The Hawks have had plenty of reason to smile this season. Being ranked No.1 in the state. Being the last undefeated team. Sitting on top of their conference.
Against the De Anza Mountain Lions, they earned another. It marked their 18th win of the season by 10 or more.
“It seems like,” sophomore guard Jorren Edmonds said, “the trend is that when we win by double digits, it’s because everybody on the court is smiling.”
But when the Hawks get off the court, the smiles disappear. It’s back to business. The required mentality of a contender.
The Hawks returned home with a resounding victory over the De Anza Mountain Lions, 109-68. It was their first game back in the Nest after a two-game road trip.
It gave the Hawks a break from ranked opponents. The last four games came against top-30 teams. Unranked De Anza is the only team in Coast-Conference North still looking for their first conference win.
The Hawks proved the difference in standing, winning by 41 — something they hadn’t done since a 110-57 win against Solano on Dec. 30. Despite everything seemingly clicking for the Hawks, they still left the night hungry to improve.
Dispatching the worst team in the conference isn’t enough to satisfy the Hawks. Neither is their 20-0 record. Their sole focus is on constant improvement.
“I wasn’t excited with certain aspects of the game today,” head coach James Giacomazzi said. “I don’t coach the score… I’m coaching scenarios, opportunities for where we have to get better, because when you play the best of the best, you may not get away with some of those things.”
One key issue within the game was found in their press defense. On multiple occasions, the Hawks defenders jumped too far forward. It left the back of the court, and the Hawks basket, vulnerable. The Mountain Lions took advantage by repeatedly passing the ball over the press.
“What caught me by surprise was how we were playing them, which led them to exactly what they were doing,” Giacomazzi said. “I mean, it was obvious. We kept jumping the inside and left wide open on the backside. It didn’t make a lot of sense.”
Even when the press was exploited, their speed and athleticism usually bailed them out.
“Luckily we’re able to stop the break,” freshman guard Richard Banks said. “But once we play against the SF City’s and like the teams in the playoffs, they’re going to make those count.”
At the heart of the defense was sophomore center Mecca Okereke. He finished the day with three blocks and three steals, while also adding 12 points and 10 rebounds.
On offense, it felt like they couldn’t miss. The team shot 62.3% from the field, their highest mark on the year while making 10 of their 21 attempts from three. Sophomore guard Sterling McClanahan led the way with 26 points off of six made threes. It’s the eighth game this season he has made three or more attempts from deep.
“We were very dialed in,” McClanahan said. “We knew that we had to play together and everybody’s gonna have to contribute for a win.”
Sophomore guard duo Elijah Mobley and Edmonds scored 20 and 16 points while shooting a combined 14 of 18 from the floor. Edmonds added seven rebounds and four assists, while Mobley grabbed six boards and 10 assists. It was his first double-double of the season.
The Hawks got productive bench play from freshman Jaden Woodard. He finished with a season-high 21 points along with eight rebounds, five assists and a team-high four steals.
Part of why, despite the lopsided victory, the Hawks are still searching to improve is the games coming up. After their bout with Skyline on Jan. 29th, the second half of conference play will begin. If the Hawks didn’t have a target on their backs for the first meetings in conference, they certainly do now.
“It’s hard to beat teams twice,” McClanahan said. “So having tunnel vision, focusing on one game at a time makes it easy to really just focus on the task at hand.”
The biggest test will be the rematch against the current No.2 ranked City College of San Francisco. The Hawks will play host on Feb. 5.
It’s why great isn’t good enough. Their foot can’t let off the gas pedal. Even when they’re up by 40.
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TOP PHOTO: Elijah Mobley soaring over four De Anza defenders. He recorded his first double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 assists. (Photo by Jakob Arnarsson/ The Express)
Jakob Arnarsson is the Sports Editor of The Express. Follow him on X, formally Twitter, @JakobA2004
