B3 SPORTS Thursday, March 18, 2021 >> MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/SCSENTINEL AND TWITTER.COM/SCSENTINEL » santacruzsentinel.com SiGIRLS VOdeLLEYBALL PROuEVIEW t(side):Locals WARRIORS ANALYSIS NAM Y. HUH — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS willtaketothesand Warriors center James Wiseman, right, battles for a loose ball against Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine during a game in December. Targets to watch at trade deadline By Wes Goldberg Bay Area News Group The Warriors’ offseason has already begun. Between now and the start of next season, when the organization hopes to vault back to title contention, general manager Bob Myers is tasked with completing the two- year rebuild through trades, the draft and free agency. With the March 25 trade deadline approaching, the War- riors should be shopping, and Myers’ recent comments to 95.7 The Game claiming they will be aggressive indicate they will. Already, several players are on the trade block: Houston’s P. J. Tucker, San Antonio’s LaMarcus Aldridge and Cleveland’s An- dre Drummond. Stars such as Washington’s Bradley Beal, Or- lando’s Nikola Vucevic and Chi- cago’s Zach LaVine are more sought after than available, but DAN COYRO — SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL FILE stable veterans such as Toronto’s Instead of playing indoor during the pandemic, the high school volleyball season will be waged on the beach. In 2021-22, beach volleyball Kyle Lowry, Sacramento’s Har- will be a CIF-sanctioned sport and feature a postseason. rison Barnes and New Orleans’ Lonzo Ball are capable of help- Season serves as warmup for 2021-22, ing a playoff contender. Here’s where the Warriors when CIF begins beach championships stand days before the deadline, and some players they could tar- By Gordon Kass COMING UP get: The last touch on a vol- FRIDAY, 4 P.M. Team needs leyball by a local player in a Scotts Valley at Harbor Barring an All-Star scorer be- high school game came back Soquel at Santa Cruz coming available, the Warriors on Nov. 23, 2019, when Aptos’ (Main Beach) should try to find bonafide sixth Peyton Dueck smashed the ti- Mount Madonna at Aptos and seventh men who are un- tle-winner against Nordhoff to (Rio Del Mar) der contract through next sea- give the Mariners the CIF State son to round out the core rota- Division IV championship. tion. More immediately, they Nearly 16 months later, lo- Cruz Coast Athletic League could seek to make improve- cal prep athletes will finally squads and other county ments on the fringes. A backup be hitting and digging volley- teams will play a short sea- WARRIORS >> PAGE 4 balls again. Fittingly in this son in March and April, with beach community, those balls matches involving five pairs THE SCORE will touch beach sand rather per team. SHMUEL THALER — SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL FILE than the usual hardcourt sur- Aptos and Soquel are the Soquel High setter Ava Adamsen defends the net for the Knights WARRIORS-ROCKETS, LATE face during Friday’s initial co-favorites in a six-team up- as Aptos outside hitter Peyton Dueck hits for the Mariners in the Up next: Warriors at Memphis contests. per division, with Harbor CCS D-III semifinals last season. This season, local volleyball When: Friday, 5p.m. teams will compete on the beach during the pandemic. That’s because beach volley- and Mount Madonna right in TV: NBCBA ball, and its two-player games, the mix, and Santa Cruz and Online: For a report on Warriors and serves as a safer alternative to Scotts Valley lurking nearby. Sharks’ games, go to: indoor volleyball during the Matches will be held at Har- Inside: NFL teams are busy as business season begins. COVID-19 pandemic. Santa VOLLEYBALL >> PAGE 4 News+Notes, B5 santacruzsentinel.com/sports 49ERS COMMENTARY SCCAL GIRLS TENNIS ROUNDUP NCAA TOURNAMENT Soquel’s Maya Madness trip There’s still Van Ness returns the ball to Tallia leads to life one glaring Harper during the Knights on lockdown hole on roster tennis match against host By Eddie Pells Good NFL teams don’t build Santa Cruz on The Associated Press through free-agent splashes. Tuesday. No, big free-agent spending INDIANAPOLIS >> At Victory Field sprees are typically in downtown Indianapolis on the domain of the Wednesday, a couple of coaches Jets, Raiders, and running laps around the warn- Jaguars. ing track passed different diver- The goal is to ac- sions scattered across the minor quire good players, league ballpark. mainly through the In one section, a badminton Dieter Kurtenbach NFL Draft, and to SHMUEL THALER net. In others, a soccer ball and a keep them around – SANTA CRUZ football. No