For the first time in two years, the Boys Varsity Basketball team made it to Division IV of CIF after finishing second in their league with a record of 8-2.
Aside from the La Cañada Spartans, no other team was able to stop the boys as they knocked down threes and rammed through defense.
The season was a mix of both close wins, such as 59-58 against the San Marino Titans, and landslide victories, like 95-29 against the Blair Vikings.
Even in their two losses against the Spartans, they managed to keep the margin minimal at home and played hard on the road.
As with any team, cohesiveness is one of their keys to success.
“We’re really close to one another off the court so our team chemistry is super strong on the court,” Junior Elton Lo said. “As captain I try to communicate with my teammates during the game and tell them where to go. We need to take care of the ball under pressure and make easy shots.”
Head Coach Eric Chin feels that the team’s greatest strength is shooting.
Moreover, Senior Patrick Ekmekjian and Lo, who are two of the taller players on the team, give the Rams presence in the paint to block shots and get rebounds.
“The one thing I stress to the guys is to play hard because other teams are physical and I don’t want them to be pushed around,” Coach Chin said. “This season was a success in my eyes because we finished top two in our league and we couldn’t even finish top three for the past two seasons.”
The team is excited going into postseason as they have a chance to advance in the playoffs and possibly win a championship.
“Making CIF was already a success for me,” Junior Brandon Torimaru said. “We played really hard this year and we had more team bonding. It feels good to make CIF because it’s another game that I get to play with my team.”
Check Rampage’s weekly newsletter for updates regarding the team’s CIF schedule.
TCHS School Newspaper