The Palo Alto High School boys’ basketball team (15-6, 9-1) clinched the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League title with a dominant 85-42 win over Los Gatos High School (7-15, 1-9) on senior night.
The Vikings were paced by sophomore center E.J. Floreal who had a game high 21 points while senior forward Davante Adams and senior guard Max Schmarzo chipped in 15 points. Schmarzo had all of his baskets on 3-pointers and also grabbed nine rebounds to lead the defense.
Paly played aggressively from the start of the game and raced out to a 20-9 lead by the end of the first quarter. In a highlight reel worthy play, Adams showed his athleticism, cutting through the Los Gatos defense for a dunk over senior center Luke Hollander. The high tempo of first quarter tired out the Wildcats and allowed the Vikings to score easy baskets in the later quarters.
Paly effectively put the game out of reach in the second quarter using a transition offense to stretch the lead to 46-25.
The third quarter was more of the same with Paly dominating Los Gatos in all aspects of the game. Adams made another electrifying play when senior forward Charlie Jones threw an ally-oop from the 3-point line. Out jumping several Los Gatos defenders, Adams flew through the air for a two-handed slam that brought the crowd to its feet. The third quarter ended with Paly ahead, 65-39.
Los Gatos struggled offensively in the fourth quarter while Paly continued to score. When the buzzer sounded, the Vikings walked off the court with an impressive 85-42 victory.
With the win, Paly is assured the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League title for the second consecutive year and a good seed for the Central Coast Section playoffs.
The Vikings’ final league game will be at 7:45 p.m. Feb. 18, against Lynbrook.