On Thursday, March 6, boys’ basketball (20-10) seized a 52-38 win against Bret Harte High School (31-2) in Round 2 of the Division IV California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Playoffs. Due to the distance between Burlingame and Bret Harte, located over two and a half hours away, neither team had played each other this season. An unfamiliar opponent, combined with only a one-day break between games, led the Panthers to a scrambled scouting report.

“We only got a day to watch film and scout the team,” senior captain Rowan Maher said. “We spent the day between the games watching film, hydrating, and getting our bodies right.”

While the Panthers may not have been as prepared as they hoped prior to the game, they didn’t disappoint on the court.

“We stepped up to the challenge, played our roles, and hit our three pointers. It was a good night for the boys,” Rowan Maher said.

This season was especially meaningful for Rowan Maher, as it is his last time playing with his younger brother, sophomore Lucca Maher. Both of them expressed feelings of sentimentality.

“The first time I played with him was last year,” Lucca Maher said, “It’s pretty special being able to play with your brother.”

During Thursday’s game, the Panthers continued their trend of slow starts and fast finishes. The score remained close throughout the first half, with Bret Harte leading in the first quarter. By the end of the third, though, the Panthers were comfortably in the lead. According to head coach David Lopez, sophomore Scotty Cornelius and junior Max Robenalt were key players in the team’s offensive scheme.

“We have a really deep bench,” Lopez said. “All of the guys can contribute, but Scotty and Max are two of our best shooters, and today they really came in and did their job.”

Robenalt said teamwork is an important part of his playstyle.

“During the first half, I was just trying to make my three pointers, hit my shots, and get my teammates open. I try to get assists and move the ball.” Robenalt said.

On Saturday, March 8, the team came up short against Sacred Heart Prep (19-11) in a match that saw two teams fighting for a spot in the CIF regional finals.

Sophomore Lucca Maher and senior Payton Fong Heady led the offense with 26 combined points, but the team ultimately struggled to overcome the Gators’ pressure.

Although the Panthers led at the end of the first quarter, the Gators overcame the three-point deficit and took the lead by the end of the first half, 27-28.

In the second half, the Gators continued to impose their offensive control, building an eight-point lead in the third quarter. The Panthers pushed until the final minutes with support from their student section, but ultimately fell short, losing 60-54.

Junior power forward David Parrot reflected on the team’s performance and the crowd’s energy.

“I thought we had a great game overall. Our defense was great,” Parrot said. “Our students actually came out and did a fantastic job just making us feel like we were at home, and we did a great job staying together under the tough pressures.”

Head coach David Lopez admired the team’s spirit and said their bond was a key part of this season’s success.

“All of our boys, our great senior leadership, all our underclassmen have done a fantastic job buying into the team,” Lopez said. “All we can be thankful for is how great of a season we had and how hard we fought.”

Looking ahead, Lopez showed optimism for what the team can accomplish in the future.

“We had a great season, and our boys did a great job fighting,” Lopez said. “And I can’t wait to see what our seniors do in the future, and then what our next couple teams are going to do with the guys.”