Knights Outlast Eagles 31-25 for 1st Place
By Javiera Alipaz
The JV Eagles competed against the Cambridge Knights in the championship game at the Eagle gym on Monday. Both teams displayed admirable teamwork and meritorious skill, although the Cambridge Knights crafted their way into first place.
The Eagle gym was full of spectators filled with wonder of what was sure to be a rough game. Both Eagle and Cambridge fans alike were crammed into the best seats in order to be able to witness the spectacle that was about to unfold.
The game started awry for the Eagles, as the tip off was in favor of the Knights, thanks to Knight Percy Vidal. From then on, the whole first quarter was a shooting spree for the Knights; making baskets left and right. With only one minute and a half left in the first quarter, the Knights were already up 16-0. Only did a single free throw by Eagle Regan Janzen, alter the score. The first quarter then ended 16-1.
The second quarter began with a throw in by Eagle Luke Phillips to teammate Brian Lara. Just seconds later, Janzen scored again- only to be then counteracted by Knight Santiago Hurtado’s basket. Almost immediately after, Phillips scored a basket of his own- setting the score 18-5. The second quarter ended 20-8, with Knight Nando Boller adding two points for his team and Phillips and Janzen tallying another point and two more points for their team, respectively.
Only a minute into the game, the Eagles had already been fouled twice, but would only manage a lone point from their four free throws. Knight Horacio Morales contributed with 3 points for his team in this quarter, while teammate Nando Boller supplied his team with 2 more points of his own. For the Eagles, Janzen and Phillips added a free throw each. Teammate Brian Lara then enriched his team’s score with 4 more points to call his own- leaving the final score for the third quarter at 27-14.
The final quarter began with a point by Lara, which was closely followed by two free throws: one by Knight Percy Vidal and the other by Eagle Regan Janzen. Three minutes of passes and plays followed with a static scoreboard. With exactly 3 minutes and forty-five seconds left on the clock, the score was 28-18. In the short amount of time that followed, Vidal, Lara and Janzen all managed to score a free throw each. Phillips scored 4 points, and Janzen tallied up 2 more points, with the final score reading 31-25.
The Cambridge Knights now enjoy their title as champions of the Junior Varsity division of the SCISL league. Though both teams loose key players as they move on to their respective varsity teams, the younger players will prove to be promising in the years to come. The Eagles tasted what it was like playing without their eight grader Claudio Sandoval, due to the fact that he was ineligible to play in the final game, though seventh grader Brian Lara managed to step up to the plate. For now, the Knights should be delighted about their triumph- simply enjoying it without worrying about the seasons to come.
Jaguars Triumph Over Outmatched Griffins for 3rd, 42-2
By Trevor Reed
The Cooperative JV boys basketball team overwhelmed their opponents on Monday, dominating the Griffins in every aspect of the game and winning decisively 42-2. Although the overall play for both teams was a bit sloppy and unpolished, the Jaguars succeeded where it really counts, gaining third place medals for their efforts.
From the very beginning, the Jaguars had a major height advantage over the Griffins, although the Griffins did have more players suited up and eager to play. The height advantage proved to be more valuable, however, as the Jaguars dominated in rebounding for the entire first quarter. The overall shooting and dribbling from both teams was poor, but Cooperative did have the upper hand in nearly all areas of play. Jaguar Raul Valle scored over half of the points for his team, who gained a 12-1 lead by the end of the first quarter.
Jaguar dominance continued into the next quarter as the Jaguars continued to dominate in rebounds, which left the Griffins with very few options. The Griffins did have many shooting opportunities of their own, but most of them were from far away from the basket, and despite a few very close shots, they were not able to score on any in the second quarter. Meanwhile, the Jaguar trio of Valle, Eduardo Ustarez, and Rodrigo Chavez continued to drive up the score for their team. Despite the fairly high volume of points scored by the Jaguars, their shooting accuracy was actually extremely poor, but luckily they made up for it with the sheer number of shots taken. At halftime the score stood at 26-1.
In the second half, the Jaguars appeared to have improved slightly on accuracy, scoring on their first two shots, but this did not last long. Surprisingly, the Griffins stayed enthusiastic and even improved their defense in the third quarter. The Jaguars still managed to score ten points, and the game headed into the final quarter with the score at 36-1.
One of the highlights of the fourth quarter was Griffin player Jaime Barrenechea who, despite his small size, continued to fight for every loose ball and open rebound. In fact, his determined playing style led to multiple steals from the Jaguar dribblers, but the Griffins were unable to convert these steals into points. Barrenechea did manage to score a free throw after he was fouled, but then the Jaguars proceeded to score six more points, cementing their status as the third place finishers with a final score of 42-2.
