Practice makes perfect for Valenzuela
Accomplishments: In third grade, Monica Valenzuela started playing basketball.
The objective, at that time for the now Lodi High girls basketball player who is a senior forward, was simply put the ball into the net.
Over the years and in recent games, practice has made perfect for the 5-foot-11 four-year starter. In the last two games, Valenzuela has scored 19 points in each contest; in the Flames’ 70-57 loss at Placer on Tuesday and in a 53-43 win over Rio Americano in the second round of the Lodi Flames Invitational on Friday.
In the Flames’ tournament opener against Ben Holt Academy on Dec. 8, Valenzuela had 11 points. Her highest point total came against Riverbank at the Edison Tournament on Dec. 3 at 21.
Over the years, Valenzuela, who became a front court player in middle school, has honed her shooting skills; from inside the paint to the baseline and the 3-point arc.
“I’m trying to get my stats up, score as much as I can,” Valenzuela said.
What’s important for her is passing the ball inside to the open player. In particular to Flames center Aubrey Andrews, who stands 6-foot-1, and anyone who’s within passing range of the ball.
“I’m the best passer to pass to Aubrey when she’s open,” Valenzuela said.
Playing aggressive defense in the Flames’ man-to-man scheme is also a challenge she enjoys. She’s learned that over the years in playing travel ball, and this year with the Port City AAU girls basketball team, which has traveled around the West Coast to face the best teams on the coast and Midwest.
“We have to play good defense the whole game,” Valenzuela said.
A three-sport athlete who played on the Lodi High girls golf team and competes in track and field, Valenzuela has worked on her rebounding and jump shots through the latter sport — the high jump.
“Jumping in track has helped me jump higher,” Valenzuela said.
Going into tonight’s nonleague home game against Monterey Trail of Elk Grove
at The Inferno, Lodi is 6-3. Valenzuela is one of six seniors on the team. The Flames have goals in mind — to win the Tri-City Athletic League and establish a deep run in the SacJoaquin Section playoffs. Lincoln won the league title last winter.
“We’re doing pretty good,” Valenzuela said. “We’ve got pretty good shooters this year. I think our team has become a lot closer than what it has in the past years. The chemistry is better. We want to go as far as we can in the playoffs, hopefully get a section title.”
Two teams Valenzuela and the Flames would love to play this season, but aren’t on their schedule, are St. Mary’s and Brookside Christian. St. Mary’s, although part of the TCAL, plays an independent schedule in girls basketball.
“I love competition,” Valenzuela said. “It’s fun to play tough teams that are really aggressive.”
Two four-year colleges, both on the East Coast, have knocked on Valenzuela’s door in terms of offering a scholarship; Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, MA and Aurora University in Aurora, IL. She is only the third in the Lodi High girls basketball program who could be offered a scholarship. One of the others is Lodi High Athletic Director Erin Aitken, a 1994 Lodi High graduate who went on to play basketball at Humboldt State University.
“Those two have been in contact with me,” Valenzuela said.
Valenzuela is hoping that some more four-year colleges — in particular on the West Coast — also recognizes her.
To attract more colleges, Valenzuela has started her own Website — monicavalenzuela10.com.