Boys basketball holds onto first in SCVAL

Despite recent losses, the team is optimistic on their chances of victory in future games

The Palo Alto High School boys basketball team continues to roll as it is now 15-4 overall and also 6-2 in league play. The Vikings continue to rely on a team effort to score points with senior guard Kevin Mullin leading the Vikings with an impressive 20 points per game. In an interview with sophomore guard, Miles Tention, Tention went into detail on some of the keys to the teams success.

“We are playing much better than last week, when we lost two games,” Tention said. “[We’re now] moving the ball, rebounding and shooting better. We are also playing better as a team.”

The team looks to continue its success by shooting the ball well and also rebounding. Despite recent losses to both Los Gatos High School  and Homestead High School, the Vikings currently stand first in their league and are playing really well as of late. Going down the stretch of the seasons, the Viking’s goals remain the same from the start of the season.

“We want to win our league and get to the Open Division of CCS,” Tention said.

Upcoming for the Vikings is a crosstown non league showdown with their rival, Henry M. Gunn High School. The Vikings came out victorious in last years game, but this year Gunn presents a big challenge. The Titans are currently 13-2 overall and 5-1 in league play. Junior forward Justin Hull commented on the upcoming game.

“They’ll be pumped up to play against us and vis versa, so it’ll be a fun game,” Hull said.

Paly graduate, Brandynn Williams is now coaching for Gunn, just in case this game needed any more added attraction.  Upcoming in the next league games, the Vikings will face a number of tough opponents in many key games.

“This Friday we play Los Altos and down the road we will play Homestead, who we lost to the first time, and Fremont who we are tied with in league. So that one will be for first play,” Hull said.

The Vikings have a lot of crucial games coming up and these games will decide who wins league and ultimately who makes the playoffs. They share the drivers seat for the De Anza league with Fremont, but a few key wins down the stretch, as well as a head to head win against Fremont can solidify a CCS playoff birth.

On Tuesday, the Vikings beat Milpitas in a matchup that allowed them to retain their spot atop the standings. Senior Jonathon Rojahn had 19 points in the victory, while Mullin chipped in 20. The win should give the Vikes the momentum they are looking for as they end the season and try to achieve their CCS goals.