Mustangs win league championship

Homestead boys notch First 20-win season

By Dick Sparrer

It was only a matter of time for the Homestead boys basketball team.

That time didn't come last Tuesday when the Mustangs lost a 53-42 decision to Saratoga on the Falcons' home floor.

But Homestead had to wait just two days for a 51-32 victory over Cupertino ... a win that helped the Mustangs clinch the championship in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

First-year head coach Marc Cadet led Homestead to its first championship since 1992 and a school record for most wins in a season--a record the Mustangs break with each additional victory.

The Mustangs improved to 20-5 for the year with the Thursday night win over the Pioneers. The previous school record for wins in a season was 16.

Homestead pushed to 10-1 in the division with Thursday's 19-point win over the Pioneers.

Senior Brad Sasaki poured in a game-high 16 points to lead the Mustangs to the important win. Garren Strong and Gus Gauntlett tossed in 11 points apiece to join Sasaki in double figures. Gauntlett, Strong and Sasaki each hit three-pointers in the win.

Jens Lassen added 6 points, Tim Strombel and Matt Johnson had four each, Randy Chang hit two and Armen Ekmekji added one.

The Mustangs opened up a 12-2 lead early in the lead and led 14-4 at the first buzzer. Homestead stretched that lead to 29-9 by intermission Zvictory.

Joe Lordan had eight points in the loss for the Pioneers.

Earlier in the week, the Mustangs lost for the first time in the league season when they dropped the 53-42 nod to the Falcons.

Homestead trailed 16-11 after a period and 22-15 at the half, but the Mustangs pulled to within three points in the third quarter. That was as close as Homestead could get, though, and the Falcons went on to claim the win.

Sasaki buried three three-pointers and added four free throws to lead the Mustangs with 13 points.

Bryan Silverman chipped in with seven points, Strong and Johnson had six apiece, and Ekmekji and Strombel added five each. Ekmekji and Strombel each popped threes.

Homestead will close out the regular season with a pair of games this week.

The Mustangs will entertain Milpitas on Feb. 13, at 5 p.m., in a non-league game. The Trojans are 20-4 for the year and have clinched the title in the De Anza Division of the SCVAL. Homestead will host Monta Vista on Feb. 15, at 7:30 p.m., in the final league game.

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