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San Ramon Valley senior Alyssa Rudd averages 14.4 points and 9.3 rebounds for the second-ranked Wolves. (Courtesy of David Steutel)
The career numbers of Alyssa Rudd are all very impressive, and in some cases, staggering.
Points: 1,608. Rebounds: 1,073. Wins: 89.
Especially so, considering the San Ramon Valley-Danville senior stands 5-foot-8. Not exactly a towering figure, says longtime coach John Cristiano, but a powerful one.
"She's quietly powerful," Cristiano said. "Her power shows in her physicality, her play and her leadership. She doesn't bring a bunch of attention to herself. She doesn't throw up three fingers when making a 3. She's not flailing a fist or saying, ‘look at me,' in any way.
"She's just wonderfully dynamic being Alyssa Rudd."
Cristiano does compare the San Jose State signee to Dennis Rodman - and Wayne Gretzky of all people - as a rebounder. Her top super power, he says, is her nose for the ball via tenacity and reading angles off misses.
The 10th-year coach with a 232-48 record said he has called coaches throughout the region and state - Sue Phillips (Mitty), Doc Scheppler (Pinewood-Los Altos Hills), Stan Delus (Etiwanda-Rancho Cucamonga) among others - and he's yet to find a career 1,000-point, 1,000-rebound girls player.
"What did Gretzky say? ‘Don't go to where the puck is but where it's going to be,'" he said. "Her basketball IQ is off the charts. She understands angles, studies them and is simply relentless and tenacious. She's inch-for-inch is the best rebounder I've ever coached."
After transferring from crosstown rival Monte Vista as a junior, Rudd averaged a team-best 10.3 rebounds per game last season to go with 15.6 points and 5.2 assists, leading the team to a 27-4 and North Coast Section Open Division title. She's now at 14.4 points and 9.3 rebounds for the second-ranked Wolves (18-3), who travel Saturday to face two-time defending state champion Caruthers (Fresno County).
Rudd said her reads off the rim are not studied via game film, but just instincts she gained since falling for the game as a 6-year-old.
The daughter of college volleyball player (mom) and high school football player and wrestler (dad), Rudd played soccer, softball and tennis as a youth, but always gravitated to basketball because of the nonstop action and detailed skill work needed to constantly improve.
As a Warriors fan, she of course rooted and was inspired by Stephen Curry, but always channeled and identified most with four-time NBA champion Andre Iguodala for his vast, underappreciated skill set.
"Obviously (Curry) excites and draws people in because of his shooting and ballhandling," Rudd said. "But less people talked about (Iguodala) and all the little things he did to make the team better. I loved how he ran the court."
Because she didn't get the height gene - her 13-year-old sister Hailey has it and is already 5-9 - Rudd had to rely on her strength. Her dad Tim is a strength coach, helping her savvy and fueling her desire to stay ahead of the curve. Especially as a front-line player and top rebounder.
"Everyone wants to be taller on the basketball court," she said. "I'm not a 6-footer and not even close. It's definitely a mindset. Working harder is always the answer."
Rudd worked hardest over the offseason on her 3-point shooting and it paid off significantly, rising from 24.6% as a junior to 43.1% this season, which is second on the team. Rudd has become a high-volume long-range shooter at 5.8 attempts per game.
Her shot is quick and fluid. She still plays superbly out of the post, is a tremendous passer and defender.
Her scoring numbers are somewhat down only because the Wolves are winning games by an average score of 73-39. She rarely plays much by the second half. But even from the bench, she leads, Cristiano said. And she doesn't have to say much. In a recent loss to San Diego power Mission Hills (73-72) she offered a short but powerful message, Cristiano said.
"She just reminded the team about energy and effort," Cristiano said. "I didn't have to say anything. Her teammates love her and they have since she came over. When she speaks, everyone listens. I think she'll be a great coach one day."
Rudd, who is a personal basketball trainer and coach at Ultimate Fieldhouse in Walnut Creek, said she hasn't considered a career in coaching, largely because her playing days are right in front of her.
The second-ranked Wolves are a state-title contender and after that run she can't wait for her college career at San Jose State with first-year coach Jonas Chatterton, who had a lot of success as an associate head coach at Oklahoma and Oregon State.
Rudd is well aware of the program's history of losing - the Spartans are 3-18 and have had just one winning season since 2004-05.
"I'm super excited about helping to turn things around," she said. "They're such good people there. They've been so welcoming to me."
Briefly: San Ramon Valley was originally scheduled to play at Riordan on Saturday but the game was canceled amid three active tuberculosis cases at Riordan. Cristiano quickly found an opponent in Caruthers, which it beat 66-56 at San Ramon Valley on Nov. 29. ... Two West Catholic Athletic League games that were to have been played Thursday - Sacred Heart Cathedral at Riordan boys, and Riordan girls at Sacred Heart Cathedral - were postponed. According to Riordan boys coach Joey Curtin, discussions for makeup dates were to take place Friday. "There was nothing preventing our players and staff to play the (Thursday) games," Curtin said. "From my understanding, the concerns came from the parents of the (Sacred Heart Cathedral) team."
This article originally published at ‘Quietly powerful' Alyssa Rudd, at 5-foot-8, putting up big numbers at San Ramon Valley.
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