Boys’ basketball: Paly flexes seniority against Gunn

Jevan Yu and
February 13, 2019

Once or twice there seemed to be an inkling of hope that the Titans from Gunn High School would pull ahead.

The Palo Alto High School boys’ basketball team (15-9, 9-3), riding on a four-game win streak, overwhelmed the Titans (7-16, 1-11) Tuesday night, 62-39, bolstering the Vikings’ momentum as they coast into the playoff season.

Starting with a collection of early baskets, the Vikings claimed a decisive lead and headed into the locker room with an eight-point halftime margin.

Paly senior Jackson Chryst surveys the court for an open teammate. The Vikings’ Tuesday home victory against Gunn capped off their 9-3 league record, and they will head into the playoff season with a five-game win streak. “We have to wait and see where we are seeded, but our expectation is to play hard and leave everything out on the court,” Chryst said. Photo: Jevan Yu

The lopsided play took off in the second half, during which long periods of unanswered points tormented the Gunn defense. Paly put up 15 points in the third quarter; Gunn managed to add four. At the conclusion of the game, the Viking bench stepped up to maintain the comfortable lead, with senior KC Florant adding five points to Paly’s total.

Senior Marvin Zou led the Vikings with 17 points. Juniors Anthony Yu and Matthew Marzano each contributed nine points.

“It’s real important to get that win,” Paly head coach Rodney Tention said, referring to the senior night victory. “I’m really happy for the seniors.”

(This season, the Vikings will graduate six seniors: Jackson Chryst, KC Florant, Dwayne Trahan, Wes Walters, Josh Wong and Marvin Zou.)

“It was great to get a win in front of the great crowd,” Chryst said. “And it was great for us to get some momentum going into playoffs.”

The Vikings will learn about their assigned playoff seed Wednesday evening.

“We’re just happy to be there [the playoffs] and I think we’re playing our best right about now,” Tention said.