High School Roundup : Meek Leads San Pasqual

A year ago, the San Pasqual High School boys’ basketball team struggled to a 4-18 record with a team anchored by a freshman center who had trouble getting up and down the floor for 32 minutes.

It’s not that 6-foot 9-inch Erik Meek couldn’t run--he could--but at age 15, he just didn’t have the stamina.

However, after an off-season of running, lifting weights and playing against some of the nation’s best high-school players, Meek is running longer and San Pasqual is playing its best basketball in 2 seasons.

Wednesday night, in an Avocado League-opening 91-66 rout of visiting San Marcos, Meek had 29 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks for San Pasqual (1-0, 4-5).

“He’s the key to our offense,” senior guard Andy Loveland said. “When they pack it in on him, we hit some shots from the outside and it opens up in the middle. We look to get the ball in the middle--basically just throw it up. He’s so tall, he can get a hand on it.”

San Marcos displayed a half-court trap defense early in the game and San Pasqual shredded it, making 14 of 21 first-quarter shots en route to a 31-3 first-quarter lead. Meek scored 9 points in the period.

At the other end of the court, San Marcos (0-1, 4-7) had trouble going inside because of Meek’s forbidding presence. Forced to shoot from the outside, San Marcos made just 1 of 14 first-quarter shots. Meek was there to grab 4 rebounds in the quarter and each time, his crisp outlet pass led to a layup.

“Erik is a wonderful outlet passer,” San Pasqual Coach Tom Buck said. “He loves to throw the outlet pass and get the break going.”