The Avalon Boys Varsity Basketball season came to an abrupt end at home after qualifying for the quarterfinals of the 2019 CIF-SS Playoffs. The Lancers got to the 3rd round after defeating Cornerstone Christian in the first round at home 66-29 and then traveling to Los Olivos to successfully defeat Dunn High School 56-42 in the second round. The Lancers have much to be proud of and should hold their heads up high as they accomplished some great things both on and off the court this year.
In game 1 of the CIF playoffs Avalon was too strong for Cornerstone and jumped out to an early 20-6 first quarter lead and never looked back. Leading the way for the Lancers were Allen Arneson, Sol Vines, and Daniel Madriz. Arneson had 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Vines contributed 10 points and 7 rebounds. Madriz added 10 points, coming off the bench. Two days later the Lancers were back on the road again for a three-hour bus drive to Los Olivos, a quaint little farm town north of Santa Barbara.
With all the rain the ride was strikingly beautiful. However, the Lancers were on a business trip, not a pleasure ride, so they promptly took care of business, disembarked the bus and manhandled the Earwigs 56-42. The leaders in this game were Cristo Hernandez with 16 points and 8 rebounds and Allen Arneson with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Again, Daniel Madriz provided 10 points, coming off the bench in a supportive role.
The Lancers returned to Long Beach that evening and boarded the 6 a.m. Catalina Express the following morning so they could make it back to school on time. With their mission accomplished on the road, Avalon prepared for round 3. They faced former rival Oakwood Academy in the CIF-SS Quarterfinals on Friday, Feb. 15. The Lancers felt confident about their chances in this game, but unfortunately came out a little tight and sluggish. The Gorillas took advantage and jumped out to a 20-4 first quarter lead.
The score at halftime was Oakwood 35 and Avalon 20. Jesse Machado hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to send the Lancers into a positive halftime vibe. In the third quarter the Lancers proceeded to come out on fire and fought their way back into the game. It was quite a scene with Cristo Hernandez draining three-pointers from afar, the crowd going crazy and Jose Gomez leading a defensive charge that had the Gorillas stymied and backed into a corner. The Gorillas did not give in and came charging back to earn a 62-49 victory.
This was a game for the ages. Although the Lancers didn’t capture that elusive CIF ring they did win an undefeated league championship banner, the first in 35 years and they certainly won over the hearts and minds of many basketball enthusiasts around our town and all over the state of California.
Senior Cristo Hernandez was our fearless leader once again, driving to the basket, diving on the floor for loose balls, blocking shots and draining 3’s. He finished with 19 points and received a lot of support from Sol Vines and Daniel Madriz on the offensive end and from Jose Gomez on the defensive end.
Senior Sebastian Garcia came off the bench to provide a spark as well. The Lancers can be proud after accomplishing what many teams haven’t for many years, a league championship. It wasn’t easy as they had to overcome the loss of one of their best players in Pablo Chavolla, who went down at the beginning of the season with a broken foot. Pablo stayed dedicated to the cause and was very effective in assisting and supporting the team in many areas. His team spirit exemplified the spirit of the entire team and helped bring that success to our cause. Congratulations Lancer Hoopsters and good luck to our seniors in your final semester. Remember we become a team during the season and you become a player during the off season.
