After winning their 14th West Catholic Athletic League championship, Men’s Basketball’s new focus became to win the Central Coast Section championship. Having only four returning players with experience in CCS this year, the team reached the finals before falling to Riordan. Now the team moves forward into NorCal and, if all goes well, State.

Given that the team lost six players from last year’s WCAL and NorCal champions—with four of the six heading off to play in college—this season has been a success by any measure.

Senior starting guard Isaiah Cabebe says, “Honestly, to replicate the same success, I think it isn’t about trying to replicate the same team we had last year, but rather to play basketball the way we do. We have our own identity and should stick with what has helped us win games this year.” Isaiah believes in his team and believes that they can beat anyone who comes their way.

A key factor in winning NorCal and State will be to overcome the pressure and noise. With fans filling the stands, self-confidence levels rise and fall. Players need to, according to Cabebe, “Stay focused and stick together to play as a team.”  Now that fans are being accepted into the game, the energy being created will be more intense than what they experienced early in the season. Isaiah and his teammates are confident that they can play through the pressure of an intense crowd. Isaiah demonstrated his poise in high pressure situations when he helped his team to victory against Riordan, scoring the game-winning three after the team was down by thirteen points at halftime. This game clinched them the WCAL title.