Scoring the final shot

Hanna Suarez, Editor-in-Chief

February 29, 2012

The varsity boys basketball team came up short 67-73 against the Rancho Cucamonga Cougars during the first round of CIF on Friday, Feb. 17, in the Downey gym. The Vikings struggled in the first half, but attempted to come back in the third and fourth quarter, dragging the Cougars into overtime after a tiebreaker by shooting guard Garrett Neilan.

There was not much movement in the first quarter as, both teams seemed to be caught in a funk. Although there was a mixture of adrenaline and excitement, the teams could not change the numbers on the scoreboard. The Cougars soon took the lead in the second period, leaving the Vikings behind by ten points. However, the varsity team did not let Rancho keep up, and fought back with their offense to bring the score level before the second half.

Despite the Vikings’ solid defense and strong offense, the Cougars were never far behind, and caught up every time Downey made a move. Early in the second half, after the teams were tied 26-26, the Vikings made their attempt to lead, scoring penalty shots and three-pointers until the end of the third quarter, leaving the scoreboard reading 37-33.

“I felt like the team looked too far ahead,” Neilan said. “We were overconfident and we didn’t come prepared.”

The energy did not last for long; the start of the fourth quarter brought the Cougars up to a three point advantage, which continued to grow throughout the remainder of the game.

Senior shooting guard Anthony Jack describes how the team felt during the game:

“We started the game excited and full of adrenaline, but toward the end of the game we were all tired and feeling fatigued,” Jack said.

Unfortunately, the exhaustion paid a price, leaving the Vikings with a six point set back during overtime. Though the struggle lasted and the crowd was pumped up, the Vikings could not defeat Rancho Cucamanga like they expected.

“We expected to win by a lot actually,” Jack said. “It hit me really hard, for a lot of us it was our last game.”

The varsity team fought hard, making great strides to get to CIF. Now with the season over, the team can only learn from their mistakes in order for each individual to succeed in the future.

About the Contributor

Hanna Suarez, Editor-in-Chief

Hanna Suarez, Editor-in-Chief of The Downey Legend, stepped into the world of journalism as a junior, as she carried on the challenge of the Arts and Entertainment Editor as her first position. The young writer was hesitant when first applying to join the staff, and doubts of acceptance crossed her mind. “I was kind of scared to join,” Suarez said “I didn’t think I would be much good.” Nonetheless, the hopeful student took the risk and was happy when she received the news of being selected as A&E Editor. She quickly adapted to the hectic environment and filled the newspaper room with her humor, as well as adding a sense of warmth and kindness. After successfully filling her section editor position, Suarez did not fret when the opportunity of E.I.C. was presented to her. She quickly grabbed the new title, and felt confident taking on the new role that was attached to more responsibilities. “I felt capable of handling the job well,” Suarez said. The leader was comfortable being promoted to a more prestigious position, and held her ground. While college years are ahead of her, the student is savoring the moments she has left in high school, taking in her senior year and trying to make the most of it. The Downey Legend editor is an active member in the school marching band, playing the clarinet and euphonium. The senior also enjoys spending time reading while having 3^rd Street Coffee in hand, and listening to indie bands and artists such as The xx and Lana del Ray. Once she graduates, the ambitious writer hopes to build a successful career as E.I.C. of her own magazine, making newspaper a foundation for her future endeavors. She anticipates stepping foot into the real world, attending the USC Annenberg School of Communications or FIDM. The young and talented individual has prospered as a writer and leader; providing the staff with a model of success, she leaves big shoes to fill.