Short Story

Robert Palafox of Monroe High has heard his share of disparaging remarks since taking up basketball four years ago.

The 5-foot-7 senior has been passed over for pickup games at his neighborhood park more times than he cares to remember, and he has suffered harsh criticism from his coach.

But none of that has stopped the two-year starter from becoming one of the region’s most productive point guards.

“I fight through my height and try to play hard,” Palafox said. “I don’t care if you’re 6-8 or 6-9, I’m not going to back down from you.”

Talking a good game has never been a problem for Palafox, who worked hard to prove himself in a sport dominated by taller players.

“He is very, very confident,” Coach Don Loperena of Monroe said. “He thinks he can play anywhere. I think it’s great that he’s that confident . . . and I’m not going to rain on his parade.”

Loperena needs Palafox at his best when Monroe (18-6, 8-1) plays at Sylmar (12-10, 8-1) at 7 tonight for the Valley Mission League title.

Still, Loperena, a second-year coach who played for legendary coach Lou Cvijanovich at Santa Clara, isn’t in the habit of showering Palafox with praise.

Although it should be easy to declare Palafox the best player on an undersized, overachieving, playoff-bound team, Loperena doesn’t.

“I don’t know,” said Loperena after a long pause. “He’s not the best shooter. He’s not the best athlete.”

So how is it that Palafox leads the Vikings with averages of 19.3 points, four assists and five steals? With hustle, grit and desire.

“Defensively he makes great decisions,” Loperena said. “Our defense suits Robert because our defense is based on reads and gambling and cheating and switching. And he does a good job of anticipating.”

Much of Loperena’s criticism is directed at Palafox’s offensive skills, citing problems with his shot and a “tendency to get a little fancy at times.”

“He feels the need to create on this team because we don’t have a lot of weapons,” Loperena said. “That’s been one of my main issues with him, learning how to take care of the basketball.”

Nonetheless, Palafox is capable of great, even spectacular, moments. And games.

Last season in a Valley Pac-8 Conference game against Grant and its star, Gilbert Arenas, Palafox scored 23 points on seven-of-10 shooting with seven assists and six steals to lead Monroe to a 70-67 upset.

“He’s a tough little guy,” said Coach Howie Levine of Grant. “Palafox was the big factor in that game. He’s the big reason why they don’t want to go away.”

Last summer at a basketball camp at Northern Arizona University, Palafox opened Loperena’s eyes with a top-notch performance in an all-star game.

“I have to admit, in that game, he stole the show,” Loperena said “He dished to the high post, he dished alley-oops, he scored a couple threes.

“When he played with good players, he was absolutely phenomenal.”

Palafox has increased his scoring average by eight points since last season by adding a mid-range jumper to his arsenal, albeit reluctantly.

Before this season, an overconfident Palafox liked to drive the lane and try to score over taller players.

Loperena insisted Palafox learn to pull up on the drive and shoot a 12- to 15-foot jump shot.

“He hated it at first,” Loperena said. “It took him a year to get him to jump stop. He can pretty much do it in his sleep now.”

Excluding three-pointers, Palafox is shooting 55% from the field on mostly pull-up jumpers and layups converted from turnovers.

Although Palafox shoots well on the run, he has made only 58% of his free throws.

The most devastating miss came against Sylmar on Jan. 26. Palafox was fouled while making a three-point basket and had a chance to tie the score with 20 seconds remaining. He missed and Sylmar won, 55-54.

“I couldn’t sleep that whole night,” he said.

And if Palafox gets a similar chance against the Spartans tonight?

“I won’t let that happen [again],” he said. “I’ll hit ‘em. I’ll bury ‘em.”