Like almost everyone who ever owned a basketball, Xavier Ogle has dribbled that ball inside the family home.
Everyone does it. Invariably, things get broken.
Ogle shattered one of his mom’s picture frames.
“She was not very happy with me,’’ Ogle recalled. “I told her it wasn’t my fault. The ball just got away from me.
“I didn’t do it on purpose, but I got the lecture about how many times have I told you not to dribble that thing in the house.’’
That lecture did not deter Ogle from continuing his basketball career.
Now the 5-foot-10 senior at Rancho Bernardo High has begun his final season with the Broncos.
A second-team All-Palomar League selection last season, the point guard has the usual goals in mind. He’d like to win a league title and would love to capture a San Diego Section championship as well to put a championship banner up in the rafters of the Broncos’ gym.
He has one more wish for this season.
“I really just want to have a winning final season here,’’ the native of Oahu, Hawaii, said. “I’ve never experienced a winning season except for the shortened JV season as a freshman.’’
The coronavirus may have robbed Ogle of his only winning season. With the Broncos starting this season with a 3-7 record, he has quite a task ahead of him.
Rancho Bernardo was 8-14 overall and 0-10 in league play his sophomore year and 8-17 overall and 3-7 in league play last year.
Ogle has spent much of his offseason and the fall season getting ready to make winning happen for himself and his teammates.
He is coming off a junior season in which he had a respectable campaign, averaging 15 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.2 steals.
But it was not good enough for the self-described gym rat to reach the elusive winning season.
“He can score,’’ second-year Broncos coach Bo Brewer said. “My desire is for all guards to play the same, so X would be a point guard sometimes and a shooting guard the rest of the time.
“I don’t have to tell him twice to score more,” Brewer said. “He definitely wants the ball in his hands when the game is decided because he’s never been afraid of the moment.”
Ogle’s family moved from Oahu when he was 8. He now considers Rancho Bernardo his home.
“On the island, you can’t really go anywhere else,’’ he said.
His vision is squarely on the next level.
Playing basketball in college has been his dream since he broke his mom’s picture frame. It consumes him and drives him on even through all the losing.
In his mind, he is the master of his own fate, at least on the court.
“I’ll score but my middle school coaches told me they needed me to dish the ball to teammates,’’ Ogle said. “Easy baskets for teammates means easy baskets for me.
“So, I like to call myself a -first point guard who can also score.’’
Ogle can never get enough basketball. When he’s done playing or practicing for the day, he’ll turn on the TV and watch and NBA game or a college game just to watch how the point guards play.
During the lockdown, Ogle and his dad would watch videos of old NBA games.
He’s not above copying a move, especially if Chris Paul, Steph Curry or Ja Morant are playing.
He used to copy Steve Nash when he was still playing.
“I think college is better for me to watch because the NBA is a shoot 3’s or dunk kind of league,’’ Ogle said. “College guards run sets, make game decisions.
“There is always something I can learn watching that.’’
But Ogle can never get enough gym time.
He even signed up for a first-period dance class because it’s held in the Broncos gym.
“My perfect day is to go to Alliant (University) and be there all day just hooping by myself,’’ he said. “The only way to shoot better is to take hundreds of shots every day to improve your muscle memory.
“You have to put in the work.’’
It’s also a good way to not break anything else in the house.
