By Jordan Liu | Copy Editor
Today the Gabrielino High School boys basketball team will play against Arroyo High School and are expected to win, as they previously beat Arroyo, 71-26, on Jan. 9 and consistently won against Arroyo last season. Scores were not available at press time.
On Jan. 25, the team played a home game against Rosemead High School, which took place on Gabrielino’s 10th Ovarian Cancer Awareness Night, where all proceeds went to the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. Scores were not available at press time.
The team played against Marshall High School on Jan. 23 and won 62-53, securing a second victory over Marshall after beating them on Jan. 4, 55-47.
“The first half didn’t really go our way,” said senior Nathan Kan. “But we picked it up in the second half and as a team we worked collectively to bring home the win.”
On Jan. 18, the team won against El Monte High School, 64-15. The team previously played El Monte on Jan. 9, beating them 70-21.
The team played against Mountain View High School on Jan. 13. The game remained close in the first half until Gabrielino began to widen the gap and ultimately scored a victory, 69-51.
“I have not felt nervous for a game in a while so it was a different feeling for me,” stated junior Darius Eslava. “The emotions I felt stayed nervous until the third quarter as the team started to pick it up and play better. Whenever the team starts to play good, no one can stop us.”
On Jan. 11, Gabrielino won against South El Monte High School, 48-30. The team showed a strong performance from the beginning of the game and held a steady lead over their opponents until the end.
During winter break the team diligently practiced almost every day, only taking breaks on Sundays and holidays. Their hard work paid off as they scored numerous wins in league games throughout the break.
On Jan. 6, the team played against Rosemead High School and won 65-20. All the time spent together at games greatly contributed to the team’s wins, creating strong bonds between members.
“Our team is definitely doing better at keeping a lively and engaging environment by hanging out on and off the basketball court,” stated Kan. “We are sharing the ball more and communicating with each other consistently during the games.”
From Dec. 27-29, 2022, the team played four games at the San Gabriel Winter Classic tournament. Gabrielino lost 55-56 to Los Altos High School and 51-53 to Alhambra High School and won against Channel Islands High School, 75-49, and Wilson High School, 80-50.
“The game against Alhambra was definitely a tough loss because we knew we were better but we didn’t play to our potential,” said senior Kyle Chung.
During parts of the tournament, the team’s head varsity coach, John Carney, was unable to attend.
“There was a slight mental decline,” stated senior and team captain Mike Otoguro. “Whether that was from not taking the practice seriously or fearing the lack of leadership and instruction, there was a decline in the team’s performance as we should have beat Los Altos and Alhambra.”
On Dec. 16, Gabrielino secured a close victory over San Marino High School and won 61-58. The game remained neck and neck until the very end, making the win even more rewarding.
“San Marino is one of the best teams we have played this season so far and yet we were able to defeat them,” said Otoguro. “It was really satisfying to beat them, especially on their home court.”
