Kyle McIntyre was not a dominant basketball player during his years at Fremont High, or even at Columbia Middle School before that. Dedicated, hard-working and undersized (5-foot-8, 145 pounds) were better descriptors–and, most certainly, proud.
“I used to love putting Sunnyvale on the map, so people knew about our great city,” he said.
Dedication and hard work helped McIntyre overcome the challenge of being shorter than most of his opponents, lifted him to all-league status as a Fremont senior in 2009 and propelled him to the next level and beyond–two seasons of junior college ball at Cañada College in Redwood City and later playing for a team in the Philippines.
Now McIntyre, barely age 24, is the dedicated director of Next Level Basketball, an organization he started two years ago to help aspiring Sunnyvale area teenagers grow as basketball players and citizens.
“This is extremely close to my heart, because many of the players are from the schools I played for not long ago” said McIntyre, whose leadership has been key to Next Level’s growth in size and stature. “It’s amazing that all of our programs have been successful.”
In just three seasons the organization has grown from one team to four, with a combined record of 185-41. The first team formed was the varsity boys (18U), which is 75-8 over three seasons. In 2014, the organization added JV boys (16U) and 8th grade girls (14U) squads.
A girls JV (16U) squad was added this year, and what a season it was. The newcomers posted a 29-1 record and won the championship at the AAU Nationals in Las Vegas July 16-19, indeed putting Sunnyvale on the map. In the same month, the 14U squad capped a 29-9 season by capturing bronze medals at the California State Games Junior Olympics in San Diego.
“The girls were amazing,” said McIntyre, who coaches the teams along with Trin Van Scyoc. “They are now National Champions and Junior Olympic medal winners. We just want all of the other kids to know that dreams do come true.”
Viva Las Vegas!
Sunnyvale’s girls stole the show in the 16U bracket at the Las Vegas Convention Center, winning all but one game in pool play and going all the way on the playoff day.
In the semifinals, Genessa Banzon (Fremont) scored 19 points to lead a 47-46 win over the New Mexico Blackhawks. Then in the finals, the team’s two tallest players, 5-foot-8 Kayla Shermeister (Wilcox) and 5-foot-9 Vershara Bell (Wilcox) keyed a 49-38 triumph over Hawaii Kalakaua.
Schermeister poured in 25 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, while Bell scored 14 points and pulled 12 boards. Banzon added five points, Vanessa Azure (Lincoln) and Latanya Lee (Fremont) tallied two apiece and Amy Illorde (Fremont) chipped in with a free throw for one. Ann Nguyen (Santa Teresa) and Kiana Van Scyoc (Fremont) and Doryn Gomez (Fremont) did not score in the final game, but were contributors throughout the terrific season.
“It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to end up at the top of one of the National Tournaments,” McIntyre said. “I am incredibly proud of our girls.”
McIntyre added praise for Azure and Banzon, the captains and leaders of the club’s first 16U team. Both will be juniors on their high school teams this winter, and McIntyre expects big things for them.
“Azure is a true point guard who has had more than five games with double doubles this season on points and assists,” McIntyre said. “Banzon is one of the best shooting guards around, as she had more than eight games with six or more three-pointers.”
Bronze winners
After the opening ceremonies at Qualcomm Stadium, the home of the NFL’s San Diego Chargers, the 8th grade team (14U) went 2-2 for third place at Municipal Gymnasium in San Diego’s Balboa Park.
Priya Tuipulotu, who started ninth grade at Fremont this week, was the top scorer in the first two games. She scored 14 in a 40-28 loss to the Rancho Cordova Bulls and backed that up with 16 points and five steals in a 31-30 win over the San Diego Broncos.
Leafa Tuipulotu, the team’s youngest player, sparkled in the next two games. The Columbia 7th-grader buried six three-pointers for 18 points in a tough 44-32 loss to the San Diego Piranhas, before netting a team-high 14 in the bronze medal game, a 44-32 triumph.
Fremont freshman Latanya Lee’s paved the way for Sunnyvale in the third-place game, delivering an outstanding effort of 10 points, five rebounds and five steals.
P. Tuipulotu added eight points and Cassidy Tsuchiya (Westmont) had four. Katiola Lolohea (Prospect), the team’s tallest player at 5-foot-5, Kian Van Scyoc (Fremont), Alliyah Pomoy (Independence) and Mae Marasigan (Columbia) chipped in with two each.
McIntyre praised the leadership of co-captains Lee, P. Tuipulotu and Van Scyoc, saying, “What they do for our team is incredible. They have been with us since sixth grade and I expect them to be great high school players.”
Varsity boys 27-3
With players from all over the Bay Area region, the varsity boys 18U team went 27-3, raising its three-year overall record to 75-8.
“Getting scouted by college coaches is a big thing for this team, as they are all ready for the next level,” McIntyre said. “They have stayed together as a team and family for more than three years.”
The coach singled out V.J. Obiajulu (Kimball-Tracy), Nate Azure (Lincoln-San Jose), Alex Gil (Gunn-Palo Alto), Noel Oli (Kimball) and Kishan Kumar (Serra-San Mateo) as players, who “really stepped up this season, on their way to playing college basketball real soon.”
Other team members included Fremont High’s Kobe Dulay, Brian Bongato, Jeff Laureta, John Vergara and Tin Bui, Homestead’s King David, Matthew Oli (Kimball), Miguel Mejia and Jordan Kenison of Serra and Eden Leznik and Nick Garzona of Aragon-San Mateo.
The JV boys (16U), comprised of all Fremont players, went 10-5, improving the two-year record to 32-13. Dulay, Vergara and Bui, who also contributed to the 18U success, were joined by Dominic Dionisio, Francis Dionisio, Byron Cachola, Jerrence Capingian and Raniel Estrada.
