After finishing 3-9 in the Gabilan Division last season, the boys’ varsity basketball team was moved down to the Mission Division of the PCAL. Although disappointed about the move to the Mission, senior Gregory Cabrera feels that the team has a lot of potential to show. “It’s something we have to move past to show them how good we are in this league,” Cabrera said.
Coach Jose Gil is certain that the team will perform well, regardless of what division they’re in. “It’s all about what works for the league, you know? I’m a team player with that,” Gil said.
One drawback of the new placement is that Alisal is the only Salinas school in the Mission. This means that most away games not really being within the range of the city will make it difficult for Alisal students to go show their support for the athletes.
Gil believes the team will thrive this season, especially with top returning seniors and lots of new varsity players. “I expect a fun season full of energy, excitement, and beautiful basketball,” Gil said. “We’ve worked so hard this off-season to get kids ready for this opportunity now.”
This year’s team consists of 14 players seniors Adrian Cardenas, Brian Picazo, Gregory Cabrera, Ethan Yepez, Pablo Hernandez, Jose Cruz, and Jesus Maciel; juniors Joshua Sanchez, Kike Jacinto, Nico Padilla; and sophomores Kayden Posecion, Diego Hernandez, Leo Nava, and Christian Lopez.
Gil feels this team has a good mix. “They’re getting along great and their upperclassmen are good role models who genuinely want them [the underclassmen] to do good,” he said. “In working together, those kids give us a good mixture of speed, strength, and talent.”
Through six games, the team is 5-1. The players believe that they are performing well. The upperclassmen, however, have noticed that while playing to their full capacity, the team can also feel disillusioned from winning when they feel beat by the opponent. “Those are moments we need to improve once we play better teams as it could cost us by a lot,” senior Jose Cruz said.
Despite not seeing the majority of teams they will face, Gil feels good about his team’s chances in the new division. He believes they can finish in the top two and earn an automatic bid to the playoffs. “It’s going to be tough, not easy, but that’s fine,” Gil said. “We want the competition.”
League play starts at Alisal on January 2, 2024, against Pacific Grove.
