Our Varsity boys take on the Ione Cardinals and the Grant Union Prospectors this week, both of which they have beaten once already this season. In both match-ups, the Tigers won by 20+ points so at a first glance, these should be comfortable wins. I interviewed Junior Antonio Galindo and Seniors Gabriel and Daniel Mendez on what they could improve on for these games.

Question #1 – What do you think you could work on this week to better prepare for the games this week?

Daniel – “Probably defense and scoring. Looking to attack at the rim.”

Antonio – “As a team, we can better prepare our boxing out and getting back on defense. We have a lot of plays where we’re a little slow or we’re not fully boxing out and it costs turnovers or extra possessions for the other team.”

Gabriel – “Just staying locked in on defense and not reaching so much on the little point guard from Grant Union.”

Question #2 – From these last few games, who is one player you would like to give a shout-out to and why?

Daniel – “I’d like to shout-out Carter Sharp. He’s been putting in the work in practice and showing up during games, playing a big part on defense, and playing against a 6’7 kid from Enterprise. Macha Angel too for just going out there and putting in the work.”

Antonio – “I’d probably give a shout-out to Carter. He’s not the biggest guy on the team but, especially last game where he guarded a 6’8 guy, the amount of willpower that he has to go out there and do what he’s doing as a sophomore in high school is pretty insane.”

Gabriel – “I’d like to give a shout-out to Carter because he was locking up their (Enterprise) big guy and wherever he was, that’s where Carter was.”

Question #3 – If any, what would you say is the biggest challenge for the team in these upcoming games?

Daniel – ” I feel like a big challenge for us is that we’re small. We have nobody over 6’2 I believe and other teams advantages but we’re fast enough, have good IQ, and good chemistry in that we can over-look the height.”

Antonio – “Rebounding.”

Gabriel – “Probably composure. A lot of teams are going to try to get under our skin so being composed and going with the flow is going to help us out a lot.”

MB