The Palo Alto Vikings’ basketball season ended February 26, after a 55-47 defeat at Mills High School, bringing to a close a season that had serious potential.
“We definitely underachieved and didn’t play to our full abilities,” junior gaurd Brendon Rider said. “We had the talent to succeed but we never could really put it together.”
The Vikings (14-12, 6-6) certainly did have the talent. Six-foot-four-inch center Kevin Brown was complemented by lightning-quick shooting guard, junior Joseph Lin and sweet-shooting sophomore Max Schmarzo. Still, with only one starting senior, point guard Nick Robinson, the Vikings only temporarily showed their skills in games, and failed to maintain a high level of play throughout the season.
The Vikings also played under the light of a new coach, Andrew Slayton, replacing long-time coach Peter Diepenbrock after he moved up to coaching in the college ranks. He certainly left some high expectations for the program.
“I think everyone thought they were going to see the same success as last year, just because this is Palo Alto Basketball and they are used to it,” Lin said. “You have to get used to a new coach and rebuild the program though, and that takes time.”
The season took a turn for the worst at the beginning of February. The Vikings beat Gunn High School via a thrilling game-winning shot by Lin in front of the biggest crowd at any Paly basketball game. Three days later, the Vikings held off Wilcox, 59-56, and improved their record to 14-6, 5-1.
The wheels then fell off.
“After our big wins over Gunn and Wilcox, I think all of us got a little confident,” Rider said. “We dropped games to teams we should have killed.”
The Vikings lost five in a row, including losses to Wilcox, Gunn, and the leagues last place team , Cupertino High School, but managed to slide into the playoffs due to their non-league strength of schedule.
The Vikings handled Sobrato High School, 64-44, in their first Central Coast Section Division II playoff game, but met their match with Mills. The Vikings were hampered by the absence of sophomore forward, Davonte Adams, who suffered a concussion in the Sobrato game.
“It hurt not having Davonte and I think they [Mills] just shot really well overall,” Rider said. “We seemed to dominate the game and got a lot of [lucky] bounces.”
The Vikings, however, do have a lot to look forward to. They will return four starters and this time should have a surplus of senior leadership. The presumed starting five includes Brown, Adams, Rider, Lin and current junior Joc Pederson.
“If we play like at all we are capable, we should win league and compete for a CCS championship next year,” Lin said. “We’re too good not too.”