The 2008-09 basketball season tipped off on Nov. 26 with the traditional alumni games against the school’s varsity teams. Half Moon Bay’s girls won 50-41, while the alumni team took the men’s game, 70-43.
Some just won’t miss the game — no matter what.
 Johnelle Parsons drives by Leah Garcia in the second half of last week'€™s alumni game. |
Parsons, an all-league pick her senior year at Half Moon Bay, played for three years at Claremont McKenna College. She didn’t play her senior year of college because of a job.
“I try to keep lifting,” Parsons said. “I didn’t get too beat up. I had fun.”
Johna Vasquez, a 2005 graduate, took the train from Fresno to return to the Bay Area to play.
“I felt like I was back in high school,” Vasquez said. “The only difference was when I looked in the stands, I didn’t recognize anyone.”
She recognized the opponents though.
“I coached a lot of those girls when they were at Cunha (Intermediate School),” Vasquez said. “It was nice to see them.”
Nothing changed in the boys’ game. Nick Estrella, class of 1999, still had a solid shooting touch. A gym rat when he was growing up, he has been limited for the last year.
“I got married,” Estrella said. “I’m allowed to play twice a week. The rest of the time, I’m doing my husbandly duties.”
The men’s team came together as the game progressed. But all knew that they had to play.
“We all play a lot of ball,” said 1996 graduate Nate Serdy. “We all have jobs, wives and kids. But we all play open gyms. Basketball is a passion for us. It helps keep us young.”
Serdy turned in the shot of the night, a three-pointer from about 75 feet away from the basket.
“Nick made a similar shot four years ago,” Serdy said. “I just want to have a replay.”
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