Carlmont’s varsity boys basketball team defeated the Los Altos Eagles on Saturday, Feb. 17 in a Central Coast Section (CCS) playoff game with a final score of 75-58.
The Scots won a previous game against the Eagles earlier in the season with a score of 56-44. Although they won, this did not stop them from further preparation.
“We prepared a lot for this game, and I’d say that was the main reason this game went so smoothly,” said junior shooting guard Josh Lam.
The Eagles started the game strong, scoring a 3-point shot. Senior Zachary Lefer responded with a 3-pointer for the Scots, tying up the game. The Eagles played strong offense and swooped ahead for an 8-point lead in the first five minutes of the quarter. The Scots started to focus on their defense and got several steals.
“We probably played the best defense we have played all season. We did have some problems with some of their bigger players, but overall we did pretty well,” Lam said.
With some quick drives by the Scots and successful free throw shots, the Scots ended the first quarter leading 19-16.
“In the first half, our offense was great. We played well, we had great energy, and it really showed,” said Head Coach Ron Ozorio.
The Scots continued seeking aggressive drives in the second quarter, trying to widen their lead. With successful 3-point shots from the Scots and several quick drives from juniors Franklin Kuo and Jeremiah Phillips, the Scots scored 22 points in the quarter. While maintaining their assertive offense, they kept a secure defense, only letting the Eagles score six points and ending the half 41-22.
Throughout the whole game, we played really great on both defense and on offense and did a great job against some of their better players.
— Ron Ozorio
“In the second quarter, once we got into a flow, we really just took the energy out of them,” Lefer said.
The Scots returned to the game with aggressive drives, trying to catch the Eagles off guard. The Eagles tried to shift toward a more aggressive defense, resulting in several fouls throughout the third quarter.
The Eagles, trying to cut down on the 20-point lead, utilized their senior center Omer Sukur to score some easy layups. They shifted toward a more zone-based defense to stop their excessive fouling, which progressed with little luck due to the Scots scoring several 3-pointers and deep 2-pointers. The Scots protected their lead, ending the third quarter with a score of 57-39.
Shifting into the game’s final quarter, the Scots wanted to maintain their momentum and continued to make their shots, ending the game as their second-highest-scoring game of the season at 75-58.
The Scots hope to continue their recent victories and defeat the Palo Alto Vikings in another playoff game for the CCS playoffs on Feb. 20.
“Against Palo Alto, we have to be at the top of our game. They’re well-coached, well-prepared, and they always play well at home games,” Ozorio said.
Lefer echoes the same concern for preparation and has his own insight on how the team should prepare.
“They have a ton of film to watch, so we definitely gotta get on top of that. Even though they’re a strong team, if we played like today, I’m confident we’ll beat them,” Lefer said.
