BASIS Independent Silicon Valley’s Varsity Basketball Team’s Achievements (2024-2025)

BASIS Independent’s Varsity Basketball team did very well in the 2024-2025 season, winning the Panther Invitational and winning many games in landslides  despite a rough start to the season. They crushed the Apostles. They put up a strong fight against powerful public schools like Gunn. And, in their first game, they smashed the opposition, holding them down to under twenty points. This is the story of the 2024-2025 BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Varsity Basketball team.

The team consists of a mashup of players, with many coming from the previous year’s junior varsity team. Returning players Andrew H., Justin W.and Andrew L. were starters on the Varsity team last year who played exceptionally well with the stats to prove it. Justin W., who is known to have a very consistent shot outside the three-point line, along with being very scary inside the paint, secured 485 points throughout the season, while Andrew L., a 10th grader, racked up 83 steals. Other notable players include Thomas H., who got 150 rebounds, and Mithil P., who got 89 points.

Varsity’s season initially matched them up against tough opponents. In their second, third and fourth game, they faced off against 3 very strong teams, resulting in a 0-3 win-loss ratio to start the season, losing by about 10 points each game to Monta Vista, then Leigh, then Gunn. However, these players refused to let this ratio get into their minds. They immediately bounced back, defeating the following teams left and right, taking out Del Mar, San Jose, Stratford, and Apostles. Their win over Apostles was by far their most dominant victory, scoring 100 points total. After winter break, the boys came back even stronger, beating Pinewood and Stratford for a second time. As the games that determined seeding in the playoffs started, Varsity faced off against one of their toughest opponents first: Summit Shasta. Unfortunately, Shasta played an amazing press, but the boys fought back, only falling short by 8 points. They were not to be discouraged, going into their next game with a thirst to win after a motivational talk from their amazing coach, Coach Perez. This thirst for victory showed immediately, dominating Nueva in the next game, pulling away with the victory. Varsity won every single game afterwards, except the rematch against Summit Shasta. Entering the CCS (Central Coast Section) playoffs, Varsity seeded 8th, meaning they played in the second round, against Pinewood. Like last time, they showed no remorse and continued to assert their dominance, winning by 15 points. Unfortunately, their league came to a close when they faced off against Woodside Priory, seed 1 in their bracket. Although they put up a good fight, winning every quarter except the first, they unfortunately fell by 17 points, 70 to 87. 

Although Varsity did lose the league, this was their first appearance in  a CCS league playoff game. This qualification along with the performance of our team during the regular year led to other schools having to admit that we were a force to be reckoned with. As the new school year begins, the team’s relevance is not to be forgotten. With tryouts for the 2025-2026 team in November, the hope is that the coaches draft a team as strong as last year to claim what was lost.