On Feb. 5, girls’ varsity basketball defeated Novato in a triumphant 63-23 victory, finishing their Marin County Athletic League (MCAL) regular season as the number one seed.
The Giants set the tone early with a 26-2 lead by the end of the first quarter. They continued to dominate on offense, expanding to a 37-point margin as the buzzer sounded for halftime.
Sophomore Rachel Towns, a second-year varsity player, noted the team’s shift in defensive strategy at halftime.
“In the first quarter or two our defense was a little bit unorganized,” Towns said. “I think that definitely got better towards the end of the game. We were trying to run this one zone defense and that just wasn’t really working out, so we had to make an adjustment.”
The team’s defensive adjustments paid off, holding Novato to a gain of just 11 points in the third quarter. The Giants took a staggering 55-19 lead.
Head Coach Zach Borello said that maintaining strong defense had been a crucial piece of preparation for the Giants prior to their matchup.
“We had an hour and a half practice, and about 45 to 50 minutes of it was based on different defensive principles: ball screens, getting through [plays], talking to each other,” Borello said. “A huge focus for us tonight was our team defense, individual defense and just being good as a team.”
Senior captain Brooke Denler believes the team’s defense is still something to work on as the Giants move forward in their season.
“Our team most needs to improve on our intensity on defense, and getting more steals,” Denler said. “But I think we’re shooting the ball really well, so that’s good going into the playoffs.”
Although the team places great emphasis on continuing to improve certain aspects of their game, their triumph cannot be denied. As they end their MCAL regular league season undefeated, players attribute much of their success to the team’s depth.
“This season, we’re playing as a really deep team, so not only is our starting five making a contribution to the game, but our whole bench is as well,” Denler said.
Towns also felt that the team’s growth from earlier in the year was substantial.
“Every player has grown, and you can just tell from the start of the season. A lot of the freshmen are stepping up and making a lot of big shots,” Towns said.
As the Giants move into MCAL playoffs, Borello reflects on the team’s dedication throughout the season.
“I couldn’t be more proud,” Borello said. “They care. We talked for 15 minutes after a 40-point win just about how much this all means to us.”
