The boys’ basketball team made some noise in their first season in the Mission Division of the PCAL.
Building off their 8-3 preseason record, they carried over their strong start, were in the mix for the league title, and finished in 2nd place at 10-3.
Their strong finish in league and their 18-6 overall record led them to qualify for the CCS Division 1 playoffs. They earned a matchup against Everett Alvarez at Alvarez. It was a close game against the cross-town rival, but they lost in overtime, 67-74. “I thought we were going to win because we were mostly beating them, but I guess the ending was unexpected for us,” junior Kike Jacinto said.
Gil was confident in having overcome the challenges brought up during the season. “It was hard balancing the boys’ personal and academic life while play basketball and trying to help them make wise decisions that don’t hurt the team’s performance,” Gil said. “We had a great season, though, full of joy and excitement.” He also wanted to highlight two players who shined in the court: Senior Adrian Cardenas and Junior Kike Jacinto. After contributing lots to the team’s victories, Cardenas was honored with the awards of being co-Most Valued Player, offensive player of the year, and first team all league. Rising senior next year, Jacinto is expected to be the main returning athlete, ready to step up and take a leadership role among his underclassmen.
“Overall, the season was great. There were ups and downs that we definitely prepared for and were able to achieve, but we still came up short,” senior Brian Picazo said. “Obviously I expected us to win league and get deeper into CCS, but at the end of the day, it’s okay because I always made sure to bring it on and all my teammates tried their best to give it their all.”
