SALINAS VALLEY — As basketball gets ready for its regular season, many of the South Monterey County high school teams are wrapping up their preseason schedule.
Last weekend King City, Soledad and Gonzales boys varsity teams entered the Alvarez Eagle Classic at Everett Alvarez High School. The three teams all competed on the tournament’s first night, but the games were called off after a player tested positive for Covid-19.
Gonzales Spartans
After taking third in the MVC 831 Thanksgiving shootout, the Gonzales Spartans dropped their next three games. Before the Alvarez Eagle Classic was canceled, they were set to face Pajaro Valley, who they had already beaten, 66-53.
The Spartans have two preseason games left before opening up league play against Marina High School. On Dec. 14, Celba College Prep came to Gonzales, after press deadlines, and then the Spartans will close against St. Francis on Dec. 28.
The Lady Spartans finally played their first game of the season last Friday against Monterey, but they dropped the season opener, 52-28. The Lady Spartans will travel to Pacific Grove on Dec. 30 before opening up league play at home against Santa Catalina School on Jan. 4.
Soledad Aztecs
With the best record among the boy’s varsity basketball teams in South Monterey County, the Soledad Aztecs are currently 3-2. After dropping their first two games to Oakwood School and North Salinas, the Aztecs have won three straight.
After beating Harbor and Pacific Grove, the Aztecs entered the Alvarez Eagle Classic at Everett Alvarez High. In their opening-round game, they barely beat Chowchilla Union, 48-44. They were supposed to take on King City in the next round before the tournament was called off.
The Aztecs will finish their preseason with games against North Monterey County and Everett Alvarez.
The Lady Aztecs currently have a 2-2 record, with wins over King City and San Mateo. Next, the team will take the court against Greenfield on Dec. 17.
Greenfield Bruins
It hasn’t been a hot start to the season for the Greenfield Bruins, who dropped their first four games. During the consultation game of the Alisal Jose Solis/Vantory Miles Invitational at Alisal High, they played a close game against Watsonville but came up short, 55-51.
On Dec. 8, the Bruins were able to get their first victory against Anzar, 54-47. The Bruins have three preseason games left against Coast Union, Pacific Point Christian School and Seaside.
The Lady Bruins entered the Stevenson Invitational and went 1-2. They knocked off Notre Dame in their opening match, 48-31.
After going on a three-game losing streak, the Lady Bruins were able to beat Marina, 48-42, on Dec. 9, giving them their second win of the season.
The Lady Bruins will be busy playing five more preseason games against Alisal, Coast Union, Pacific Point Christian School, Soledad and Stevenson.
King City Mustangs
This season started on a good note for the King City Mustangs, who beat Rancho San Juan, 79-49, in the Alisal Jose Solis/Vantory Miles Invitational at Alisal High. The Mustangs, however, lost their next two games in the tournament.
King City’s Jjey Martinez received first-team all-tournament honors.
The Mustangs dropped another game to Alisal two days before the Alvarez Eagle Classic at Everett Alvarez High. King City broke its three-game losing streak in the tournament’s first game, beating Rancho San Juan again, 79-51.
The next time the Mustangs play, they will start league plays against Soledad on Jan. 4.
The Lady Mustangs are 1-3 so far this season, with their only win coming against Marina, 45-37. The leading scorer for the Lady Mustangs was Samantha Richardson, who scored a team-high of 11 points.
The Lady Mustangs ended their preseason schedule against Seaside on Dec. 14, after press deadlines, and will begin league plays against Pajaro Valley on Jan. 4.
