DAILY PILOT HIGH SCHOOL MALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:CdM’s Eberhard lighting it up

Good luck getting more than five words out of Joe Eberhard.

That’s what Corona del Mar High boys’ basketball coach Ryan Schachter said before Eberhard could utter a word after a recent practice.

Eberhard looked toward the first-year Sea Kings’ coach with a smirk. When asked what his most memorable athletic moment was, Schachter again chimed in.

“Tell him on Saturday, when we win CIF,” yelled Schachter as he walked out of CdM’s gym.

With coach gone, Eberhard spoke his mind.

He talked at length about today’s CIF Southern Section Division III-A championship between the fourth-seeded Sea Kings (21-7) and second-seeded Renaissance Academy (27-1) of La Cañada at the Honda Center at 9 a.m.

From the early start to his role on the team to what it will take to help win CdM its fifth section crown in school history to how different his persona is off the court, Eberhard was chatty.

“He thinks I’m quiet. I’m quiet around practice, because you’re not here to talk to people, but to listen to the coaches,” he said. “I’m here to listen to the coaches and do what they want.”

At first what Schachter yearned from Eberhard was a killer instinct.

Schachter and assistant coach Jason Simco tried everything early on in Eberhard’s junior year. The two tested his desire, pushing him to get more involved.

Figuring at 6-foot-5 that he’d excel with his back to the basket, they started Eberhard in the post. The move flopped. Well, at 160 pounds, Eberhard’s body slumped against much heftier players in the paint.

“I’m not built to be down low. I’ve never played down low. I don’t even have any post moves or anything,” Eberhard said. “I didn’t feel comfortable at all with my back to the basket.”

Facing the rim turned Eberhard into a serious threat. One that in his first varsity season he said he never envisioned becoming.

The move away from the post to the outside has been instrumental in CdM advancing to its ninth section title game in school history.

Because without the quiet assassin at shooting guard, Schachter said defenses would always mob his big man, 6-9 junior center Stefan Kaluz. They already do, but Eberhard makes them pay with his jumper.

Eberhard did just that in helping the Sea Kings get past ninth-seeded West Valley of Hemet, 67-61, in the semifinals last week. With defenses collapsing on Kaluz, Eberhard nailed each of his four three-pointers attempted and finished with 18 points.

“He’s our best outside shooter, and a lot of teams are surprised by that because they think he can’t shoot that well because of his height,” said Schachter of Eberhard, who has hit five three-pointers in a game before. “The guy can flat out shoot the ball and you have to watch out for him.”

Just pay attention to Eberhard during pregame warm-ups today. If the shots are falling, he said, “I’m on” for the game.

So why doesn’t the guard averaging 9.4. points per game and shooting 48% from behind the three-point line and 51% overall shoot more?

He does more than score. He points to Kaluz, saying he’s the go-to-guy as he’s averaging 20.8 points per game.

Eberhard looks for other ways to make CdM better. He’s done a solid job. He averages 6.8 rebounds per game, second-best on the team. He passes well, too, averaging 2.7 assists per game, second-best on the team. He might be the team’s best ballhandler.

Playing guard throughout his childhood developed those dribbling and precise passing skills. His favorite target is whoever is going to score.

But his most dazzling passes always come behind the three-point line, where he distributes alley-oops with ease to a high-flying Eddie Lane.

“It feels good seeing him throw it down,” said Eberhard of his good friend. “I just got to throw it up by the rim and I know he’s going to get it. It pretty much works every time.”

Don’t be surprised if Eberhard throws up an alley-oop early on to Lane against Renaissance.

You won’t hear much from Eberhard if the play is successful, but he said it would be a great wake-up call for everyone and give fans something to talk about.

JOE EBERHARD

Hometown: Newport Beach

Born: Oct. 8, 1989

Height: 6-foot-5

Weight: 160 pounds

Sport: Basketball

Position: Shooting guard

Coach: Ryan Schachter

Favorite food: Cheeseburger

Favorite movie: “Dumb & Dumber”

Favorite athletic moment: Winning back-to-back Corona del Mar Middle School basketball championships as a seventh- and eighth-grader.

Week in review: Helped the fourth-seeded Sea Kings beat Elsinore of Wildomar, 65-58, in the quarterfinals and ninth-seeded West Valley of Hemet, 67-61, in the semifinals. He averaged 16.5 points, 10 rebounds and 3.5 assists during the two games.