YORBA LINDA, Calif.—Hang around pretty much any sports team for very long and you’ll hear it. The word “family” comes up repeatedly, with coaches at every level pushing togetherness in a bid to harness the elusive element called team chemistry that often defines winners.
Yorba Linda High School’s Jason Pietsch need not reach to promote the concept. Not only is he coaching a boys’ basketball team that includes his son, starting junior guard Kobe Pietsch, but one that also features the high-flying brother act of Jordan and Orlando Laws.
What’s more, Kobe Pietsch and Jordan Laws have been schoolmates since they were in kindergarten. Orlando Laws, now a senior, was a first-grader then.
“My son and those two, they’re like brothers,” Mr. Pietsch told The Epoch Times. “They’re three peas in a pod. They do everything together.”
Most recently, the trio sparked the Mustangs to a 66–29 victory over visiting El Modena of Orange on Jan. 5. That gave Yorba Linda a 13–6 record entering a Jan. 9 date at El Dorado of Placentia, the final tune-up before Crestview League play begins Jan. 12 at Foothill of Santa Ana.
In a strong four-team league that also includes highly regarded Canyon of Anaheim and Villa Park, the Mustangs are counting on the Pietsch and Laws connection to help gain some traction.
“Last year, we won a game in league via forfeit. We don’t consider that a win,” Mr. Pietsch said. “I think the natural progression is we want to win a game in league. And if that can manifest itself into two games, or three games, okay, great. But right now, we have to focus on just winning one. And against those three squads, it’s going to be challenging. We’re looking forward to the upcoming couple of weeks to see what we’re really made of.”
With Orlando Laws at 6-foot-7, Jordan Laws at 6-5, Kobe Pietsch at 6-4, erstwhile football quarterback Holden Nagin at 6-3, and senior Dallin Fried at 6-1, Yorba Linda’s starting lineup features no shortage of size. Opportunities for mismatches to exploit smaller opponents are plentiful.
The Laws brothers, the team’s only returning starters from last season, are loads inside, particularly on the glass. At the same time, they possess the skills to be effective perimeter players. The Mustangs, in fact, label both as guards.
“They’re long and lanky,” Mr. Pietsch said. “They can handle the ball. They can slide with quick, fast kids. They can block shots. They can do a lot of things.”
They also boast an intangible connection that virtually no one else can match.
“We’ve played together mainly all my life,” Jordan Laws told The Epoch Times. “I know where to give him the ball. He knows where to give me the ball. So, it’s just like a dynamic duo.”
The two were junior varsity teammates two years ago, before moving up to varsity together last season.
“I’ve experienced playing without him, just because I’m a year older,” Orlando Laws told The Epoch Times. “It’s always a lot more fun playing with him. It’s good to have that backbone. If I’m off, he’s always on, and if he’s off, I’m always on.”
Jordan Laws had a game-high 17 points against El Modena, while Orlando Laws chipped in 11, including a highlight-worthy slam dunk off a beautifully orchestrated alley-oop pass from Kobe Pietsch.
“Year-round, we’re in this gym a lot, the four of us,” Mr. Pietsch said. “We open it up to the other players, as well, but those are three best friends. We usually carpool together. We spend a lot of time shooting and working on things.”
As with any family dynamic, of course, there can be challenging moments. The Laws, after all, didn’t get where they are without possessing aggressive natures.
“Those two enjoy competition,” Mr. Pietsch said. “They like coming to practice, working on their stuff. And they’re extremely competitive with each other. Our practices get very hot sometimes, but they’re great brothers and great kids.”
And then there is the whole father-son thing.
“Anybody that’s coached their son knows there’s a lot of stress that comes with that,” Mr. Pietsch said. “You have to balance the coach and the dad roles. I want to do what’s right for the team. I think, I hope, I’ve been balancing that pretty well so far. I tell all of ’em, my son included, if you perform, you stay on the court and you play longer. If you don’t perform, we have eight other guys that want to get out there.”
