By Christopher Lung
Staff Writer
Gabrielino High School (GHS) boys varsity basketball team will compete against the Rosemead High School (RHS) Panthers in an away game next Tuesday at 4:45 p.m. This will be their first league game after a series of tournaments in the preseason, which ended in a 4-3 record.
The last time these two teams faced off was last season on Feb. 12, when the Eagles glided over the Panthers with a major victory, 73-38, and ended the season with a 2-0 record against RHS. The team was undefeated in league games throughout the entire season, winning the league championship title.
“[This season opener] is going to be tough. Rosemead is out to get us,” stated Kevin Le, senior. “We have to be mentally and physically ready once we step out into court.”
This year’s lineup is different than previous seasons, however, as many of the seniors on last year’s team have graduated. The team will need to learn how to bond as a group and adjust to the plays in order to communicate more effectively.
“Each person must know his own role on the team and work harder towards that goal,” stated senior Aaron Acosta.
The Eagles attacked the Mountain View Vikings on Tuesday in the Azusa Tournament at Azusa High School. Scores were unavailable during press time.
The team played Covina High School in the same tournament this past Monday and lost to the Colts, 48-31.
Last Friday, GHS defeated South Gate High School in the Artesia Tournament of Artesia High School, 50-45, earning their fourth victory in the preseason and dropping South Gate’s record to 4-4.
On Dec. 8, the team annihilated San Pedro High School, 75-48, pushing the opponent’s record to 0-2 in the preseason. This game was also played at Artesia.
GHS played against Herbert Hoover High School in the Artesia Tournament on Dec. 5. Although the Eagles battled hard against the Tornadoes, the team ultimately lost by a small margin, 64-65.
The team triumphed over Ayala High School with a score of 56-51 in the week-long Bosco Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 3, earning their second consecutive victory of the preseason. The Bosco Tournament was hosted by Don Bosco Technical Institute.
On Dec. 1, the Eagles trounced Arroyo High School, 76-45, with the first win of the year at the same tournament.
Gabrielino challenged the Artesia High School Pioneers on Nov. 30. Despite the strong start and the six point lead at the half, the team’s efforts came up short as they did not score any points during the fourth quarter. The Eagles ultimately ended up losing, 47-55.
GHS opened the preseason against San Gabriel High School at Bosco Tech on Nov. 29. The Matadors edged past the Eagles by only three points, resulting in a 60-63 defeat.
Overall, the team is optimistic about the future games in the season and how they will overcome their challenges. Through more practice and conditionings during the season, the Eagles seek to build confidence and teamwork, which will be the key to success in the upcoming games.
“[We will] keep improving and hopefully be ready for the league,” stated Coach John Carney.
