‘Transition year.’ These two words, tweeted by senior forward Max Gardner, came to be an unavoidable mantra for our 2013-2014 varsity boys basketball team. Despite low hopes expressed by observers and fans of the Dons, Cathedral’s newest basketball team has overcome the negativity, but not with ease.
The team, reminded of the previous CIF winning and participating teams all coached by Will Cunningham, proved ready to dominate again this season . Having many star seniors graduate last year, including point guard Michael Rosenburg and power forward Xavier Williams, the Dons prepared for an unpredictable season, mirroring the transition team that vied (and won) for the CIF championship two years ago. That team two seasons ago similarly lost many seniors and inherited many juniors, including Rosenburg and Williams.
The boys began their Western League season with a three game winning streak. Their rivals, the St. Augustine Saints, produced our first loss, and soon after the unsuspected La Jolla Vikings beat the Dons at home. A small bump in the road, the team then dominated against Mission Bay Buccaneers and the University City Centurions. On January 28th, the Dons swamped the Mission Bay by 33 points, victoriously winning 61-34. Sophomore Cameron Moore scored 19 points and had 5 assists. Another sophomore, Reid Johnson had 14 points and put up a total of 8 rebounds.
This easy triumph for the boys was soon contested by the Centurions on January 31st. A rematch from the previous buzzer-beater victory, the Dons went into every quarter strong. Senior Kevin McNeela had 16 points, 6 steals, and 5 rebounds. Sophomore Cameron Moore scored 14 points and had 4 assists. Beating University City 59-42, the Dons headed into their next game with their heads held high and their ‘mantra’ pushed aside.
With a heavy 67-71 loss, the Dons hit another bump on February 4th against the Lincoln Hornets. After four overtimes, the Dons kissed their two game winning streak goodbye. Cameron Moore made up almost half the final score with 26 points, while Reid Johnson had a grand total of 18 rebounds. Whether or not this game will be the first of another two-game losing streak, the Dons have yet to decide.
Today, they face the Scripps Ranch Falcons, a team they have beaten in the past; however, this Thursday the boys play the La Jolla Vikings, a team they have sloppily lost to recently. Next week on the 18th, the team has a rematch against the undefeated Saints, who rank 12th in California. The Dons end their Western League season on Friday the 21st as they will hopefully re-demolish the Mission Bay Buccaneers.
Four games left until CIF. Will the 5-3 Dons prove many wrong and follow the 2011-2012 CIF winning transition team’s footsteps? As long as they willfully accept their mantra and go into these last four games as if they were their last, the Dons might just get a chance at competing for and winning the invaluable title.
