The Carlmont boys varsity basketball team opened its season with a 59-51 loss to Milpitas at home in an energetic preseason matchup. Despite trailing by 20 points and facing long scoring droughts, the Scots stepped up late and left the court with confidence.
The Scots opened up the first quarter with high pace and intensity. However, the Trojans quickly matched their pace. The Scots ended the quarter down 17-14 after trading fouls and fast breaks throughout.
In the second quarter, Milpitas took control, building on the momentum from the first quarter. Senior Trojan guard Jesiah Caampued knocked down a 3-pointer to open the quarter. Carlmont responded with two free throws from junior forward Jordan Rice, who was fouled on a drive.
Through all these fast breaks and quick layups, Milpitas was able to find clarity in senior guard Dylan Nguyen with a 3-pointer. This pushed the Scots down 27-20, widening the Trojans’ lead. By halftime, the Scots were losing 33-26.
However, the third quarter proved the toughest stretch for the Scots. Milpitas senior center Ziad Elkordy opened the half with a layup off an inbound pass, and Carlmont’s offense struggled to find rhythm, not being able to score until midway through the quarter. Milpitas stayed on beat, continuing to attack the paint. The Scots ended the quarter down 48-30.
“I think we just didn’t take care of the ball. You know, we just got to play as a team, play with five people, and I think we didn’t share the ball,” said Carlmont assistant coach Abraham Gonzalez.
Entering the fourth quarter, the Scots zoned in. Throughout most of the fourth quarter, the main standout was junior guard Ayaan Omer, who scored many layups and provided stability for the team, even though they were still trailing significantly.
But the Scots weren’t done yet. With 2 minutes remaining in the whole match, sophomore guard Mahir Passi blocked a Milpitas layup attempt, bringing hype to the gym as it was a seasoned play from a young, promising guard. Right after securing the block, Passi rushed across the floor, securing a floater from just outside the paint, cutting the deficit further.
Passi drew a foul and a technical as well, securing himself four free throw attempts. As Passi approached the free-throw line, the crowd loomed, the bench stared, and the gym went quiet. Passi, despite all the pressure, was able to score four straight free throws. This cut the score down to 53-46 for the Trojans.
Moments after Passi scored the free throws, Carlmont senior forward Luke Brown hit a fade-away 3-pointer from the wing, bringing the Scots within striking distance at 53-49.
“I mean, down by twenty and then come up to down by two. It’s just huge. Energy was all we needed, and it’s all we got,” said Carlmont junior guard Ryan Hadjian.
In the final moments, Rice hit what would’ve been a crucial layup, only for it to be waived off due to an offensive foul. In the final moments, Milpitas sealed the victory with Elkordy hitting a layup, bringing the score to the final, 59-51, Trojan victory.
Milpitas senior point guard Dylan Nguyen attributed the team’s success to the energy his team had and the hard work they put in at practice.
“During practice, we push each other. I think our team has a lot of team chemistry. But we played really good team ball,” Nguyen said.
Despite the loss, the Scots’ fighting spirit impressed the coaches.
“I love the way they fought in the second half. You know we didn’t start off the first half well, but I think we played really well to end the game,” Gonzalez said. “I think Passi stepped up in the second half and showed up. And I think he’s going to have a really good season.”
For the players, the comeback attempt left a lasting impression on the team as a whole, proving that their mindset was just as important as their skills.
“We didn’t really think about losing, even though we were down by 20. It was never about losing. It was always about winning,” Hadjan said.