sign of a basketball. when their con- SENTINEL When the 1,500 or so play- tracts are set to expire. Then you ers, coaches and staff members can augment in free agency. in town for the NCAA Tourna- That’s what the 49ers did dur- SC’s Harper rolls in final rematch; ment want to get a breath of fresh ing this free-agent period. They air and a glimpse of some green deserve plaudits for keeping left grass, this is their option. Their tackle Trent Williams, corner- Knights top Cardinals in opener only option. backs Jason Verrett and Emman- This is life at a basketball uel Moseley, and fullback Kyle championship, Harper earned been working a lot on my sec- NCAA >> PAGE 5 By Jim Seimas Juszczyk and adding pass rusher a 6-0, 6-0 win over Soquel’s ond serve.” [email protected] Samson Ebukam as a Dee Ford Maya Van Ness in the teams’ Van Ness said she has im- replacement (even though Ford Santa Cruz High junior league opener. The Knights proved her service game and TUNE IN remains on the roster) as well as tennis star Tallia Harper — made a statement, too. That groundstrokes. THURSDAY’S GAMES upgrading the center position by the two-time defending Santa was their lone loss as Soquel The abbreviated regular- Texas Southern vs. Mount St. reportedly agreeing to a deal with Cruz Coast Athletic League rolled to a 6-1 win. season schedule concludes in Mary’s: 2:10 p.m., TruTV former Cal Bear Alex Mack. champion — sent a memo to “Overall, I feel like I’ve a little more than one month. The 49ers did what good teams the rest of Santa Cruz Coun- been playing more consistent, The SCCAL Championships Drake vs. Wichita State: do. ty’s No. 1 singles players Tues- not making as many unforced are slated to take place April 3:27p.m., TBS Everything the 49ers have done day: She’s gotten better in the errors as I would’ve last sea- 22 at Cabrillo College. Appalachian State vs. Norfolk in free agency has been solid. But offseason. Significantly. son,” Harper said. “My serve, “It is so weird,” Van Ness State: 5:40p.m., TruTV it’s the move they have not made In a rematch of last year’s for sure, it got a lot better said. “I can’t believe it’s hap- UCLA vs. Michigan State: KURTENBACH >> PAGE 5 SCCAL Tournament singles than it was last season. I’ve TENNIS >> PAGE 4 6:57p.m., TBS 4 | B SPORTS | SANTACRUZSENTINEL.COM THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021 On the air Thursday ONESTO WATCH Volleyball Peyton Dueck, Aptos, SPRING BASEBALL Sr.: Mariners’ star will play 10 a.m. Nationals vs. Mets MLB FROM PAGE 3 indoor and beach volleyball 1p.m. Cubs vs. Indians MLB bor High, Main Beach and at Cal Poly 7p.m. Giants vs. Mariners NBCBA 680 Rio Del Mar. Emma Yeaman, Aptos, 11 p.m. A’s vs. Padres (delay) MLB There won’t be SCCAL or Jr.: Solid defensive player MEN’S BASKETBALL Central Coast Section tour- on Aptos’ state title team 2p.m. First Four: Texas Sth-Mt. St. Mary’s TruTV naments won’t be held this Ciara Cantlen, Soquel, 3:20p.m. First Four: Drake vs. Wichita State TBS year. In 2021-22, beach vol- Jr.: A front-court force who 4p.m. NIT: N.C. State vs. Davidson ESPN leyball will be a CIF-sanc- can play in all six rotations 5:30p.m. First Four: App. St. vs. Norfolk St. TruTV tioned sport and feature a indoors, a dangerous com- postseason. bination on the beach 6p.m. NIT: SMU vs. Boise State ESPN Another group of county Ava Adamsen, Soquel, 6:50p.m. First Four: UCLA vs. Michigan State TBS schools will play in a sec- Sr.: Best setter in the area BOXING ond division. That contin- and that touch translates 6p.m. Lightweight: Machado vs. Fierro NBCSN gent includes San Lorenzo well on the beach GOLF Valley, Watsonville, Monte Kylee Eze, Soquel, So.: 11 a.m. PGA Tour: Honda Classic GOLF Vista Christian, St. Fran- Tall, agile, 6-foot-2middle cis, Kirby, Pacific Collegiate NBA blocker is dominant at the and Pajaro Valley. net 4p.m. Jazz at Wizards NBA “COVID has been a 7:30p.m. Hornets at Lakers NBA tough year on sports, and Marilu Pally, Santa Cruz, Jr.: Cardinals’ ace is com- NHL these student-athletes 4p.m. Flyers at Islanders NBCCA have been aching for com- mitted to playing beach petition,” Aptos’ new head volleyball at Cal SOCCER Hannah Fleming, Scotts 2:30p.m. Olympic Qualifying: U.S.-Costa Rica FS1 coach Madison Dueck said. “We’re lucky to have Valley, So.: A potential D-I 5p.m. Olympic Qualifying: Mexico-D. Republic FS1 a league that has been so beach volleyball talent, she 7p.m. Women’s USC at UCLA PAC12 patient and willing to get DAN COYRO – SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL FILE has been organizing beach TENNIS these girls playing and Ciara Cantlen will take to the beach this season for tournaments during the 5p.m.