When the Santa Monica High boys basketball team defeated Mira Costa in Manhattan Beach on Wednesday, January 7, 75-43, center Kunnu Shofu scored 14 points and three teammates had 11.
Two nights later, in a home court 58-45 win over Peninsula, guard Donte Bowie led with 11 points, Shofu scored 10, and guard Gerald Hatchett had nine.
“Balanced scoring has worked well for us,” said Coach James Hecht. “We usually have several players scoring between eight and 15 points.”
The defending Ocean League champions were 13-2 in non-league games. On Wednesday, January 14, Samohi was scheduled to begin its league schedule at home against Morningside. Two nights later the Vikings will play at Inglewood, a team regarded as a strong challenger.
This season the girls and boys varsity games are being scheduled on the same night. And, ironically, Inglewood is considered the most formidable challenger to Santa Monica in girls play too.
The Samohi boys have outstanding depth this season and Hecht is taking advantage of that by applying defensive pressure throughout, a tactic that has worn down opponents.
In the win over Mira Costa, 11 Samohi players scored. Against Peninsula nine did,
Hecht praises Harry Horn, a player who was on the junior varsity last season, for being a contributor off the bench. Garrett Frick. the Vikings’ only transfer, has similarly fit in well. He formerly played at Calabasas High.
