J.V. Boys Basketball Knocks Off League Leader
By Ryan Eshoff

Success at the lower levels feeds success at the varsity level, and this year’s J.V. boys basketball has experienced more than any other J.V. boys basketball team ever has.
After winning a tournament at Piedmont Hills, the squad suffered their first setback of the year, a 60-54 defeat to Gilroy. However, the team rebounded with a 72-40 victory over North Salinas, an impressive 63-46 triumph over McClymonds, and added a pair of routs to close out their preseason, 51-9 over Sequoia and 61-32 over Burlingame.
The team began WCAL play with a commanding 64-43 win over visiting St. Francis on January 3. On January 7, the Warriors fell at Riordan 64-55. Valley traveled to cross-town rival Archbishop Mitty January 10. Although they lost, 68-61, the squad made great strides against a team that had their number last year. Valley’s lack of size proved detrimental when they traveled to St. Ignatius. Facing a squad of gargantuan proportions, the Warriors stumbled, 60-53. However, the team bounced back impressively against Sacred Heart Cathedral, dominating the Irish in all phases of the game en route to a 58-37 win. Last year, the freshmen squad was defeated by Bellarmine by 30 points. That was last year. Despite not playing their best game, the Warriors managed to hang close, though eventually being edged 50-44. The boys played their biggest game of the year against the undefeated Serra Padres January 19. Despite being the heavy underdog, the squad pulled off a dramatic upset, capping an amzaing comeback with a 60-58 overtime victory. A pair of free-throws by sophomore Colby Duke helped seal the victory.
The starting five complements each other nicely. Sophomore Austin Simon combines a stellar jump shot with his great leaping ability. Freshman Kyle Freeman provides a spark and an aggressive mentality, Dustin Lettenberger possesses an intense work ethic and a superior finishing touch, and sophomore point guard Josh Scheibley leads the team with his ball-handling and court vision. Simon commented that, “…this season our theme is redemption, and we’re doing a great job of making a name for ourselves in the WCAL.”