Boys' basketball beats Montebello, 76-45

The Samo boys' basketball team faced Montebello High School in its first California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) playoff game on Feb. 21. The Vikings were able to eliminate their first competitor in playoffs, ending the game with a score of 76-45.Fom the start of the game, the Vikings proved to be the better team. They had total control of the ball which helped them to take the early lead. Providing high pressure right of the bat, Samo forced Montebello into several turnovers.The team also became a great force on the offensive side, as both Chris Johnson ('14) and Jonah Mathews ('16) made several three point shots, and Mikhail Brown ('16) captured several offensive rebounds and layups. As both the defensive and offensive side came together the team ended first quarter at 20-5.In the second quarter, Mathews had 11 points, helping Samo end the first half at 35-16.Samo began the second half just as hard and motivated as the first. Brown racked up several offensive and defensive rebounds. His hard work on the court extended the lead, ending the third quarter with a score of 74-45."Throughout the whole game, we were very sharp on defensive and offense, as well as being attentive to every single detail of the game," Brown said.In the fourth quarter, Samo was leading by more than 30 points. With a minute left, Matthew Tapia ('14) stepped onto the court and finished the game with the first points of his career, making a two point buzzer beater.At the sound of the buzzer, the whole crowd came to life. Samo student Lorenzo Regalado ('14) led his fellow peers onto the court and celebrated the team's first win of playoffs.dperdomo@thesamohi.com