San Marin Boys Basketball Team Wins Frosh Title

For the first time in school history since the start of the frosh-only level of sports competition, the San Marin High School boys won the frosh basketball pennant as they tied with Drake with 12-2 reccrds.  The teams split their head-to-head matchups in league play to create a co-championship. 

“At the beginning of the season I saw the talent we had and I knew we had a chance,” said coach Phil Steiner. 

After coming out of the gates 1-2 in MCAL play with tough losses to Redwood and Drake, the Mustangs would never lose again. Coach Steiner noted how important a key comeback win at Marin Catholic was.

“The game that I really knew we had a shot and the game that I think everyone started to really believe was the comeback win in overtime against Marin Catholic.  After being down 14 points early in the fourth quarter, we somehow fought our way back to send the game to overtime and ultimately win it.  This game showed the character of this team of never giving up and fighting to the very end.”

In the end, the boys reeled off 11 straight wins including the huge rematch against Drake which they won 52-47. 

“Beating Drake to capture a share of the title, was just an amazing battle between two great teams," Coach Steiner said. "It was like we took everything we learned over the season an applied it to this game.”

Power forward Collin Moore agreed, saying, “We knew what was on the line and what we could achieve.  We just played with a greater sense of urgency then the first time we played them.”

When asked what helped propel them over the top, Coach Steiner was quick to answer.

“All of these boys are great young men on and off the court.  This is one of the most talented groups of players I have ever coached.  They understood the game and how to play.  Plus, they wanted to get better every practice.  They had an outstanding work ethic and desire to win.  Coaching basketball for me isn't only about wins and losses, it’s about individuals who commit themselves to a team and to each other for four months and seeing them grow as young men through the avenue of basketball.”

Shooting guard Nick Corbani also felt team chemistry was a big reason for success. 

“We had great team chemistry," he said. "It helped that we bonded so well as a group.  I think that led to the success we had since we all played so well together.”

The 2013 Frosh Boys team consisted of Collin Moore, Nick Corbani, Dante Restivo, Tommy Sanz, Josh Garcia, Jacob Pullan, Dominic Burke, Andrew Ding, John Vavuris, Cam Moylan, Jeremiah Watts, Johnathan Fritz and Cole Erickson.  They were led by Coach Steiner and assistant John 

Craig Pitti, who wrote this article, is the athletic director and varsity boys basketball coach at San Marin. 

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