By ADAM BREWER
MVI Sports
The California boys’ basketball team only played nine regular season games this winter.
To some that may seem like a short season, but it wasn’t as the Trojans had a late start to the season and then the team had a two-week layoff due to COVID-19 in February.
The playoffs were another “new season” for the Trojans and so far, they are 1-0 after registering a 55-48 victory over the hosting Chartiers-Houston Saturday in the Class 2A Preliminary Round.
“We just had a lot more positive energy and excitement heading into this game,” Cal coach Aaron Balla said. “Our last three practices have been really good. I summed it up to the guys that this is a whole new season for us and we are 0-0. Whatever happen these last couple of weeks, good or bad, it didn’t matter. We control our fate in today’s game.”
The Trojans (5-5) will now travel to top-seed and defending Class 2A champion Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Tuesday at 6 p.m. in first round action.
Nathan O’Savage was the key catalyst for Cal in its first playoff win since a first round triumph over Union in 2014-15. The senior guard tallied 27 points, 11 of which came in the final quarter.
“California hasn’t gotten a playoff win for a while, so this is really big for us,” O’Savage said. “We have had a lot of ups and downs, and it’s been tough not playing as many games as everybody else. We came together today and it started with our defense. We keyed on their perimeter shooters and I liked our size on the inside.”
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