Boys’ basketball team has a shot at CCS

As senior small forward Tyler Yoshihara made the free throw at a home game against Lynbrook on Jan. 13, the boys on the bench immediately began cheering and dabbing, the team’s celebratory dance move.

“That was definitely on of my favorite moments from the game,” senior shooting guard Gabriel Fong said. “When we all started cheering, it really showed the bonds that we’ve created with each other.”

The Falcons won the tough game 60-51. The team was leading most of the game because of good defense and strong shooting skills, key aspects that contributed to their nine point win. Seniors point guard Joe Eschen and power forward Jatin Mohanty have been the team’s top scorers.

“We did what we did in practice on the court and got a good victory against a tough opponent,” Fong said. “We’re looking to keep playing like we did [against Lynbrook].”

As of Jan. 21, the team’s record in the El Camino League is 2-3.

At a home game against Cupertino on Jan. 20, the Falcons lost 55-53, a loss players blamed on too many turnovers. According to Mohanty, the Falcons took the lead going into the fourth quarter, but lost it on the last two possessions.

The team also lost 56-43 to Santa Clara on Jan. 15.

“We were in the game the first three quarters, but they got a few steals and easy layups to take a big lead in the fourth quarter, so we never really recovered,” junior small forward Apoorv Kwatra said.

The Falcons whipped Mountain View 50-35 on Jan. 8 on the Spartans’ court thanks to well-planned plays and exceptional teamwork. Though Mountain View is ranked high in CCS, the team managed to hold the Spartan’s best player to only nine points. According to Kwatra, the other Spartan players could not score much, leading to a 15-point win.

“I think we all just understand how to play with each other and know what it takes to win as a team,” Fong said.

This is also the first season Fong has played on the court alongside his younger brother, sophomore shooting guard Harrison Fong. Because both boys are competitive, especially when it comes to basketball, they push each other to excel on the court.

“It really helps when I get support from [Harrison] since we both end up playing better,” Gabriel said. “It’s really cool getting to play with him since we’re constantly giving each other tips on and off the court.”

However, for six of the boys on the team, including Gabriel, Yoshihara, Eschen, Mohanty, Alex Guo and Noah Quanrad, this season will be the last of their high school basketball careers.

“[As seniors], this season is an accumulation of all the hard work we’ve put in the last four years,” Gabriel said. “Just playing a sport I love and being out there with my teammates competing for the last time is my favorite part.”

Due to printing deadlines, the Falcon was unable to cover the games against Homestead and Mountain View on Jan. 22 and Jan. 29, respectively.