On Jan. 24, the Bonita Vista High (BVH) girl’s varsity basketball team faced off against their league rivals, the Eastlake High School (EHS) Titans at home, claiming a landslide victory with a score of 77-29.
With the growing tension and anticipation between rivalry teams, BVH girls’ varsity basketball Head coach Tristan Lamb prepares his team for the game. The Titans begin the game claiming a challenging tip-off and immediately working their way up the court as they rush to attempt their first basket. Lamb reflects on his team and how they’re able to play through the minor setback.
“From a coaching perspective, I love how this team comes out ready to play, and I admire their hard work ethic,” Lamb said.
Now defending against the Titans, the Lady Barons seem to have struggles early in the game until BVHs small forward, shooting guard and senior Haydee Arancibia-hardwick (13) pushes towards the basket and secures her first rebound of the night. The Barons responded with a fastbreak three pointer by BVH point guard and senior Malyna Castillo (0). The Titans take an opportunity to even the game but not before BVH point guard and freshman Bayanai Cordova (2) intercepts the ball and assists BVH shooting guard and senior Mahliya Wilson (1), exciting the bench, and receiving cheers from the crowd.
“This was our first meeting of the season, and we wanted to show the people that came out to support us a game where we dominated,” BVH shooting guard, point guard and senior Shania White said.
The first quarter continues with BVH playing diamond level offense, ripping apart the Titans’ defense. Things were looking bright for BVH until EHS center and sophomore Ellie Ruperto (34) fought for the defensive rebound and threw the ball into Baron’s territory, assisting her teammate. This sparked a period of offensive dominance for the Titans, taking advantage of the weaknesses of the Baron’s defense many times during the first quarter, forcing Lamb to make many defensive substitutions.
“We need to patch up our defense, and limit our mistakes on the court. We also need to get on the same page to achieve the results we want from this game,” Lamb said.
Lamb’s speech at the start of the second quarter marks a fresh beginning for the Barons. Determined to make a lasting impression on the Titans, the Barons returned to the court with renewed strength. Their improved defense put immense pressure on the Titans, forcing them into tough decisions that ultimately proved costly. Wilson’s consecutive jumpers further widened the gap, giving the Barons some much needed space to work with. As the second quarter progresses, the Barons continue to dominate on both ends of the court, leaving the Titans scrambling to adapt to their aggressive style of play. Despite the Titans’ attempts to change their game plan, it made no difference, resulting in a Barons 46-17 lead going into the break.
“When we came back onto the court after the first quarter, we knew we had to go and win this game, and after the second quarter I don’t think they stood a chance against us anymore,” Wilson said.
The second half kicks off with a disorganized start from the Titans, resulting in an offensive masterclass from the Barons shooting guard, Castillo. With a score of 50-17 and only a few minutes into the third quarter, the Barons did not step off the gas, and started from where they finished in the first half. The Titans regained hope when EHS point guard and junior Lauren Villaruel (2) dribbled past the Barons lockdown defense for a thrilling three pointer. The Barons then respond with a three pointer of their own, successfully draining the hope of the Titans. In the final seconds of the third quarter, Wilson executed a remarkable play, swiftly maneuvering past the Titans defense and sinking a sensational step back two-pointer at the buzzer, leaving spectators in awe.
“The team had great chemistry, we had many open shots and made it count. We improved our defense in a heartbeat, and as you can tell from the show we put on tonight, we are a great basketball team,” Wilson said.
As the final quarter of the game approaches, both teams continue to display resilience. The Barons adopt a defensive strategy while the Titans take a more aggressive approach. The Titans aim to exploit the tired Barons by attempting numerous three-pointers. However, BVH shooting guard, point guard and freshman Layla Schoen (15) made several steals, securing a victory for the significantly improved Barons. The game concludes with a final score of 77-29.
“This team’s cohesiveness and work ethic is what really won us this game, they made many adjustments throughout the game that really had an impact on the way we went out. The fans also had a huge impact today, the crowd was amazing, and they brought energy that really impacted the performance of this team,” Lamb said.
