Boys Basketball scrimmages against Silver Creek High School
Seeking to improve their team dynamic, the Matadors start off their preseason games
Sophomore Matt Lau reaches for the rebound after Silver Creek misses their shot.
November 19, 2021
Varsity Boys Basketball played its first scrimmage against Silver Creek High School on Nov. 16. Throughout the scrimmage, both teams were able to get within shooting distance, however, the Matadors struggled to score points and often found themselves fumbling the ball.
“Because we don’t have as many seniors this year, it’s a really fresh and young team,” senior Jonah Tien said. “We have to improve the team culture and get everyone [to work] together.”
However, head coach Wade Nakamura explains that having young players is beneficial for the future of the team, since they have more time to improve on their skill sets and bond with their teammates.
While Nakamura has been coaching girls basketball teams for over 23 years, this season is his first year working with a high school boys basketball team. The differences in leagues and opponents between the girls and boys basketball teams challenge Nakamura to try out different strategies for the team. Both the head coach and the team are trying to find their place amongst their opponents in the league.
“Last year [they] mainly played zone [defense], and now we are playing mainly man-to-man,” Nakamura said. “So it’s a stark difference for [the boys team]. It’s all new terminology. It’s all a new culture for them. It’s all new.”
When coaching first-year players, the main focus, according to Nakamura, is not on the opponents but on the team itself — he hopes to improve the team’s defense and rebounding skills during the upcoming preseason games. Nevertheless, Nakamura believes that the team made a strong effort and had a great attitude for its first time together on the court. Tien agreed and enjoyed the excitement regarding the team’s first scrimmage.
“It’s the first time getting out there so I really like seeing [everyone] get together and boost the team morale,” Tien said. “I think the highlight of the game was the team coming together [and] the energy [throughout the game].”
