Watsonville junior Max Aceves had a team-best 21 points for the Wildcatz boys’ basketball team in its 63-52 win over Salinas in non-league action Tuesday evening.
“It was our teamwork, we have good chemistry,” he said. “We also went over plays. They put confidence in me to make those shots.”
Aceves had the hot hand to start the game with 12 points in the first quarter, while teammate Tino Razo scored eight of his 10 points in the fourth.
Abraham Martinez added 11 points, and Nate Aguilar contributed nine points for Watsonville (1-0), which plays at Palma on Saturday at 2pm.
“I know [Salinas] was tough,” Aceves said. “Last year, we lost by 25 so we definitely knew about that going into the game. We studied film, we knew what they were going to do.”
Monte Vista Christian 65, San Lorenzo Valley 57: Senior Nico Downie had 19 points to help the Mustangs beat the Cougars in the Mission 831 Shootout Tournament championship game Tuesday night.
Matteo Vidal had 13 points and teammate Braden Dobler added 12 points for MVC (2-0), which plays at Soquel on Dec. 3 at 7pm.
Lonan Dickenson led SLV with 15 points on 5 of 17 shooting, including three 3-pointers.
MVC 59, Pacific Collegiate 45: Sophomore Matteo Vidal had 18 points and four assists for the Mustangs in their win over the Panthers in the Mission 831 Shootout Tournament semifinals Monday evening.
MVC senior Nico Downie finished with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists, and fellow teammate senior Braden Dobler recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Ethan Quizon had nine points, five assists and seven steals for the Mustangs.
At St. Francis 74, Crystal Springs 68: Nash Horton finished with a team-best 28 points for the Sharks in their non league win over the Gryphons on Tuesday.
Jacob Jimenez had 18 points, while teammate Isiah Villalobos added nine for the Sharks (2-0), who play at San Lorenzo Valley on Dec. 10 at 7pm.
At St. Francis 92, Anzar 23: Robert Gomez led the Sharks in scoring with 29 points, including a school-record nine 3-pointers in a crushing win over the Hawks in non-league action Monday.
Nash Horton added 15 points for St. Francis, which shot 18 of 34 from beyond the arc.
Girls basketball
Aptos 35, MVC 20: Junior Abby Sherwood provided strong defense with 11 rebounds to go along with 10 points to help the Mariners defeat the Mustangs in the Mission 831 Shootout Tournament championship game Tuesday night.
MVC kept the game close in the first half on the strong play of senior guard Sophia Cortes, who finished with 15 points.
In the second half, the Mariners dominated on the defensive end allowing MVC to score just seven points.
Berkeley Ashby had seven rebounds and six points, while Eliya Chavez added four blocks, four steals and six points for the Mariners.
Lilli McGee had three blocks for Aptos, and teammate sophomore Emi Gansaver provided a late offensive spark with nine points.
Aptos (2-0) hosts Watsonville on Saturday at 5:30pm.
Aptos 33, Soledad 26: Senior guard Berkeley Ashby had 12 points, 13 rebounds and seven steals for the Mariners in their win over the Aztecs in the Mission 831 Shootout Tournament semifinals Monday evening.
Teammate junior forward Abby Sherwood had 10 points and 10 rebounds, while senior center Lillian McGee played strong defense and contributed six points.
Watsonville 60, at King City 27: Junior Stephanie Martinez led the way with a double-double performance for the Wildcatz in their season-opening win over the Mustangs in non-league action Tuesday night.
Martinez had a team-best 19 points and 10 steals, while fellow teammate senior Hailey Brooks had 14 points and seven rebounds for Watsonville (1-0), which plays at Menlo School—the defending Central Coast Section Division IV champion—in Atherton on Friday at 7pm.
Boys soccer
At Aptos 8, Ceiba 1: Nami Banks, Haziel Parra and Ben Baker each scored a pair of goals for the Mariners in a convincing victory over the Spartans in non-league play Tuesday night.
Love Granstrom and Baker each recorded two assists. Julian Torres and Fabian Hernandez each had one goal for Aptos (1-0), which hosts Pajaro Valley on Dec. 4 at 7pm.
