On Feb. 21, boys’ basketball (17-8) dominated Soledad High School 83-19 with a strong defensive performance to secure a spot in the Central Coast Section (CCS) semifinals.

The Panthers took control early on, jumping to a 25-10 lead in the first quarter behind a strong offensive effort.

In the second quarter, Burlingame kept up the offense and defense, allowing Soledad to score only four points. Junior David Parrot showcased strong defensive strength with 11 rebounds and three blocks. By the end of the first half, the Panthers built a 51-14 lead.

“One of our biggest adjustments was jumping to the ball on defense, being in defensive positions early, and also playing more as a team,” senior Payton Fong Heady said. “When we started trusting each other, that’s when we played our best basketball. So we really teed up on that tonight, and we got a big one.”

As the game continued, sophomore Lucca Maher paced the offense, scoring 19 points. Meanwhile, the Panthers’ strong defensive approach allowed only five points the rest of the way, securing an 83-19 win.

Fong Heady reflected on the team’s performance and the tone the Panthers set throughout the game.

“Overall, the team played amazing,” Fong Heady said. “We played great together, just sharing the ball, lots of assists, everyone scored, everyone got minutes as well, and then everyone contributed to this big win.”

Head coach David Lopez emphasized the team’s chemistry, which helped Burlingame dominate on offense.

“Our boys being unselfish and sharing the ball and hunting green shots [three pointers], so it was really nice to see them do that,” Lopez said.

For their semi-final match, the Panthers will face Westmont High School on Tuesday, Feb. 24, which defeated Leight High School 72-67 and currently holds a 20-3 overall record this season.