Gonzales basketball

Gonzales Spartans (3-16, 2-10)
 When first glancing at the Spartans cast, it's imposing with a 6-foot-7 post and a 6-5 power forward, along with a sharpshooting 6-2 guard with three years of experience.
 So what happened last year with Gonzales, who stumbled to a 4-16 season -- two years after going 10-4 in the Mission Trail Athletic League and making the CCS DIV quarterfinals?
 Well, depth was an issue along with the lack of experience. Simply put, the Spartans didn't have a lot of players with varsity experience on the court and it came to the forefront.
 So head coach Ruben Alvarado revamped his own system, re-instilling a weight program to build strength and stamina.
 "We're getting back to the fundamentals of the game that led us to the playoffs three years ago,'' Alvarado said. "And we're getting back in the weight room.''
 Judging by the looks of 6-7 Gil Rodriguez and 6-5 sophomore Pablo Villasenor, both are familiar with the weight room.
 "We need to be strong and fundamentally sound to be successful,'' Alvarado said.
 Alvarado expected hardships last season when he brought up three freshmen, all of which played extensive minutes, including Villasenor.
 A starting linemen on the football team, Villasenor provides size and athleticism in the paint. Paired with Rodriguez, Gonzales has its version of the twin towers.
 The key to all this will be Jose Espinosa, a three-year returning starter, who led the team in scoring last year.
 The offense will run through the playmaking guard, assuming a severe ankle sprain that Espinosa played through during the second half of the football season completely heels by league.
 "He and Gil bring leadership in all phases on and off the court,'' Alvarado said.
 Part of the youth movement from last year includes guards Adrian Morga and Nick Flores, giving the Spartans five players that logged a lot of minutes last winter.