In their second scrimmage of the season, the Palo Alto High School Vikings (0-0) fell to the Junipero Serra Padres (0-0), 58-42, after failing to close the lead in the second half.
This matchup, known annually as the “Sportsmanship Game,” pitted the Vikings against a relentless West Catholic Athletic League opponent. The game served as a significant test for the Vikings, forcing them to adapt to the high-pressure defense with rather minimal practice time leading up to the tip-off.
According to Viking head coach Jeff LeMere, the game plan relied less on structured plays and more on basketball instincts due to the Padres’ aggressive defensive style.
“We only had one day of preparation because we had a scrimmage on Tuesday,” LaMere said. “One thing we knew in playing Serra is they’re going to deny every pass. They’re going to get up to you and play physical. This is a game where you can’t really run plays. You have to make plays.”
The Vikings opened the game with confidence, scoring the first points of the night on a layup by Viking senior Kevin O’Brien. However, the Padres quickly responded, shifting the momentum with a powerful dunk by Padre senior Wyatt Blanco. Serra continued to find their range from deep, hitting a big three-pointer to take a 9-4 lead. Later, A cut to the basket by Viking junior Tanmay Adya narrowed the gap to three, but the Vikings’ defense found themselves trailing 11-6 at the end of the first quarter.
The Vikings found an offensive rhythm in the second quarter. After back-to-back layups by Viking junior Aiden Ong and senior Wang, the team pulled themselves within three at 13-10. Following a Serra run, Viking freshman Gabe Andrade clocked another handful of minutes, as well as scoring a huge layup.
According to Andrade, this game was great for him as it exposed him to a higher level of playing at the varsity level.
“I really enjoyed the experience,” Andrade said. “I love these situations, love the pressure, I love the environment, just fun. Everything’s bigger and faster … and I’ve been playing with these guys all summer, so it’s good to finally get that connection in the games.”
Andrade’s basket was followed by a deep three-pointer by Viking junior Daniel Segev, cutting the Serra lead to 19-16. A steal on the defensive end led to a transition layup for Adya, making it a two-point game at 20-18.
However, the Vikings struggled to close the half. A few turnovers and missed shots halted the rally, and the Padres capitalized immediately with back-to-back three-pointers to take a 28-18 lead going into halftime.
The Vikings looked to chip away at the 10-point deficit in the third quarter. Viking junior Rocco Smith provided a spark, draining a three-pointer to cut the lead to nine. Yet, the physical nature of the game began to wear on the Vikings, with visible frustration rising over missed calls.
The Padres used precision passing to extend their lead to 34-21. Despite a potential four-point play by Smith and a tough layup by Wang, the Vikings trailed 41-31 heading into the final quarter.
Transition defense proved to be the Vikings’ undoing in the fourth quarter. Following a block and steal by Smith, the offense stalled, leading to bad passes and a breakaway dunk for the Padres.
“Our transition defense in the second half wasn’t great,” LaMere said. “We scrimmage Menlo [next], and we’ve got to do a better job taking care of the ball.”
The Padres extended their lead to 50-34 after another three-pointer by Padre guard Gregorio Fernandez. The Vikings continued to fight, with Ong hitting another tough layup and O’Brien drawing a foul to sink two more free throws. Segev added a late layup and steal, but the Padres’ offense remained strong down the stretch, sealing the victory.
According to LaMere, despite the loss, the intensity of the game was exactly what the team needed.
“The great thing about it is, for 32 minutes, they’re picking up full court, they’re getting in you, they’re pressuring, and it’s a really good test for our guys,” LaMere said. “Planning is pressure and limiting our turnovers, but I was proud of how hard our guys competed, and I thought we actually defended pretty well.”
The Vikings will look to clean up their turnover and transition defense as they prepare for their next scrimmage at 12 against Menlo away.
