitational Basketball Tournament) will take place. They are followed by another three-day tournament in Kelseyville, Dec. 19-21, giving all area teams plenty of time to work through their playbook before the league season begins early next year.
