Gonzales boys basketball

Gonzales (7-17, 4-10)
 With more than half of his players out late because of football, the first month of practice was a wash for head coach Ruben Alvarado.
 In addition, Alvarado brought up four freshman to help fill his roster, meaning December was a trial by fire period.
 While wins are often the measuring stick, the Spartans are gauging success by the progress the team is making as they get ready for Mission Trail Athletic League play.
 Over the last two years, Gonzales' attack centered around one of the best players in the county, who averaged over 20 points a game in two seasons.
 That's not the case this year as the Spartans are a team that needs contributions from up and down the roster to be competitive.
 As young as Gonzales is, two senior holdovers Alvarado is counting on to help bridge the gap are point guard Isaiah Madrigal and center Isaac Madrigal.
 Last season Isaac Madrigal averaged just under eight points a game as a second option while Isaiah was among the team leaders in 3-point goals.
 Help will come in junior shooting guard Jose Espinosa, who started towards the end of last season, gaining experience.
 Among the freshmen Fab Four that Alvarado is counting on is guard Isaiah Banuelos, who can drain the jump shot.
 What Gonzales worked on in non-league play was controlling the ball, setting up its attack, where it could feed the big man or kick it back out on the perimeter to its shooting guards.
 Patience will be critical in the programs development.