NEW SQUAD, SAME GOAL BOYS’BASKE

BY DANNY CONWAY Sta Reporter

Boys’ varsity basketball — perennially a top team on the Peninsula — is once again having a strong season. e Panthers currently have an overall record of 18-4 and 9-2 in the PAL South. ey sit at No. 2 in the league, trailing Menlo-Atherton High School by two games for the top spot.

Head coach Je Dowd has relied on an entirely di erent rotation than last season a er the departure of nine graduated players, including South Division Co-MVPs Sean Richardson and Will Uhrich.

Hard-nosed, gritty defense has been key to Burlingame’s consistency over the past few years. e same is true this season.

Senior guard Zaden Martin has stepped up and been the

TEAM RECORD

18-4, 9-2

MJ DOWD 52 3-POiNTERS ZADEN MARTiN heart of this year’s roster, averaging a team-leading 12.9 points and 24.6 minutes per game. e Panthers aren’t just strong in the paint. Martin’s ability to drive through opponent defenses has given senior and starting guard MJ Dowd an abundance of quality threepoint looks, which he o en capitalizes on. Dowd has sunk 52 three-point shots this year, at a relatively e cient 34%. When Dowd gets hot, the Panthers’ offense is hard to stop.

Unlike top scorers from prior years, Martin rarely goes for three-point shots. Instead, the team’s o ense has adapted to — and bene ted from — Martin’s slashing play style, as Burlingame has gone from a threepoint reliant o ense to one that is both a threat at the rim and behind the arc.

Senior center Kyle Haslam, who su ered from a fractured knee cap last season, has also had a standout year, averaging 11.7 points, 9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. Standing at 6-feet-6, Haslam has given Burlingame — traditionally known for its small ball lineups — a physical threat in the paint.

HARD-NOSED, GRiTTY DEFENSE HAS BEEN KEY TO BURLiNGAME’S CONSiSTENCY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.

While Haslam, Dowd and Martin were all members of last year’s varsity roster, the other two starters, sophomore forward Jeremiah Phillips and senior guard Kevin Chiu took unconventional paths to becoming key contributors on the varsity level.

Chiu didn’t try out last season, but returned to the program this year. He has not lost a beat, and plays a key role on both sides of the oor. Chiu averages 4.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game, leading the team in both categories.

“I decided not to play last year partly because I felt I wouldn’t be able to commit to the team but also because I wasn’t having that much fun playing,” Chiu said. “Missing out on [last] season reminded me how much I wanted to be out there, so I’m very appreciative for the opportunity to be on the team for my senior year. It’s pretty special and I’m just hoping to make the most out of it.”

GiRLS

BY MICHELLE MOSHKOVOY

Girls’ varsity soccer (9-4-4 overall, 3-4-3 PAL Bay) fought day in and day out in the PAL Bay standings to a No. 4 nish. But while the Panthers struggled to compete at the top of the league — the No. 1 and No. 2 teams automatically qualify for the Central Coast Section (CCS) — they have beaten or tied with four of its other ve teams. An undefeated preseason and a noticeable improvement in their second round robin of league games are also con dence boosters. And most notably they have an overall above .500 record, which is a requirement to apply for an at-large bid to CCS. MaxPreps has Burlingame slotted at No. 11 in CCS. at’s to say, the records and projections are in place. Now comes the restless part: waiting for the CCS draws to come out.

Boys

BY THEO AU-YEUNG

Boys’ varsity soccer has arguably been the best team in the PAL Bay Division. Despite this, they have trailed Aragon High School by a ne margin in the league standings. Regardless, Burlingame should qualify for the CCS tournament. It has been quite evident that the Panthers have dominated most of their games, holding a majority of possession and being able to win the ball back consistently. ey have been on the end of bad luck and uky moments late in a few games, o en just not being able to get over the line to score the winning goal. Nonetheless, there is no doubt Burlingame has the talent and coaching necessary to reach CCS and make a run in the tournament.

12.9 POiNTS PER GAME

KYLE HASLAM

THE SAME iS TRUE THiS SEASON.

11.7 POiNTS PER GAME 9 REBOUNDS 1.5 BLOCKS

Phillips, who played for Burlingame’s freshman team, has matured quickly He is now averaging 17 minutes per game at the varsity level and is shooting 43% from the eld. Burlingame’s youth will take the reins at the end of this season, and it’s evident that Phillips will assume a central role in coming years.

Burlingame lost a pivotal game on the road against top-seeded Menlo-Atherton on Wednesday, Feb. 8. As a result, the Panthers will likely be placed in Division III of the CCS tournament, with nal seeding announced on Wednesday, Feb. 15.

THE BLiTZ WiTH THE BURLiNGAME B