Ahmi Martin has been the main ball distributor as a point guard for the Watsonville High boys’ basketball team throughout the 2025-26 winter season.
The game film doesn’t lie.
But just for a split second, the Wildcat senior took a chance to be a hero in Friday night’s Central Coast Section playoff opener by heaving a shot from beyond the arc.
“I seen we had nothing going, so I just [asked], ‘Why not?,’” said Martin, who finished with seven points and four rebounds.
Martin and the rest of the crowd inside the gymnasium watched his 3-point shot attempt sail as the ball swished through the net, helping No. 9 seed Watsonville slip past Independence, 62-61, in the teams’ Division I play-in game.
The boisterous Wildcatz supporters went bananas inside the old gymnasium that was once the home court to former NBA All-Star Ken Sears, who still has his jersey hanging on the wall.
“It was very loud, very different,” Martin said. “I think it gave us the extra boost.”
Watsonville head coach Andre Bailey couldn’t have agreed more.
“We won because it was so loud from the get-go,” he said. “Even when [players] were down, they were never down because the crowd didn’t let them get down.”
The ‘Catz were forced to play inside the historic gymnasium—built in 1937—because the new gym was set up with wrestling mats for Saturday’s CCS Masters Meet.
And for a moment, it almost felt like stepping out of the DeLorean and back into time as students and local fans stomped the wooden bleachers while their thunderous cheers echoed from top to bottom.
Senior guard Max Aceves finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, while teammate Isaiah Gonzalez added 17 points and eight rebounds.
Watsonville went into Friday night’s game ranked No. 11 in the CCS D-I rankings, according to the Max Preps website.
Independence was ranked below the ‘Catz at No. 19. Yet, Aceves believes a large chunk outside of the program didn’t think they’d be able to beat a team from over the hill.
“No one really expects to lose against Watsonville,” Aceves said. “We worked hard, trained hard and we’re in this spot for a reason.”
The ‘Catz placed sixth with a 6-8 record in the Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division standings, but they managed to claw into the postseason.
Aceves said competing in the highest tier of the four divisions within the PCAL prepared them for what lies ahead.
“Playing good teams like Palma, Oakwood, those are the top dogs,” he said. “If we can play against them, any other team is just like any other team.”
In less than 24 hours, Watsonville will travel to Redwood City to take on No. 8 Sequoia on Saturday at 6pm.
It’s a quick turnaround but Bailey said at this point of the season it’s just about playing basketball, and leaving it all on the court.
“We wake up in the morning, it’s a brand new day,” he said. “We’re gonna figure out basketball…Every decision we make is gonna matter because it could be the last decision we make for their career.”
The ‘Catz certainly drained the gas tank Friday night as they roared their way back following an eight-point deficit in the second half.
Late in the fourth quarter, senior Franco Vaca made a crucial 3-pointer that gave Watsonville the lead at 59-58 with 2:30 remaining in the contest.
After going nearly two minutes without scoring, Martin stepped up with his huge jumper from the top of the key that broke the tie at 59-all.
“We turned it on in the second half,” Bailey said. “Guys hit key shots, we started moving without the ball and that was a really big difference on offense. Max [Aceves] didn’t have to die trying to score.”
Friday night’s game was an indication of how the winter campaign has gone for Watsonville, which is that they just don’t give up.
“I’m really proud of a lot of our guys,” Bailey said. “A lot of my kids in the program, they could have easily just checked out. We had some times where I thought we were, but we stuck with it.”
Division III
At No. 9 Aptos 61, Pajaro Valley 15: Aptos junior Levi Race finished with a game-best 19 points as the Mariners cruised to a blowout win over the Grizzlies in the teams’ play-in game Friday night.
Sam Penera added nine points for Aptos, while teammates Sean Mullen and Jack Tovani each contributed eight points.
The Mariners had a comfortable lead at 31-6 going into halftime, and they never looked back. They will play at No. 8 Live Oak in Morgan Hill in the second round on Saturday at 7:30pm.
Live Oak placed second with a 7-3 record in the Blossom Valley Athletic League Santa Teresa South Division standings this season. They are ranked No. 10 in the CCS D-III Rankings, according to the Max Preps website.
Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League runner-up Aptos is ranked No. 11.
Sophomore Alan Cervantes had a team-best nine points for the Grizzlies, while teammates Isaias Villasana and Evan Lau each contributed three points.
PCAL Santa Lucia Division runner-up Pajaro Valley finished the 2025-26 winter campaign with a 10-11 overall record.
Division IV
At No. 9 Monte Vista Christian 88, San Jose 45: The Mustangs had 15 different players score in their crushing win against the Bulldogs in the teams’ play-in game Friday evening.
Senior Go Kamishita led the Mustangs with 11 points to go along with three rebounds and three assists, while teammate freshman Gabriel White added 10 points and seven rebounds.
Senior Matteo Vidal and sophomore James Tipton each contributed nine points for MVC (19-6, 11-3), which plays at No. 8 Terra Nova in the second round on Saturday at 7:30pm.
Terra Nova—ranked No. 8 in the CCS D-IV rankings—placed seventh with a 1-11 record in the Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division standings.
PCAL Cypress Division runner-up MVC is ranked slightly above at No. 6 in the CCS D-IV rankings.
Girls basketball
Division I
At No. 12 Evergreen Valley 46, Watsonville 43: Senior forward Leilani Yasin recorded a double-double in the Wildcatz’s heartbreaking loss to the Cougars in the teams’ play-in game Friday night.
Yasin had 17 points and 29 rebounds to go along with five blocks, while teammate senior guard Stephanie Martinez contributed 18 points.
Watsonville finished the winter campaign with an 11-14 overall record, and placed fifth with a 6-8 record in the PCAL Gabilan standings.
Division III
King City 39, At No. 12 Pajaro Valley 24: Senior guard Monique Ayala had a team-best nine points in the Grizzlies’ loss to the Mustangs in the teams’ play-in game Friday evening.
Teammate senior Olivia Contreras added six points, while sophomore Elizabeth Zamora contributed five points.
Jezlynn Calderon and senior Angela Lopez each had two points for PCAL Cypress Division co-champion Pajaro Valley, which finished the winter season with a 16-8 overall record.
