Missing three starters, seniors Semetri “TT” Carr, Mason Garbo and Noah Tanaka, boys’ varsity basketball knew they had a big hole to fill in their Dec. 13 matchup with the University Red Devils. Relying on an excess of first-year varsity players, the Giants’ inexperience was evident, as University went out to an early 12-3 lead. With a stringent full-court press, they capitalized on multiple Redwood turnovers as the Giants struggled to get the ball past half-court.
Redwood counted on senior Brennan Woodley, who did his best to keep them in the game as long as he could. He consistently attacked the rim, racking up free throws and closing the deficit as the first quarter wound down. Alongside him was senior Zach Dinowitz, who scored eight consecutive points from the Giants, nailing two threes and a layup.
However, the Red Devils offense was too strong, as Redwood gave up 19 points in each of the first two quarters. Unable to stop University’s interior attack, the Giants entered the locker room down 38-18.
Woodley came out of the second half inspired, finding senior Tyler White for a three before twice assisting senior Simon Leonard near the rim. With the 7-0 scoring run, Redwood held the momentum, yet the Red Devils didn’t falter for long. They led a 7-0 run of their own, reinvigorating their press and capitalizing off the Giants’ turnovers.
Amidst the blowout loss, Redwood got their entire bench into the game, a crucial component in preparing their inexperienced talent for the rest of the season. The night ended in a 63-41 defeat, where the Giants struggled without three of their essential starters. This Tuesday, they face Santa Rosa at home at 7:30 p.m., looking to turn things around after two consecutive losses.
