BREAKING: The Aptos boys basketball team suffered a disappointing 55-37 loss to Half Moon Bay today, finishing fourth in the 12th annual Aptos High/Santa Cruz Warriors NorCal Invitational held at Kaiser Permanente Arena. Senior Gio Garduno-Martin led Aptos with 16 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome an early deficit.
Trailing 15-2 after the first quarter and 28-11 by halftime, the Mariners (4-8 overall) fought back in the fourth quarter, narrowing the gap to just 10 points. Coach Joseph Smith praised his team’s effort against a tough opponent, stating, “I was proud of how we competed today. I thought we improved as a team over the course of the tournament.”
Half Moon Bay’s junior Levi Meighan contributed 10 points to the Cougars’ victory. The defeat marks a challenging tournament for Aptos, who will look to regroup with an upcoming game against Watsonville on Friday at 7 p.m..
“We have to take these lessons and build on them,” Coach Smith added.
In other tournament action, Willow Glen clinched the championship by defeating Pioneer 63-58, while St. Mary’s of Stockton edged out Los Gatos 76-73 in the consolation championship. Brayden Gumabo from Willow Glen was named tournament MVP, with several players, including Garduno-Martin and Aptos’ Levi Race, receiving all-tournament honors.
Today’s games highlighted not only the talent of the teams but also the resilience of the players and coaches involved. As the tournament wrapped up, excitement remains high for future matchups.
Aptos will aim to improve their record against Watsonville, while Half Moon Bay continues to build momentum after their strong performance. Stay tuned for updates as teams prepare for the next phase of their season.
