Alisal basketball’s father and son duo enjoying final season together on the court
Since their days at the YMCA, Josue Gil-Silva’s shared countless memories with his dad and coach, Jose Gil. Now, the two have weeks left on the court.
This story originally appeared on The Californian’s Sports page.
It’s a Monday afternoon. The Alisal Trojans’ boys basketball team is practicing at their home court, the House of Thrills, the site of many memorable games. Last Friday’s win against a talented Monterey squad is freshest among them.
Head coach Jose Gil directs drills for combating a full-court press defense. The group in green jerseys darts and weaves down the court until a pass finds one player beyond the 3-point arc.
He knocks down the shot. But his resemblance to the coach is unmistakable.
The brown eyes, black hair, relaxed speaking cadence, the comfort with a basketball in their hands and calling orders for the offense. That 3-point marksman is defending league co-MVP and Jose Gil’s son, Josue Gil-Silva.
And the duo has a matter of weeks left together as coach and player after sharing basketball for the better part of two decades.
Growing up on the hardwood
Josue grew up on the court, with memories of dribbling and shooting as early as Kindergarten.
“It was a comfort for me,” he said. “I felt at peace with a basketball in my hands.”
“I remember when he was little and one time we were over at the (YMCA),” Jose said. “He tried to dunk it and I thought, ‘we might have something here.’”
Josue knew how to handle a basketball better than kids many years his senior. A pixelated YouTube video of a 9-year-old shows a buzz-cut fourth-grader with quick, darting hands.
“I am GBA,” the young Josue declares, proceeding to dribble a basketball through, around and behind his legs before throwing down a two-handed dunk on a lowered hoop.
GBA is the Gil Basketball Academy, run by Jose and his wife, Eva. In addition to patrolling the sidelines for the Trojans since 1997, the organization has made him one of the biggest figures in East Salinas basketball for a decade. The GBA gives local kids a chance to play organized basketball in a healthy environment, with a side perk of annual World Tours.
Josue’s been there since the beginning. He donned the black and yellow long before Alisal green. In that time, the bond with his father has flourished to blend the coach and player dynamic with father and son.
“It’s made me a better player,” he said. “Basketball really unites us in our relationship…if we have a bad game, we’ll talk about it on the ride home and for the next couple days.”
(Photo: Ayrton Ostly/The Californian)
The big leagues
Josue’s a part of one of the best classes the Trojans have had in recent memory. The Class of 2019 features Israel Corona, Vincent Gonzalez and Ronaldo Enriquez, all of whom earned significant varsity minutes as freshmen along with Josue.
He earned league Freshman of the Year honors in 2016 and Sophomore of the Year honors in 2017. The Trojans won league titles in both seasons and made it to the Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs, thanks in part to the athletic sharpshooter.
“I couldn’t jump like he can jump, I couldn’t shoot like he can shoot,” Jose, a starter for the Trojans in the late 1980s, said with a smile. “I had a nice jumper but was more of a role player…I knew my limitations. With him, his game has expanded so much.”
Last season had the Trojans moved up to the toughest group in the area, the Gabilan league. Taking a third league title was no small task.
“I come up with a different goal for myself every year,” Josue said. “Before my sophomore year, I wanted to make first-team all league. I did, so then I had to get better from there and was thinking MVP in the back of my mind.”
Things worked out well.
Per league statistics, he was sixth among all Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz County leagues in scoring at 17.55 points per game. He knocked down the most 3-point shots (70) and dished the fourth-most assists (77) to earn Gabilan League co-MVP honors.
“It’s been great to see the evolution of him,” Jose said. “The passion, heart, the love for the game has always been there.”
The Trojans won their third straight league title and, with a 22–2 record, earned a bye before taking on Salinas in the CCS quarterfinals. The Cowboys scored an upset with a 60–59 win on a layup as time expired.
That loss stayed in Josue’s mind throughout the offseason.
“Still gives me chills,” he said. “We really should have won that game. Having that loss in the back of my mind really fuels me to make sure it doesn’t happen again this year.”
The final chapter
Though this year hasn’t been as good as last year’s 22–3 campaign, 2018–19 saw the Trojans win 11 of their first 13 games. That included a win against Los Altos at the Aptos High/Santa Cruz Warriors Tournament that gave Jose his 300th as a varsity coach.
“It’s been 30 years since I’ve graduated,” he said. “30 years since then, 300 victories. It’s a little crazy. And it’s definitely a special year.”
It’s been special but grueling.
After a loss to Carmel Tuesday night, the Trojans have three league losses, more than the last three seasons combined (two). The Padres and Monterey lie ahead of them but with Josue knocking down shots and Corona, walking double-double Sebastian Reynoso, Gonzalez and Enriquez playing their best, they have a shot.
As easy as it would be for winning to take center stage as the calendar turns to February, Jose’s not worried about that.
“I’m trying to downplay the situation,” he said. “I am reminding them we only have so many practices left. Let’s make them fun, let’s make them memorable, but let’s keep doing what we do best. Work hard, trust in each other, be selfless and take it one game at a time.”
Looking beyond the season, Josue has options. Admission to Stanford University is a great base to start with.
“When he said he wanted to apply to Stanford we said ‘go for it, dream big,’” Jose said. “When he got in it was an unbelievable moment because he’s worked so hard for it.”
But that’s not to say basketball’s finished for him.
“If I go to some of the schools I’ve applied to, I might try to walk on,” Josue said. “I also have options to play (Division III), too.”
“We’ve always told him that the chances of getting a scholarship are kind of rare,” Jose said. “So if a school you’ve always wanted to go to — like Stanford — doesn’t offer you a scholarship, it’s OK. Your academics speak for themselves and, if you work your way into the program, hardworking kids are wanted everywhere.”
There’s some interest from multiple Ivy League schools as well but a deadline for a final decision is still months from now. In the meantime, the father-son duo’s going to enjoy another few weeks on the court together.
Championships or not, what they’ve done together will live on forever in the history of Trojan basketball.
