HOMETOWN HERO: Atlantic boys' basketball coach Justin Vallejo has Sharks relevant again
PORT ORANGE — The tension was palpable.
The Spruce Creek and Atlantic boys' basketball players, coaches and fans wanted so badly for their respective teams to beat their rival that one could hear and see fits of frustration throughout the packed gymnasium.
No one, perhaps, was more emotional than Atlantic head coach Justin Vallejo. The Sharks' first-year head coach would slam his water bottle on the floor after hydrating, chuck his clipboard after each play and pace the sideline vehemently.
The Hawks had won the last five games of the Battle of Port Orange, and the Sharks were sick of it. So when the last buzzer sounded Wednesday night, finalizing their 52-47 win over their bitter rivals, the Sharks’ joy was boundless.
“Our guys deserved every bit of the win,” Vallejo said. “Their smiles on their faces in the locker room and excitement is what it’s all about.”
The Sharks have enjoyed a more cheerful season this year, now boasting a 12-3 record after going 9-10 last year.
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Vallejo returned to his alma mater to help pull the program out of its slump and reinvigorate its rivalry against Spruce Creek. He has changed the culture of the team, propelling it to success in what was supposed to be a rebuilding season.
“It has been good to know everything he knows about basketball because he’s been playing it for so long,” senior Anthony Badalato said. “Also, to know someone else that’s been through it and went to the exact same school.”
Vallejo, who played basketball for Atlantic, has been teaching not only basketball but also life skills such as the importance of integrity and how to become a man. For senior Trace Sharpton, Vallejo has been integral in helping him improve his composure on the court.
“He wants it just as bad as us,” Sharpton said. “He’s just as driven as us to win, if not more.”
Vallejo is determined to bring some respect back to Atlantic basketball and made some progress on that front with a win over Spruce Creek. They’ll get another opportunity in the Five Star tournament that begins Saturday, which features eight Volusia and Flagler teams battling for county supremacy.
The Sharks are the underdog in every game, Vallejo said, and teams will continue to overlook them despite the hot start.
“If we play hard every night, I’m not going to guarantee that we win every game,” Vallejo said. “But we’ll always be in a position to win a game.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: High school basketball: Atlantic's Justin Vallejo has Sharks back on track
