Sophomore forward Kodey Weary played angry. Fueled by recent subpar performances, he was determined to make his presence felt.
“I just had to have a good game tonight,” Weary said.
His aggression led to one of his best games as a Hawk. Las Positas defeated Chabot 86-60 on Friday, Feb. 6, and a big reason was Weary’s game-high 23 points and 17 rebounds, six of which came on the offensive boards.
His energy reflected the stakes of the game. The Hawks were taking on their sister school and athletic rival: Chabot College. Weary, along with the rest of his teammates, played like a little brother desperate to prove he wasn’t so little anymore.
“Kodey was outstanding,” Head Coach James Giacomazzi said. “Arguably his best game as a Las Positas Hawk.”
The win moved Las Positas to 22-2 overall and 9-1 in Coast Conference-North play. Now the Hawks enter the final stretch of the regular season with four games remaining. They completed a season sweep of Chabot to reclaim the Chabot–Las Positas rivalry trophy, a golden basketball.
The Hawks beat the Gladiators by a combined total of 41 points in their two matchups this season. The last time the Hawks earned ownership of the trophy was in 2022. The trophy’s return reflects the work of a Las Positas team led by experienced players and emerging contributors.
The rivalry between Las Positas and Chabot runs deep, going back to the start of Las Positas basketball in 2006-07. The trophy became a symbol of the schools’s competitive history. As Head Coach James Giacomazzi explained, the trophy was created by past coaches Denny Aye and Tony Costello and has been competed for ever since.
The trophy only changes hands when one team wins both conference meetings, making it a mark of consistency rather than a single game’s result.
“It’s nice to have it back,” Giacomazzi said. “The trophy is good for the kids — they were really eager and determined to want to get it back here.”
In Giacomazzi’s 11 years at the program, Las Positas has held the trophy seven times, making the return this season another milestone for the current roster. Beyond bragging rights, the rivalry carries practical weight: The win furthered LPC’s lead for second place in the conference standings, as they now hold a three-game advantage over third-place Chabot.
Weary’s resolve helped put a stamp on LPC’s dominance of Chabot this season. He has been turning moments of frustration into fuel for his aggression.
The Hawks were sized up in the two matches they lost. Against San Jose, they were outran. By City College of San Francisco, they were outplayed. Games that gave a glimpse into the postseason. Challenges that are learning moments.
“Being one of the leaders on my team, I know I have to show up every night,” Weary said. “The last two, three games for me have been kind of difficult. … But it’s how you respond to adversity.”
Las Positas has won three straight matches since getting humbled at home by City College of San Francisco. The Hawks beat Cañada 89-60, De Anza 83-78 and Chabot 86-60.
With four games left on the schedule — home vs. Skyline (10-14), at Ohlone (10-14), home vs. San Mateo (16-8) and at San Francisco (23-1) — the Hawks are now jockeying for postseason positioning. In the latest poll on Jan. 19, Las Positas ranked seventh overall in the league. The highest seed possible is in sights for the Hawks: to be positioned across the Rams in an opposite bracket. This will ensure a third meeting and a chance for Las Positas to redeem itself.
“We’re taking every game seriously,” Giacomazzi said. “It’s about staying sharp, staying physical and preparing for what comes next.”
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TOP PHOTO: LPC Head Coach James Giacomazzi smiles with pride as his team hoists the LPC/Chabot Rivalry Trophy. The hawks swept Chabot for the first time since the 2021-2022 season. (Photo by Ian Kapsalis/The Express)
Annie Moore is the Sports Editor of The Express. Follow her on X @SanJosAnnie.
