It’s not often when Los Gatos High girls basketball coach Sara Quilici’s game plan for her team is simply about effort.
Then again, these were no ordinary circumstances. Playing for the first time in 15 days after 10 of the 12 players on the roster tested positive for Covid, the Wildcats (12-1) looked rusty and fatigued from the long layoff. That was to be expected as the team couldn’t practice in that span, either.
However, they overcame all the adversity to post a 58-40 Santa Clara Valley League De Anza Division victory over Saratoga High on Jan. 14. It was Los Gatos’ first league game after its first three contests were postponed or canceled due to Covid protocols.
“It wasn’t pretty, but it’s always pretty when you win, so we’ll take that,” Quilici said. “Rust is one thing, but effort really trumps all. That was our whole game plan. We don’t need to make every shot we take, we don’t need to stop every player on their team, but our effort needs to be better than theirs. That was the simple game plan, was to just outwork them and the game should be ours at the end.”
To that end, freshman post Nicole Steiner definitely brought her proverbial lunch bucket to the game, prepared to put in a good day’s work. Steiner, who has already posted a couple of 20-plus rebound games this season, scored a team-high 17 points to lead the way.
“Nicole is always going to be where she should be, but when she finishes well around the rim, we’re a much better team,” Quilici said. “I thought she did well in getting her shots and actually being aggressive when she gets the ball in the low post because she has a tendency to pass first. I thought today she did very well understanding she had an advantage on whoever was guarding her. She didn’t force it at all, but she found an opportunity to take some really good shots.”
Sophomore Claire Galbo found success by curling to the basket and her teammates hitting her in-stride in the lane for shots from in-close. She finished with 13 points and was by far the most efficient starter in the game, shooting 50 percent (5 for 10) from the field.
She also got her teammates and coaches absolutely stoked when she drew a charging call—the team’s first charge taken of the season, according to Quilici.
“I was so, so happy with her and the entire bench and everyone on the court, it was like we won the Super Bowl at that moment,” Quilici said. “It was just so exciting and I love their effort. Maybe they’re out of shape, maybe their shots aren’t falling, but at least they’re playing hard.”
The Wildcats were aggressive all game, which paid off in the form of 46 free throw attempts. However, they only made 17 of them, failing to make Saratoga pay for fouling them. Amid the missed free throws, turnovers and general sloppy play which was largely a result from the long layoff, Los Gatos had plenty to be proud of.
They beat a solid Saratoga team despite no games or practices for two-plus weeks, but most important of all, they were all together again.
“It was the best,” Quilici said. “It was so nice to be together and it felt really good to be back in the flow of league play.”
Casey Brennan and Belle Bramer finished with seven points each, and Ashley Childers and Ella Rabitz had six apiece.
Boys Basketball
Playing immediately after the girls game at Saratoga High, Los Gatos saw its three-game win streak to open league play snapped. The Wildcats misfired on several shots from in close, especially in the decisive third quarter in which they were outscored 11-6 to see a one-point halftime advantage turn into a four-point deficit entering the final quarter.
Freshman Osha Moloney had a team-high 14 points and Max Houghton had 10 for the Wildcats, who dropped to 3-1 in De Anza Division play. Los Gatos also lost an earlier non-league matchup to Saratoga on Dec. 10 in tournament action.
Los Gatos controlled the glass and worked for double-digit offensive rebounds; however, it missed several putback attempts. Despite the loss, things still look bright for the team, which has potent sharpshooters in Moloney and Arya Emarlou and a point guard in Houghton who can break down defenses and get to the basket or make the pass to find a teammate for open shots.
The team’s highlight play came when Nolan Koch made a layup coming off a nifty pass from Houghton, who had taken a dive for a loose ball, gathered it and snapped off a pass while on his back to give Los Gatos its largest lead of the game, 19-15, with 19 seconds left in the second quarter.
Sports editor Emanuel Lee can be reached at [email protected] and (831) 886-0471, ext. 3958.
