As the final moments of the 2024-2025 Men’s Basketball season come to a close, it is astounding to see how successful they have been this winter. From game-winning shots to thrilling slam dunks, the Mustangs have done it all this season.
To prepare for the season, the Mustangs had hours of practice and played numerous pre-season games. In addition, the team also took a bonding trip to Santa Barbara where they were able to play against top teams and test their strength as a team. As their official season slowly arrived, the Mustangs showed off their players during Mustang Madness which got the entire school excited for the start of basketball. With the energy of YLHS, the Mustangs dove headfirst into their season, finishing with 21 wins and only 6 losses. Due to their show-stopping performance in the season, the team finished first in the Freeway league.
Tonight the team honored their 7 seniors with a beautiful ceremony to kick start the game. They fought hard through a rowdy crowd, and the aggressive press from the opposing team, Brea Olinda High School. The first half was a close game and both teams struggled in the half-court to get good shots up. However, coming out of the half the Mustangs came out with so much more fire and energy. Halftime was a pivotal moment in the game because it allowed the Mustangs to pull away with a lead and stay ahead of the Wildcats for the rest of the game. Senior Rocco Gaffoglio (12) expressed that coming out of halftime the whole team was on the same page, “We knew we were better and just had to run in transition” The Mustangs continued to further their lead over Brea ultimately winning by 6 points with a final score of 52-46.
As they head into the postseason senior Jordan Laws (12) reflects on his time in the program and shares with the underclassmen “We all have bad games so just roll with the punches and keep moving forward”. The Mustangs now are charging into the D2AA CIF Playoffs as they face off against Chino Hills on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at Chino Hills High School.