The boys basketball team (4-6 Peninsula Athletic League, 10-12 overall) has been struggling after a Central Coast Section finals run last year. However, on Feb. 1, the Dons were able to take a 58-44 win against San Mateo (1-9 PAL, 6-16 overall).
The game was in coordination with Hoops for Troops, a National Basketball Association organization that “is a year-round initiative led by the NBA, its teams and players in collaboration with the Department of Defense, USO [United Service Organizations], TAPS [Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors] and other military and veteran-serving organizations to honor active and retired service members and their families,” as stated in their mission statement.
“Through our contact with [Rep.] Jackie Speier, we were able to set up the Valentines for veterans idea in collaboration with the organization,” said Associated Student Body secretary Ellen Batsuuri.
The support began at school on Friday, with students dressing in green, camouflage and khaki to show their appreciation for the military and earn spirit points for their class.
“When everyone dresses up … we stand together for something and all show our support for that cause or organization,” Batsuuri said. “It makes it a part of our morals and values at Aragon.”
Outside of the gym, a table was set up for players and audience members to make Valentines for veterans. There were arts and crafts available, and people from both schools joined together to say thank you to veterans across the U.S.
“It’s something so simple yet so creative and new for our school,” Batsuuri said. “We don’t do many charity or recognition events, so I thought this idea was great to incorporate.”
In light of a physical fight that took place during the game against Hillsdale on Jan. 18, tickets to the game against San Mateo were sold only online and in the Leadership room during lunch, with students being unable to purchase tickets at the door. In addition, the game was only open to Aragon and San Mateo students, along with their family members.
Although attendance was noticeably down, the Dons still played to the best of their ability.
“I’m not playing for the audience, so it didn’t affect me,” said senior guard Noah Salah, who finished with 14 points.
“What happened [was] we were playing together. They were playing patient, and they weren’t as careless ”
The Dons and the Bearcats got off to a slow start, both teams finishing the first quarter with nine points. But sophomore guard Blaine Reynolds took over in the second quarter, scoring nine of his 17 points off of three pointers.
“Everyone really just got me open shots,” Reynolds said.
Head coach Hosea Patton believes that a change in mentality allowed Aragon to take the lead.
“What happened [was] that they were playing together. They were playing patient, and they weren’t as careless as we were early in the season,” Patton said. “It allows for some good open shots with some of the players I have. Guys were just finding the open man, and the open man was ready to shoot.”
The Dons carried their energy into the third quarter, outscoring the Bearcats 22-9.
Throughout the season, the Dons have struggled with free throws.
“One game we might shoot below 50 percent — another game we’re shooting over 75 percent,” Patton said. “We’ve implemented some things and practice to get them to focus a little bit more on a free throws … They need to capitalize on those situations.”
In contrast to previous games, Aragon excelled from the free throw line against San Mateo, sinking all eight attempts.
An issue that’s continued throughout the season for the Dons remains their many fouls, especially on defense. During their last matchup against the Bearcats on Jan. 11, San Mateo senior guard Ryan Miles-Ferguson shot 22 free throws alone.
These defensive issues still resonated against San Mateo, with Aragon committing eight fouls compared to San Mateo’s two in the second half of the game.
“We’re just losing focus, and sometimes we just get beat by late easy backdoors,” said senior forward and team captain Jason Mangini. “That just kills the whole flow of the game for us.”
On the offensive side, the Dons have become more lethal, scoring over 50 points in three out of the past four games.
“[If we] just put more work outside of practice, like after practice or even before, we’ll get better as a team,” Mangini said.
Early in league play, the Dons struggled to win games. Although starting off 2-1, the Dons quickly fell down a five game losing streak. But Aragon started a new win streak with various lineup changes and a greater focus on their 2-3 zone defense, where players guard a specific area on the court rather than man marking.
In order to support team bonding, Patton implemented a weekly potluck in the 2017-18 season — a tradition that continued this year. The potlucks began at the start of the league season.
“[It] just kind of let[s] the guys get together outside of basketball,” Patton said. “It’s always good for them to be able to enjoy each other’s company and just be some teenage boys … It’s a big part of what we do.”
With the potlucks, players have noticed improvements.
“It’s team bonding and just gets us together,” said senior guard and forward Samuel Manu. “It reflects on the court.”
Looking forward, the Dons hope to defeat Hillsdale (7-3 PAL, 14-8 overall) in their rival and senior game on Feb. 8.
“The season’s not over,” Patton said. “We’ll continue to work and seek for improvement … That’s always the goal.”
Additional reporting by William Tong and Brooke Hanshaw.
