On Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, the Dougherty Valley varsity mens basketball team matched up against the Monte Vista Mustangs, defeating them with a 15 point margin, resulting in a final score of 61-46.
With the commencement of the game, the Mustangs took hold of the ball from the tip off, but were unable to convert as a result of a travelling call. This marked the beginning of the Wildcats’ momentum as the turnover created a strong start for the team. The first points were made by junior Rylan Sevilla, who had 16 points overall, to start the game off with the Wildcat lead. The team played off each other’s energy, assisting teammates with baskets and passing the ball, showcasing a new team chemistry that was prominent on the court. The score remained relatively close as time went on, and it eventually tied at eight seconds left in the quarter. To finish it off, Sevilla hit a two point shot as the quarter ended, making the score 14-12 in the Wildcats favor.
Beginning the second quarter, the Wildcats started off strong, confidently shooting beyond the arc. At this point, the game was relatively close although the Wildcats took the lead in the first quarter. The two teams began trading points back and forth, eventually coming to a tie again midway through the quarter. The Mustangs were able to fight ahead and take the lead, but continuously were called for fouls by their defensive lineup. At this point, the Wildcats started doubling their defense in order to gain quicker possession of the ball. By the time the second quarter ended, Monte Vista was in the lead 31-28.
As the third quarter began, the Mustangs decided to take a different approach and double their defense early on in the quarter, but weren’t able to effectively penetrate the Wildcats’ offense. On the other hand, Dougherty put up a strong defensive performance, snatching two steals near the beginning of the quarter and rebounding most shots. Both teams racked up points back and forth, leading to another close score of 36-35 in favor of the Mustangs at four minutes left. As the quarter went on, the Wildcats continued to have momentous points, leading to an ending score of 45-41 with the Wildcats in the lead.
By the fourth quarter, both teams had upped their energy to a higher level, and the Mustangs flew out playing a higher defensive line. Despite this, the Wildcats’ dominance from their teamwork and synergy was what enabled them to keep their lead throughout the fourth. At this point, the Wildcats were able to predict the Mustangs’ movements, and effectively defend against them. The Mustangs in response picked up their defensive speed, and both teams eventually reached five fouls with two minutes left, while the score was 52-44 in favor of the Wildcats. As a result of their lead, the Wildcats slowed down their offense in an attempt to waste the last minute away, while the Mustangs continued to foul the team in order to gain quicker possession of the ball after free throws. By the end, the Wildcats were able to pull away with a win, with the final score being 61-46.
After their previous loss to Granada High School on Jan. 20, junior Luke Hansen commented on what changed to contribute to their win against Monte Vista.
“We had to bounce back after a tough loss,” Hansen said. “We knew we had to work on some stuff and practice to get better. We needed this [win].”
Senior Rashod Cotton Jr., a lead scorer for their past few games, also had thoughts about their teamwork.
“Yeah I’m a leading scorer, but I just want to get my teammates involved,” he commented. “I don’t care about scoring honestly.”
Their next home game will be on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, against California High School at 7:30 p.m.
