In an intense rematch, Carlmont’s varsity girls basketball team triumphed 60-30 over the Aragon Dons in a home game on Feb. 5. This victory secured their second win of the season against the Dons. Their first game was a much closer contest.
The Dons, missing one of their top scorers due to injury, and the Scots, suffering absences from illness, made for an interesting matchup. Both teams fought hard from the start, but the Scots pulled ahead early on.
“We started out really strong. We wanted to get into their bench and get them in foul trouble,” said head coach Richard Stevens.
Carlmont’s defensive struggles were counterbalanced by their strong offensive execution and hustle. The game was marked by several standout plays.
Despite a late push from Aragon in the second half, Carlmont maintained their lead, ending the second quarter with a 33-19 advantage. Strong performances from the free-throw line by Willow Ishibashi-To and Emerson Barajas contributed several key shots to keep Aragon at bay.
“I think Justine Deschmidt had a really good game coming off the bench. She finished really well around the basket and had one of her best games,” Stevens said.
Aragon struggled throughout the game despite strong individual efforts from sophomore Jaclyn Ruttenberg and junior Daisy Pantoja Beltran, who has been their leading scorer with 11.2 points per game.
“I had a driving kick to Kylie Uyekubo. Having that and her hitting a shot got me really hyped,” Ruttenberg said.
With Carlmont’s victory, they moved into a middle of the pack position at No. 5 in the Peninsula-Bay League Standings with a 4-5 record, while Aragon remains No. 6 with a 2-8 league record.
“The season has been up and down, but we’re really focusing on having more fun and working on ball movement. We’re continuing to build chemistry as the season progresses,” Ruttenberg said.
The Scots now look to build momentum as they prepare for the playoffs, hoping to close out the season strong and improve their league standing. Meanwhile, the Dons are focused on improving their defense, rebounding, and enjoying the rest of the season as a team.
“No matter win or lose, we’re still there for each other, and we treat each other like family,” said Aragon head coach Kristie Hala’ufia.
