The reigning Division 1 champions took to the court without their seven graduated seniors and with a new head coach on Monday night for their preseason scrimmage against the Aragon Dons.
“It’s been hard trying to find new core pieces to the team, new leaders, new voices, but I feel like that’s all going to settle in eventually, and we’re going to be okay,” said junior Izzy Han.
The scrimmage was also the return of Suhail Mohammdi, who is the Scots’ new head coach and also a former player for Carlmont. He has coached for the past 10 years at different high schools and at the junior college level. Mohammdi graduated in 2010 and was a 2-time MVP on the team.
“I want them to be a team and serve first. So always being able to help somebody, helping another teammate, a partner. We’re one family, and in order to have a good culture, everyone has to buy in from one common goal, so understanding that the mission is the goal versus individual aspirations,” Mohammdi said.
Prior to the game, Mohammdi circled the team around a clipboard and talked to them. What he said to them worked.
Junior Jordan Rice started the game off with a layup. Aragon kept missing the net while Carlmont’s teamwork was in high gear. Rice and Han connected with Rice kicking the ball out to Han for an open 3-pointer. Aragon got their first point off a free throw, making the score 7-1. The Scots kept the momentum going. With under one second left, Rice drew a foul and made the shot, helping the Scots finish the first quarter 26-11.
“We have a lot of good energy. I feel like we bond very well. We’ve all known each other for three plus years, so I feel like we get together really well and it’s always fun,” Han said.
Aragon was not ready to back down. Senior Dons Charlie Platz and Kaleb Brodeth collectively helped the Dons get up to 22 points while Carlmont had yet to score this quarter. Carlmont junior Dylan Sorensen was finally able to score for the Scots, furthering their lead. Although the Dons scored 18 points in the second quarter, Carlmont was still up 42-29.
The third and fourth quarters went very similarly. Both teams battled back and forth, getting many shots off. Carlmont, however, was able to sink more shots and move the ball around better. The game concluded 79-65.
“I knew that we were going to be good in some areas and also struggle with some stuff, just due to lack of time and everyone playing together for multiple different practices. But overall, I’m happy with the way they competed. We just got to clean up some of the sloppiness,” Mohammdi said.
Mohammdi knows that coaching is not a job to be taken lightly.
“The impact that we can make to the young men on and off the court outside of X and O’s or winning games, there’s a special bond coaches can have with athletes, and that lasts a lifetime. So impacting them off the court is the main reason why I get into coaching,” Mohammdi said.
The players are still adjusting but are optimistic about the change.
“It’s definitely different, but I think our team is handling it well. I think we all really like our new coach, and he pushes us hard,” Rice said.
