IndiHoops 2020 Nationals Team Preview: SA Hardwork

Team 

SA Hardwork
Location

San Antonio, TX

History 

SA Hardwork is an under armour sponsored organization that currently dresses three age groups (2018, 2020, 2021). Their 2018 group boasts the #8 player in the nation, Gerald Liddell.

Roster

Isaiah Cruz 5’5″ Boerne Champion HS  San Antonio, TX c/o 2021

Braelon Seals 6’1″ Wagner HS San Antonio, TX c/o 2020

Journee Phillips 6’1″  Wagner HS San Antonio, TX c/o 2020

Devin Grant  6’4″ Antonian Prep HS San Antonio, TX c/o 2020

Damian Maldonado 6’4″ Veterans HS  Brownsville, TX c/o 2020

Tito Moronta 5’11” Nikki Rowe HS McAllen, TX c/o 2020

Derek Luna 6’1″ Nikki Rowe HS McAllen, TX c/o 2020

Kyonte Holder  5’6 Judson HS  San Antonio, TX c/o 2020

Andrew Astrada 5’7 Churchill HS San Antonio, TX c/o 2020

Armel Talla 6’1 Smithson Valley HS San Antonio, TX c/o 2020

Season

Since Coach Cruz has taken over the helm for Hardwork’s 2020 squad, they have amassed an impressive body of work. This month they participated in the Peach Invitation Tournament in Augusta, GA where they knocked off two competitive teams in Spiece Indy and #15 Indihoops ranked Wisconsin United. They suffered close losses to Team Final (PA) by 3 in overtime and the Georgia Stars in double overtime. The team has only taken 4 losses in 4 months by a combined 14 points. The team advanced to the championship of the Great American Shoot Out tournament in San Antonio before coming up short to the D1 Ambassadors (Austin, TX) by 2 points after trailing by double digits at the half. They also advanced to the Hype Sports Summer Jam semi-finals before falling to the eventual champions, Texas Titans. Coach Cruz’s team will showcase a frantic pace that forces teams into a high tempo style of play. “We pick up full court man, all game and we push the ball. We have not played a zone one time this year. I don’t believe in positions, I believe either you can play basketball or you cannot. Wherever we find a mismatch, we exploit that mismatch.”

Head Coach

Coach Joe Cruz played 4 years of high school basketball before accepting a scholarship to play basketball at University of Colorado (Colorado Springs). Coach Cruz began his coaching career with Texas Select and eventually found a home with Hardwork’s 2020 group in October 2015. “This summer for us, what I have wanted to do is go find the best (teams). I don’t mind playing up to get experience to let our players get used to the speed and physicality of the game so that when we play against top tier 2020 teams there isn’t much of an adjustment that has to be made.” “If the [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][Indihoop Championship] were to come back [with us], it couldn’t go to a better group and it would be absolutely deserved. These are all teams that we have not seen and we want to play the top teams throughout the course of the summer. Once we were invited, I had to find a way for us to get out to [San Diego].”