Moorpark High's Basketball Team Tries Luck in Las Vegas

Moorpark High’s boys basketball team is in Las Vegas this weekend, participating in a large-scale summer tournament. The Musketeers arrived Thursday and finish on Sunday, and they’re staying in a hotel together on the Strip – a good chance to bond as a team, says key returning forward Jake Myers.

“It’s great. Trips like these, they really help the team chemistry a lot,” Myers said. “We like each other, we like hanging out with each other.”

Myers said some of the players might enjoy a grand buffet or perhaps take a walk along Las Vegas Boulevard.

“Yeah, we might pop out there and take a look around. I’m not sure what we’re going to do,” he said. “We’ll see after the game.”

Coach Eddie Gutierrez said the players have been looking forward to the trip all summer.

“The kids are going to have a great time,” he said.

Moorpark went 19-9 last season and advanced to the second round of playoffs before losing to eventual state champion La Verne Lutheran. Myers averaged 11.5 points, and Jordan Russell (9.7 points) is back, too.

Among the others expected to have a big year is forward Mitchell Sagely, a junior who averaged 5.1 points and 3.8 rebounds last season.

“Mitchell has improved a lot, and he continues to improve,” Myers said.

So far, Gutierrez likes what he sees.

“They’ve been playing pretty well and doing a nice job,” he said. “It’s been good so far.”

Moorpark’s baseball team is 7-10 in Valley Invitational Baseball League competition, as the Musketeers lost 2-1 Wednesday to visiting Quartz Hill, and defeated host Golden Valley 16-4 on Monday.

TAKE IT EASY

After playing through pain this past year because of an early-season shoulder injury, Moorpark High graduate Matt Higginbotham is taking it easy this summer before resuming his baseball career at Oxnard College this coming season.

“I dislocated my shoulder but still played the whole season, so I never really gave it a chance to rest,” said Higginbotham, a top pitcher and hitter. “It’s still hurting me, so I’m letting it heal. I mean, I can still play, but I’m not playing on a team every weekend this summer. We’ll see how the shoulder feels.”

EX-MOORPARK FOOTBALL STANDOUT EMBRACES NEW START

Marc Palacios, the former Moorpark football linebacker who spent one red-shirt season at Humbolt State this past year, is pumped about starting over again at Ventura College, ranked No. 13 in the nation on the JC preseason rankings.

“I’m excited,” Palacios said.

Former Moorpark teammate Tim Vizzi, a top receiver in high school two years ago before taking a year off because of an injury, has joined the Raiders, too.

NEW GIRLS HOOPS COACH LOOKS TO MAKE HIS CASE

Keith Case is the new Moorpark girls basketball coach, replacing Eugene Hatton, who went 9-16 last season. Making things tougher for Case is absence of All-Marmonte League returnee Kailee Severt, who has transferred to Oaks Christian in Westlake.