The boys’ varsity basketball team defeated Branson 51-44 on Saturday, Jan. 10, maintaining an undefeated record in MCAL.
Strong defense and an energetic crowd fueled the Giants’ victory against Branson, making them the sole undefeated team in MCAL.
“We had a tough preseason and I think tonight we finally clicked,” said junior Charlie Reis. “It was a great feeling out on the court.”
The win places Redwood atop the MCAL standings at 4-0. Juniors Brendan Shepard and Reis shined, contributing key defensive plays. Reis finished with a total of eight rebounds, a steal, and a block. Shepard had two blocks and two steals, one of which sealed the game.
Senior captain Nick Laub as well as Shepard’s stout defense helped limit Branson’s second leading scorer Connor Jackett to two points and a dismal 0 percent shooting from the field.
“Guarding Jackett was a challenge, but it was fun too,” Shepard said. “I like being challenged defensively and he’s a great scorer.”
Senior Mike Sullivan led the squad offensively with a total of 22 points, with junior Jordan Jackson contributing an additional 13 points.
“That was the best game we played all year,” Shepard said.
Versatile junior Alex Wilson nearly tallied a double-double, accumulating a total of eight points and 10 rebounds.
“This game sends a message out to the rest of the teams in the league that Redwood isn’t a joke and that we are a serious basketball team,” Reis said. “We will come out every game and compete.”
Redwood plays Terra Linda (1-3) at home on Jan. 15 at home.
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(Post game interview with Charlie Reis about what this win means for the future of the team)
