Staying Close to Home
They're kids who grew up together in the south Phoenix community. "It really started with (Freeney) coming in as a freshman in high school," Soria said. "Him coming in helped us change the culture. With him, we were starting to get the right type of kids come in here, kids who are doing good things on and off the court. "His leadership really stepped up. And we started keeping the neighborhood kids." When Soria took over the program in 2014, his first team went 14-12. His second team went 6-15. In 2016-17, the Jaguars won seven games, before 16- and 19-win seasons, leading to this year. Soria remembers a conversation he had with David Grace, the last coach to lead South Mountain to 30 wins and a state championship in 2006. Grace, now an assistant coach at Vanderbilt, told Soria the key for him to have success was to keeping the buses from coming through the neighborhood to take the top players. "Buses were coming all the way in," Soria said. "I didn't technically slash any tires, but kids were coming back. “Seeing those schools, and it’s nothing against what they’re doing and them, in particular, but when they’re winning and they have South kids, and I live down the street from McClintock kids, and Mountain Pointe kids, and Desert Vista kids, when you live down the street from them and they’re at those schools, it makes it tough.” Soria said he was was always taught growing up to control what he can control. Like the Carter twins — Mark and Marcus — did in their four seasons promoting "Change the Culture," in the football program, Soria made that big in his basketball program. He brought in Erik Hood to be part of his staff. His connection with the players and work on the club basketball scene has boosted the program. |
SOUTH MOUNTAIN FEELING COMMUNITY PRIDE AS BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM RETURNS TO ELITE STATUS
Richard Obert, The Republic It starts with the floor. On the sidelines, its says, "The Mountain.'' There is a sketched outline of the mountain range with towers that has always been the backdrop to one of the state's most storybook boys basketball schools. South Mountain's Alumni Gym floor was remodeled just in time for the Jaguars' return to relevancy this season, a year in which coach Jeremy Soria, with incredible patience and passion, never stopped believing this could be the team that keeps the Tempe Union High School District buses from rolling in, taking the neighborhood kids to play at schools beyond the mountain. "In terms of the design of the floor, we wanted it to reflect the values of our school and community, at the same time continue to embellish the accomplishments of our Alumni both from an athletic and community perspective," South Mountain Principal Brian Guliford said early in the 2019-20 school year. Athletic Director Brian Fair attends games with pride, reflecting on his days playing basketball at South Mountain, where he led the Jaguars to their only perfect season in 1991 when they went 32-0 and was the state's Player of the Year. This team starts with junior point guard Zay Freeney, ranked No. 2 in his class with a 4.6 grade-point average. Freeney possesses a fearlessness that will be needed when the Jaguars face No. 1-Super ranked Goodyear Millennium on Thursday night in Millennium's gym with its big student section in the 5A state basketball semifinals. It's been quite a journey since his freshman year when the Jags went 16-10 and were just getting started in implanting the principles that led to this year's breakout 23-5 season, which included a one-point loss to Millennium in early December. That was the only game in which Millennium struggled to beat an Arizona team. "It's been a grind the last three years, coming from basically the bottom," Freeney said. "There was nothing talked about. Now we're in the final four. It hasn't been easy at all. We're happy to be where we are. But we're not surprised at all. "We believe we should be here." The 6-foot Freeney leads a team of mostly guards, the only player averaging in double figures scoring with 15.6 points. He is second in rebounding to 6-foot-7 sophomore Damarion Pouncil, who is averaging 5.8 rebounds. Freeney averages 5.6 boards. Freeney leads the Jaguars with 3.8 assists and 3.3 steals. Sophomore Deotis Nunn Jr., and Kyree Ware both are just below 10 points a game. Freeney has become the poster player that now become a draw for future stars from the community to be part of The Mountain.
"He's a force in the classroom, too," Soria said. "He does it the right way on and off the court. We told him this, 'Go somewhere where you're going to be the guy, not to play for the guy.' "He came here to be the guy. Now people want to play with him. He didn't have to go somewhere else to be the guy." Freeney knows that Millennium is better than when they played in early December. But he believes his team got better, too. They won't be intimidated. "We don't run zone," Freeney said. "We press. It's full court, man-to-man. "They like to bully teams, so they know we're not going to go for that." |
SOUTH MOUNTAIN ADVANCES TO 5A SEMIS WITH HOME WIN OVER BUENAby Anthony Ray | Posted on Friday, January 24th, 2020
South Mountain High School (23-5) has had a terrific season, led by a very strong coaching staff and a talented group of young prospects. Hard-working Head Coach Jeremy Soria and his team have the South Mountain community very excited this season, as the Jaguars are looking to win it all this high school season. On Friday evening, South Mountain hosted the quarterfinal 5A State Playoff game, as they would face another talented and focused high school program, Buena High School. Buena (25-4) is always consistent in their annual pursuit for a state title, as Head Coach Dave Glasgow is among the elite coaches in the state, and always develops a blue-collar team, which is tough to beat - making for a very exciting playoff contest Friday evening. The South Mountain crowd was the best I have seen at the program in some time, as the community is well behind this program and team and looking for South Mountain to get back to the mountain top. With such a storied program in the state, it was nice to see former South Mountain coaching legends Clement Champman and Tres Chapman both sitting upstairs for the game - looking down on the game's action throughout the evening. South Mountain JC long-time assistant coach Harry Cannon also was in attendance for the contest - another South Mountain and Carl Hayden HS basketball legend. South Mountain would take a 15-6 lead in the first period after a 3-point play in transition from 6-foot-3 sophomore guard Anderson Wilson, his third basketball of the contest - playing very well early. As a result, South Mountain would lead 15-9 after the first quarter. In the second period, Buena would come back to make the game close, and after a three-pointer from 6-foot-2 senior guard Jaylen McFadden, and a driving basket by 5-foot-9 senior Brock Fenton, South would continue to hold on to a 17-15 lead with 5:12 left to play in the first half. |
In the second period, Buena would come back to make the game close, and after a three-pointer from 6-foot-2 senior guard Jaylen McFadden, and a driving basket by 5-foot-9 senior Brock Fenton, South would continue to hold on to a 17-15 lead with 5:12 left to play in the first half.
But South would keep pace for the remainder of the first half, and after a nice three-pointer from 6-foot junior guard Zay Freeney, and another three-pointer from 5-foot-11 sophomore guard De'Otis Nunn, South would go into the half with a 29-21 halftime lead. The third period would be big for South, as they would blow the game wide open in the second half. Another three-pointer by Freeney and then an offensive rebound and put-back from 6-foot-2 junior guard Mason Thomas, and South would take a 41-30 lead late in the third period. With 6:15 left to play in the contest's fourth period, another three-pointer from Freeney would give South a comfortable 46-34 lead in the playoff game. South Mountain would then cruise to a 57-43 playoff victory, as Buena would struggle to make shots down the stretch. South Mountain will now advance to face #1 seed Millennium HS in the 5A State Semi-Finals next Thursday (2/27) @ Millennium High School, in what will be a very exciting contest. Millennium narrowly defeated South Mountain in their last match-up, 63-62, in early December. |
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