Daily Pilot High School Athlete of the Week

Parker Stone is known as “Iceman” on the Corona del Mar High boys’ basketball team. Teammates gave Stone the nickname because of his ability to shoot.

Someone now needs to give the Iceman some ice. The senior needs a bag of it.

Stone’s back is hurting. He felt a pinch in his lower back on Monday, two days after helping the Sea Kings beat Calvary Chapel, 66-46, in the championship game of the Orange Optimist Tournament .

Stone earned the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player honor after hitting big shots and averaging 12 points, six rebounds and close to three three-pointers per game. Everything felt fine during the four games at Westminster High.

Stone is now having a hard time practicing. The senior guard doesn’t know how he injured his back in CdM’s nonleague game at Foothill, just that the pain worsened after the loss.

The Sea Kings (7-3) are going to need Stone to get healthy before the start of Pacific Coast League play. Stone has until Jan. 8 to straighten his back out and help CdM return to the top of the league after it finished in second place last season.

Stone said he has seen a physical therapist. Rest has alleviated some of the stiffness in the back. He wants to continue to play and contribute to CdM’s strong start to the season.

Next for CdM is a trip to San Francisco. The Sea Kings will compete in the Sand Dune Classic at St. Ignatius Prep starting on Saturday. The four-day tournament gives the Sea Kings a chance to develop on and off the court.

“These kinds of trips bring us together and we get to know each other a lot better,” said Stone, who’s one of the team’s leaders.

Stone is in his second varsity season at CdM, the first as a starter.

Stone’s role has changed. Last season, Stone described himself as a scrappy bench player, who rarely looked to shoot when he entered games.

CdM had one go-to player last season in Sean Donovan. With Donovan lost to graduation, Stone is now one of four scoring options on the team this season. The others are guards Danny Cheek, Clayton Ragsdale and Ramon Mejia.

While those juniors can slash toward the basket with ease, Stone has the best outside shot. He has turned into a big-time threat.

Stone isn’t afraid to pull up and shoot anymore.

“He’s a lot more competitive and he’s gotten more aggressive,” CdM Coach Ryan Schachter said. “He’s just a real savvy player and he does a lot more than just take shots.”

Stone can redirect shots as well.

Stone uses his 6-foot-3 frame well. Twice during the Orange Optimist Tournament, he blocked three shots.

Stone gives the Sea Kings a shot blocker and they need one. CdM is a smaller team compared to the teams in Schachter’s first three seasons at the school.

“It would be nice to have a Stefan Kaluz every year,” said Schachter of the former 6-9 standout center, who went on to play at Brown University after graduating from CdM in 2008.

“But we don’t have a Kaluz. We have guys who work hard and compete.”

One of those guys is Stone. The Sea Kings need the Iceman’s back to improve.