The Cupertino Courier

Sports

Mats hoping for return to CCS playoffs

By Mike Barnhart

It has been four seasons since Monta Vista's boys basketball team last qualified for the Central Coast Section championship tournament and six since its last playoff win, but that could all change this winter.

If the Matadors can finish what they have started in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League's El Camino Division, they will easily earn a berth in the CCS Division I bracket when it is determined in mid-February.

Teams qualify for the CCS tourney by winning a league championship or compiling at least a .500 record in either the non-league or league portion of their schedules. Now, after winning four of their first five division games, the Matadors need just two more wins in the last seven games to qualify for the CCS event and an opportunity to score playoff success for the first time since 2001. That year they defeated Alvarez of Salinas in the first round of the Division II playoffs.

Led by the scoring of senior guards Eric Lee and Marcus Woo, two of eight Matadors who stand 5 feet 10 or less, Monta Vista moved atop the El Camino standings last week with a pair of wins. A 69-52 triumph over Los Altos on Jan. 18 lifted the Matadors' record to 4-1 in league play and 11-9 overall.

As they have throughout their first season under new coach Matt Tait, a former player and assistant coach at West Valley College, the Matadors relied on perimeter scoring against Los Altos. Ten of the Mats' 26 field goals were from beyond the three-point arc. The Matadors' season shooting statistics include more shots taken from three-point range (580) than two-point territory (498).

Lee (20 points), Woo (17) and 6-foot-3 junior forward Sean Brar (13) all scored in double digits. Sophomore Kevin Lang added nine points and five assists for the Matadors, who jumped out to a nine-point lead in the first quarter and never were seriously threatened by the Eagles (2-3).

The trio also was very active on defense, combining for 10 of the Mats' 18 steals. Brar collected four steals, while Lee, Woo and senior Eric Sum had three apiece. Brar also controlled the backboards for the Matadors, grabbing eight rebounds. The team's two centers, 6-foot-2 junior Luke Liu and 6-foot-10 senior Ben Hodges, both pulled six caroms.

Two nights earlier, Woo's 22 points and Lee's 14 sparked a 73-51 whipping of Wilcox. Lang scored nine, including 5-of-6 from the foul line, and Liu tallied seven, senior Phil Kou six and Hodges five. Brar had four and seniors Akshay Mani and Jon Ou and junior Chris Chang added two each. Hodges was force with 12 rebounds.

After going 7-8 in non-league play, Monta Vista opened El Camino play against the two teams that dropped down from the De Anza Division after last season. Lee scored 21 and Woo 19 to key a 51-45 victory over Homestead, then a miserable two-point second quarter led to a 55-44 defeat to Mountain View. Brar's 12-point, 12-rebound effort helped Monta Vista bounced back with a 50-45 overtime win against Lynbrook and start a three-game win streak.

Monta Vista was shooting for four in a row when Santa Clara visited on Jan. 23 for the final game of the first round. They begin their second trip through the El Camino competition at Mountain View, Jan. 26 at 7:45 p.m.

After starting El Camino play with two tough losses to Monta Vista and Wilcox, Homestead has won three straight division games, including a 48-34 triumph over Mountain View on Jan. 19.

A 17-5 first-quarter advantage and 18 points by 6-foot-8 senior center Ryan Dedrick were the keys to the Mustangs' win over the Spartans. Senior Mickey Lai supported Dedrick with nine points, as Homestead rebounded from a 54-38 non-league loss to Fremont. Dedrick had scored 28 in the Mustangs' first El Camino win, 53-22 over Los Altos.

At 3-2, Homestead shared second place with Wilcox entering a Jan. 23 game at Lynbrook (2-3).

Meanwhile, in De Anza Division play, Cupertino also won three in a row. The Pioneers improved to 4-2 and 17-4 overall with victories over Gunn, Milpitas and Fremont.

After dropping games to Palo Alto and Saratoga, the Pioneers picked up a huge road win at Gunn, 63-42, by playing huge in the second half. Mike Carson, a 6-foot-5 junior, impacted both ends of the court. He shared team scoring honors (17 points) with junior Eric Heslin on offense and blocked three shots on defense. Junior guard Bryan Ly pumped in 16.

After a 23-23 first half, the Pioneers pulled away with a pair of 20-point quarters. They made the most of their opportunities at Gunn, committing just four turnovers while posting 14 assists. Ly was the top playmaker with six assists and Heslin had four.

Heslin's 22 points and 10 rebounds paced the Pioneers' 48-40 decision over Milpitas. Ly put the Pioneers' attack in motion with five steals and five assists. Heslin (24 points, 8 rebounds) and Ly (12 assists) again were top producers at Fremont. Senior guard Ryan Matsuoka scored 11 points.