Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week: Chad Vakili

Barry Faulkner

A self-confessed hoops junkie, Costa Mesa High senior Chad Vakili

frequently roams the area in search of competition. But, in the Darwinian

world of pickup basketball, Vakili’s appearance doesn’t exactly herald

his arrival.

At 5-foot-11, 150 pounds, those unfamiliar with this fresh-faced

swingman’s game aren’t exactly compelled to pluck him off the sideline in

an attempt to wrest the court from the reigning winners.

“I think he’s very deceptive,” is the way Mustangs Coach Bob Serven

puts it. “He looks young and he’s not a big physical player. But he can

lull you to sleep and hit the three-pointer, he can take the ball to the

basket and he can shot fake you and hit the 15-foot jump shot. He’s a

very well-rounded player who I think can play after high school. I think

his best basketball is ahead of him and that may be a couple years from

now.”

Though not the player he will become, the player Vakili is,provides

plenty for the defending Pacific Coast League co-champions. And now a

second-year varsity starter, Vakili’s first week trumpeted his

development as one of the Newport-Mesa District’s most dangerous

offensive threats.

He scored a career-high 30 points, including four three-pointers, in a

Nov. 26 season-opening win over Servite in the Loara Tournament, then

added 16, 14 and 23 points in subsequent tournament games to help the

Mustangs win three of four and claim third place. He is averaging 20.9

points heading into Friday’s nonleague home date against vaunted Mater

Dei.

Vakili joined senior teammate David Conte on the all-tournament team

and also earned recognition as the Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week.

Vakili’s emergence has caught many off guard, including Serven, who

noted that, after starting on the freshman team, Vakili was relegated to

reserve duty as a sophomore on the junior varsity.

“He may have thought, after starting as a freshman, it was a right of

passage to start the next year on the JV,” Serven said. “But when that

didn’t happen, he ended up really having to work on his game.”

Vakili said his sophomore experience motivated him to do just that and

he quickly impressed Serven with his progress.

“You could tell he liked the game and you want guys who like the

game,” Serven said. “But he actually came on a lot quicker than I

thought. To be starting last year and average in double figures (10.9

points) and hit 52 three-pointers, was a real pleasant surprise.”

Backed with last year’s experience, which included leading the

Mustangs to a share of their first league crown in 41 varsity seasons,

Vakili stuck with the work ethic that has enabled him to belie his modest

physical stature.

Quickening the release on his shot, developing more of a mid-range

threat, as well as maturing defensively, were all offseason hoops Serven

set before him.

And, as with his surprisingly strong finishing ability near the

basket, Vakili got the job done.

“He’s a guy who spends a lot of time in the gym,” Serven said. “He has

really developed a good work ethic and he is now reaping some of the

rewards.”

Vakili’s summer included a 42-point outburst against Murrieta Valley,

in which he netted 10 three-pointers.

“I believe my jump shot has improved,” said Vakili, whom Serven does

not afford the oft-used label of streak shooter.

“I wouldn’t call him a streak shooter, because I feel like most of the

shots he takes are going to go in,” Serven said. “The thing I have to

worry about with Chad is that he’s so hard on himself. I have to keep

reminding him that his next shot is his first. Just because he misses a

couple, I don’t want him to stop shooting.”

While his outside shooting is his calling card, Vakili, as mentioned,

can finish inside. He has also developed defensively, assuming the most

demanding position in Serven’s trademark two-three zone.

While his contributions from the wing are obvious, Serven said, by

necessity, he has asked Vakili to provide inside support this season,

including post defense and rebounding.

“He plays a little taller than he is, because he has long arms and he

is not at all timid,” Serven said.

And while Vakili relishes his enhanced role this year -- he’s one of

Serven’s captains -- he is also conscious about not disrupting the

balance that makes the Mustangs so difficult to defend.

“You have to kind of want the ball, but not be selfish about it,” he

said. “We have a lot of guys who can score, which makes it a lot of fun

to play on this team.”

Vakili is clearly one of the reasons the Mustangs should be fun to

watch.