Following up a successful run in CIF, where they managed to go as deep as the semi-finals, boys basketball geared up for the eventful, and certainly challenging State Championships. Although coming out victorious in round one away against Montgomery High School on Feb. 28, 84-69, the Sea Hawks concluded their season with a devastating away loss against Damien High School on Mar. 1, 54-74. 

The team was eliminated in the semi’s of CIF by Notre Dame, who went on to win the division. According to sophomore guard SJ Madison, playing such a well known opponent was a big lesson for the team, which they hoped to apply during state.

“Obviously Notre Dame is well known for being a good basketball school, so we’ve always seen them as a team we couldn’t beat. But for state we knew we couldn’t think about that, we just have to play our game,” Madison said. “We’re actually really up there with all the valley schools, that’s what we have to believe.”

The first quarter against Montgomery started off slow for the Sea Hawks, but they were able to turn it around with a sudden momentum shift in the second quarter that remained alive for the rest of the game. 

“We didn’t want to lose, obviously, so we really upped our defense. We were stopping their best player, and then we’d get the ball out in transitions for all sorts of shots. And that energy definitely stayed with us, even the bench was active the entire time,” Madison said. 

Redondo emerged triumphant that night, coming out with a final score of 84-69. This 15 point win made the team more certain of themselves going into what would be their final game against Damien High School. 

“I felt like we were prepared. But I don’t think we realized how that game would play out. We definitely got ahead of ourselves, we didn’t treat it like we were playing a good team, which they were,” senior guard, and captain Devin Ringer said

The first quarter set the tone for a bleak game for Redondo. Damien appeared threatening, with their seven foot power center junior Nathaniel Garcia radiating intimidation through his height, and his ability to infiltrate Redondo’s signature full court press defense.

“We allowed the big man to keep scoring, and I felt like that really shot our confidence down. I felt like there was nothing we could do at that point, and that just played out all throughout the game. There was no switch, only small spurts here and there,” Ringer said.

Even then, Garcia was not the only issue that the team faced. There were still multiple precise shooters that Redondo had difficulty blocking. 

“We were supposed to not let the shooters catch the ball, but that didn’t happen the whole time. Then they were getting open looks off of transitions, and they had the big guy dishing out into the wing or the corner or off of a double team. And on top of that we weren’t rebounding at all,” Madison said. 

“You just have to remind everyone that it’s not over until the buzzer. I told SJ and Hudson [Mayes] at halftime that I needed them just as much as I needed everyone else, those are my guys, you know,” Ringer said. “And so talking to them I think got us that little spurt during the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth, and we were able to cut it down to ten points.”

Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough for the team to remain in reach of a win. Damien proceeded to use the weakness they’d already witnessed earlier in the game, reverting back to around a 20 point difference for the remainder of the fourth quarter. 

“They started going on another run again, because we started to throw the ball away, and when somebody throws the ball away, they really run with it, so that was that,” Madison said. 

The game came to an end with a final score of 54-74, which would simultaneously end their season. 

“During the game I didn’t really realize that this was going to be it, but it really hit me after, I’m really sad for it to be over,” Ringer, who’d be graduating after this season, said.

The team was “disappointed” for their season to have come to an end with such a tough loss, but it’s something they’ll “take in” for seasons to come, according to Madison.

“During the end of the third and beginning of the fourth quarter, we really realized we were about to lose. And even when we tried to turn it around, we couldn’t because we didn’t have that mindset right when we got into the game,” Madison said. “Now knowing that everyone’s coming for our heads like we experienced with this, I feel more confident going into next season.”

The loss has only fueled the Sea Hawks for the next season. With only six seniors departing, Madison says they have “high hopes” for what’s to come.

“We’ve got enough pride in ourselves after this season,” Madison said. “We’re going for it all.”