In their first conference game of the season, De Anza’s Mountain Lions fell short in their tough game against Skyline College’s Trojans.
Each player on the court put their all into their performances, diligently working together as a team and as individuals.
All players put in the work throughout the game, scoring a total of 74 points. Justice Owens (De Anza No. 4), 21, business administration major, scored the team high of 28 points. Sean Crowley (De Anza No. 32), 20, business administration major, delivered 13 points while also being one of the team’s top defensive players. Theo McDowell (De Anza No. 24), 18, business marketing major, earned an additional 9 points.
Being one of the two youngest starters on the court, McDowell explained how he gains his confidence and energy by consistently and passionately practicing each of skills.
“It’s just about getting better and working on the little things,” McDowell said. He also shared his gratitude for his coaches, thanking them for the support and encouragement they give each player to continue improving their abilities.
“It’s the opportunities from our coaches,” McDowell said. McDowell said that his biggest takeaway from this game is to play with higher confidence in his attacks and when closing out.
Playing in the toughest conference in the state is no simple task. Adapting to the pressure on the court, Cayden Tanger (De Anza No. 1), 18, business administration major, said that aside from having great players on the team, each of the coaches plays a vital role.
“Our coaches do a great job preparing us during practice and instill a lot of confidence in us,” Tanger said.
Tanger said one of his highlights of the game was the team’s performance while on offense, driven to strengthen their defensive strategies next. He said that although the team played well on offense, the Trojans had many rebounds and often left some players open. To improve their defensive strategy, “we just have to limit their (Skyline’s) open shots,” Tanger said.
The team was completely engrossed in the ball’s navigation, never taking their eyes away from the directions it was bounced toward and swiftly moving across the court. Throughout the game, Crowley acclimated to his teammates’ every move, always ready to take action.
“We make adjustments based on how the other team plays. If they are weaker shooters we’ll adjust our defense, and if they double the post I’ll look to kick out to the open man. But other than that, we do our best to stay consistent,” Crowley said. “We can go into the next game better prepared knowing what it takes to play in the best conference in the state.”
Crowley said the game was a good example of the competition to be expected for the rest of the season. Though the game plan did not fully play out, Crowley said each player on the court pulled their weight and came on strong both individually and as a team.
“I love the guys, and we’re just gonna keep on grinding and getting better,” Head Men’s Basketball Coach Joe Berticevich said.
