Varsity Boys Basketball lost to Cupertino High School 50-22 on Thursday, Jan. 11. MVHS fell behind 8-3 in the first quarter after CHS broke through MVHS’ defense multiple times with consecutive layups. The gap widened to 27-11 by halftime and the Matadors were unable to overcome CHS’ offensive force, bringing MVHS’ overall season record to 8-6.
Junior and small forward Parth Upadhyay says that while MVHS was able to make plays and score on CHS occasionally, CHS’ offense and defense stayed consistent all the way through. He believes CHS’ ability to maintain a high level of play allowed CHS to control the game.
“CHS is excellent because they cut so hard and go full-sprint running their offense, so they drain the energy out of you while you’re playing defense,” Upadhyay said. “Then you won’t be able to run your offense well. That’s when they’ll take advantage and get turnovers, which is what happened today.”
Assistant Coach Gokul Pillai considers this game to be the team’s biggest loss, in terms of point margin, of the season. Although the team had practiced defending against tough offensive screens such as CHS’, Pillai says the team was underprepared during the game.
“What stood out to me was the system that CHS has going on,” Pillai said. “They have a solid system of offense where they move the ball around, and their defense is solid too. They just have a good, well-disciplined team.”
To Upadhyay, one of the most important responsibilities on the court is ensuring that every team member has a positive mindset. Not only does he stress cheering one another on, he also emphasizes keeping every player on the same page. He adds that there was a lack of teamwork and communication in-game due to the team’s low energy.
“Our mentality was to stay strong on the defensive end,” Upadhyay said. “Bench-wise, it was to stay ready, have great spirit and try and keep the energy flowing within the team so we could get plays working and get the ball rolling in our favor.”
Pillai’s goal is to find ways for MVHS to thrive against strong defensive and offensive teams. He says the tactics MVHS has been trying will not be effective in every situation, so the team must experiment with adding screens in order to heighten their offensive capabilities. Pillai says he is confident that the team will get through the long process of improvement that is to come.
“After a loss like this, it’s definitely tough,” Pillai said. “But it’s just about trying to keep everyone’s head up, not get stuck on the score, not get stuck on our mistakes and keep up positive encouragement as much as possible.”
Upadhyay agrees with this sentiment, saying that although CHS played well and MVHS was unable to adjust or make a comeback, the team’s unhappiness would leave only a temporary mark on its morale.
“These games happen all the time,” Upadhyay said. “It’s about picking your head up and moving on to the next game.”
