The stylistically consistent and professional posts made for the 2,000-plus followers of @ruhshoops reflect the weighted role social media plays in high school basketball. Whether he’s shooting locker room discussions or game-winning dunks, boys basketball’s videographer and photographer Farley Anunciacion captures every moment. From filming home games to crossing state lines for tournaments, Anunciacion has managed the team’s social media for four years.
“I want it at the level of college [basketball] pages,” Anunciacion said. “[Ruhshoops] has set the standard for what a lot of high school basketball programs are trying to replicate.”
High school basketball culture and recruitment rely heavily on online exposure, according to senior shooting guard and Central Michigan University commit Hudson Mayes. This reality prompted Anunciacion’s intention for the social media account: to “bring awareness” to players who weren’t as widely recognized outside of Redondo Beach, specifically for college.
“It’s almost routine for all basketball players to post their clips on social media because most coaches have social media,” Mayes said. “Our strong [media] presence helps us put ourselves out there, not only as a team, but as individuals as well.”
Beyond the straightforward desire for highlight reels, Anuciacion said he strives to keep his shooting style and posts “true to what it is” to capture emotion, like a player’s reaction to a great play, a dunk, or the focus of players on the bench.
“I try to keep it candid and be a fly on the wall,” Anunciacion said. “I tell coaches that even though I may be in the room, try to ignore me as if I’m not even here. I want to keep it as raw as possible.”
Though the team is used to being filmed, Mayes said new players take some time to adjust. Junior shooting guard S.J. Madison recalls being nervous in front of the camera as a freshman.
“In ninth grade, I was like, ‘I’m gonna get flicked up. I better play hard,’” Madison said. “My hands used to get sweaty, but now it’s more like I’m playing for my team and for myself. Playing to get further in my life.”
Mayes said that Anuciacion’s time with the team makes it easier to see him as another member of the staff.
“We’ve grown [so] accustomed to being around Farley it’s like talking to a friend. We don’t really pay attention to the fact he has a camera,” Mayes said. “We’re not like, ‘Oh there’s a camera there, I need to do something for the camera.’ We just think, ‘Farley’s here to watch our game. He’s recording us, so what?’”
Despite Anunciacion’s primary focus on capturing footage for athlete exposure and recruitment, he said he wants the film to act as a personal archive too.
“On the creative side, it [serves] to give players a memory and some type of content to keep with them after high school,” Anunciacion said. “High school is only for four years, but they can keep images and videos forever.”
Drawn to creating a “brand” and marketing the team, he features player personalities. Even the music choice reflects collaboration with players.
“I’ve had conversations with players about music choice, but sometimes it’s totally different from what’s trending on Spotify,” Anunciacion said. “It’s not solely based on what I think would look good. We’re collaborating and making sure everyone likes the video we both share.”
When working with Madison to compile his highlight reel, Anunciacion expected high-paced music to match Madison’s “explosive” playing style. He was surprised when Madison requested “peaceful” and “instrumental” music. Madison explained that he liked to feel grounded and peaceful before playing to remain level-headed during high-stakes situations.
Head Coach Reggie Morris said he appreciates the focus on athlete personalities and featuring the players outside their identities as athletes, though creating a team brand is not his priority.
“I just want people to appreciate the sacrifices these young men are making,” Morris said. “It’s not easy to be part of a successful program, so if winning breeds a brand, then sure, but I am not purposely going to build brands. That’s not my thing. My thing is to be a teacher and take care of the fundamentals like hard work, teamwork and sacrifice.”
Originally, Morris did not see the importance of social media for recruitment, as many coaches prefer watching full games. However, his involvement in travel basketball as the program director of Team Why Not has shown him how social media builds “excitement” around a program.
“The [Redondo] program has been traditionally good, but sometimes it hits lulls. With me coming back [as head coach], I wanted to exert some excitement into the program as one of the best programs in the South Bay,” Morris said. “But our goal is to be one of the best programs in the nation to attract people to our events [so] our team and other players can play other good teams, which is going to bring more scouts and exposure to the players. We won’t have to leave our gym to get exposure.”
Morris described paying for team media as a “necessary expense” within the team budget. In addition to fundraising with Snap! Raise, basketball also hosts events like the Jordan Take Flight Challenge and Pac Shores Showcase.
“If it was up to me, [the social media account] wouldn’t be as official as it is, but I know it’s important for the players to receive accolades or get appreciation,” Morris said. “Sometimes it’s not possible for me as a coach to speak to as many people as I need to, so social media can get them extra views and exposure that old-fashioned phone calls can’t.”
Morris’ ultimate goal for the social media is for Redondo Union to be a hub for elite high school basketball in Southern California. As the team inches closer to competing in the Open Division, the highest level of high school basketball, Mayes expects the team’s social media presence to continue growing and encouraging players.
“Whether it’s four cameras or one, we’re a high-profile team and have built ourselves up to the point that we’re going to have a bunch of eyes on us, but it doesn’t really change how we play,” Mayes said. “We’ve had it instilled in us to play like no one’s there. We don’t play [just] for highlights.”
