Girls’ basketball: Falcons beat Vikings, tie for league lead

In a defensive struggle, the Falcons came away with a 27-24 victory against previously undefeated Lynbrook last Friday. With a record 6-1, the Falcons moved into a tie with Lynbrook for first place in the El Camino League.

“We knew that we could win because we were so close last time we played them,” senior guard Chloe Fung said.

The team was down by four at halftime, but picked up the intensity in the second half, tying the score at the end of the third quarter and pulling ahead with a few valued possessions in the fourth. Fung said that their defense and good communication kept the Viking shooters from scoring.

On Jan. 23, the Falcons defeated Homestead High at home. It was a close game until the third quarter, when the Falcons extended the lead to win 60-43.

“They’re a good team,” senior post Harshini Ramaswamy said. “It was definitely neck and neck at times”

Coach Danny Wallace said that the girls did a great job pushing the ball up the court and setting up open shots. He believes that they deserved to win due to the effort each player gave.

Senior guard Chloe Fung said that the players scouted Homestead carefully and developed a game plan that they executed well. The team meticulously structured its defense around Homestead’s offense, as it knew many of its plays.

Ramaswamy said that the team played “cohesively,” which had been a recurring difficulty, for it has “struggled to reconcile [the players’] individual playing styles with working as a team.”

Since the start of league, the girls also beat Monta Vista 56-32, Fremont 57-34, Los Altos 42-36 and Milpitas 49-35. However, they previously lost to Lynbrook 49-44 at home on Jan 5.  

With their current record, the team has a chance to win league if it wins the next six consecutive games. To achieve this goal, Wallace said the girls “need to play hard, rebound, and control the tempo of the game.”

Over the winter break, the team traveled to San Francisco and participated in The West Coast Jamboree tournament from December 28-30. Wallace said that it was a “great testament” of how the the girls can compete against CCS level teams.

“We exceeded our own expectations,” Ramaswamy said. Despite having many missing or sick players, the team battled its way to the championship bracket.

Sophomore post Ella Parr said that she enjoyed going into a game without knowing anything about the team’s strategy or plays. “It’s like sight reading in band: having to play through with confidence the whole time,” she said. “We learned that we are stronger than we thought.”

The trip created unforgettable memories and strengthened the bonds between the teammates. Ramaswamy said that it improved trust among the girls and led them to play less individually on the court.

Parr said that the team will go far if it continues thriving and getting better. “My hope is to continue to grow as the young team we are."

Despite the team’s success, Wallace said that team dynamics and individual attitudes is the most important aspect of the sport.

“It’s not the record that makes me proud of them,” Wallace said. “It’s how hard they play is every game and how they never quit on each other.”