On Dec. 2, the Dons (2-2 overall)* faced off against the Los Gatos Wildcats (2-1 overall)*, losing 43-41. The first points of the game were scored by Aragon on a coast-to-coast layup by senior point guard and captain Beth Parangan.
Despite Parangan’s early bucket, the Dons struggled to consistently score for the beginning of the first quarter, but were still able to stay in the game because of their strong defense. After a layup by senior shooting guard and captain Mabryn Manu, the Dons offense started to flow and they scored six points in the remaining three minutes of the first quarter. The Dons ended the first quarter down 11-10.
In the second quarter, the Dons found themselves giving away scoring opportunities to the Wildcats because of the amount of offensive rebounds that the Wildcats were getting after every shot that they attempted.
“I thought our strength was rebounding,” said head coach Sam Manu. “That didn’t show today.”
Although the Dons were having a difficult time defending for most of the second quarter, their offense kept rolling. The Dons found open shots with ease, but sometimes forced passes that caused turnovers. The Dons entered half time with a 23-20 lead.
“We have a lot of sophomores, so we’re really going to depend on them to pick it up”
Entering the fourth quarter, the score was tied at 32-32 as the Wildcats capitalized on the Dons’ turnovers and lack of defensive rebounds. For the majority of the fourth quarter, the two teams traded buckets and with one minute left in the game, the score was tied at 38-38. The game’s intensity increased and every possession doubled in importance.
With 45 seconds left in the game, the Wildcats took a two-point lead on a layup. The Dons quickly responded and took a one-point lead with a 3-pointer by senior point guard and captain Jordan Beaumont, ostensibly a game sealing shot with 30 seconds left. However, the Wildcats answered with a corner three and took a two-point lead, ending the game with a 43-41 loss for the Dons.
“It’s losses like this that we really get to learn,” Parangan said.
The Dons look forward to their season’s bright future.
Aragon’s varsity girls basketball team is coming off of its fifth consecutive winning season and a Central Coast Section semifinal appearance in 2021.
Last season, which was condensed due to the pandemic, the Dons lost to Lynbrook during the CCS semifinal.
“We’ve never not made [it to the] CCS [finals] in the past four years,” Mabryn Manu said. “Last year was the … least far we’ve gone.”
“I think the first couple of games [will] tell us … what we can do”
As this year’s team looks to improve from last season, their performance depends on the new underclassmen’s ability to adapt to the high level of competition.
“We have a lot of sophomores, so we’re really going to depend on them to pick it up,” Sam Manu said. “[We need] to really elevate our [younger] group to play at a varsity level [and] that’s going to be our challenge.”
The varsity girls basketball program is known for its fast-paced and physical attacks while applying pressure to its opponents’ defense. However, an obstacle for the team is height.
“We’re a short team,” Sam Manu said. “So we really have to compensate that [by] being tough, being fast and being smart.”
Although the team has been known for its quick attacks in the past, this year’s team is still looking to define their unique strengths.
“We’ll see because you can think about what you can do and you can practice it, but until you see it played out, you really don’t know what you have,” Sam Manu said. “I think the first couple of games [will] tell us … what we can do, but until it’s put under pressure in the game situation, you don’t really know.”
The success of this program has been built upon Sam Manu’s values.
“Our motto is: ‘Can you be happy for others [and] can you celebrate when others succeed?’” Sam Manu said. “That’s … something that we really try to focus on so that it’s all about the team. Whether you’re scoring 20 [points] or two [points], if we’re doing it together and winning, it doesn’t really matter.”
Expectations are high for the team.
“I want to see if we can make it [as] far [as] CCS or state,” Beaumont said.
Mabryn Manu looks forward to her last season as a Don.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how our players grow and how our team dynamic changes over the season,” Mabryn Manu said.
The Dons will compete against Watsonville (3-1 overall)* in the girls varsity basketball tournament at the Half Moon Bay Lions Club on Dec. 10 at 6 p.m.
*Records as of Dec. 9
