Key wins Set boys’ basketball up for success in cif playoffs
Manny Lopez / contributor
Throughout their season, the boys’ basketball team has proven to be a force on the court and a tough competitor to any school they face. They started their pre-season with an 8-0 winning streak, with only a few losses under their belt going into league. The Vikings have just finished competing in Ocean League, having assured their spot in the CIF playoffs. The Vikings ended 3rd in Ocean League, with a record of 4-3 and an overall record of 17-10.
Samo's first league game was on Jan. 5, against Hawthorne High School, resulting in an 89-29 win. Samo then won a competitive game against Culver City High School on Jan. 7, resulting in a 68-46 win, setting high hopes for the rest of their league play. Despite the team experiencing the feeling of a slump during the middle of the league season, the team went on to make their record 4-3 before competing in the Ocean League Tournament. The Vikings determined their placing in league, securing their spot in playoffs in a 60-48 win against Lawndale High School. Head coach James Hecht shared his insights on the team’s league season and hopes going into playoffs.
“I still feel like our best basketball is ahead of us,” Hecht said, “In the playoffs, obviously the margin for error is small [...but] I’m happy for the guys, proud of the guys, and I look forward to the challenge of the first round of playoffs.”
The Vikings last league game took place on Feb. 3 against Beverly Hills High School, resulting in a 51-56 loss. The team now looks forward to playoffs, excited to redeem themselves after cutting short of playoffs last season. One of Samo’s starting guards, Onieli Thruston (’26) reflected on the team's league season, sharing his learnings.
“I think for league, we've had a pretty good season,” Thruston said. “There’s a couple games that I wish we could get back because they were definitely winnable, but overall the way we performed in the league has been pretty good.”
Another guard for Samo, Zach Bennett (’26) feels ready to put the team's best foot forward going into CIF playoffs after their slump in league. Going back to what Hecht said, Bennett shared his expectations to play going into CIF playoffs.
“In playoffs, we just got to pick it up and play our best basketball,” Bennett said.
After not making it into playoffs last year, the boys’ basketball team puts their best foot forward ready for the challenge of playoffs this season. The team is now focused on making a run in CIF playoffs and picking up momentum going through the post-season.