by Macade Maxwell

As the CIF Open Division basketball playoffs begin, Head Coach Matt Dunn and his number four seeded Braves gear up for an intense matchup against the number five seeded Sierra Canyon Trailblazers in front of a sold out home crowd tonight at the Thunderdome.

Led by an intimidating starting five that consists of number one nationally ranked sophomore Brandon McCoy, Jr., senior Loyola Chicago-commit Jack Turner and two stud juniors in Elzie Harrington and Kade Bonam, the Braves are ready to showcase their talents on the court. These key players, along with the contributions of the rest of the team, have been playing together as a team all season long and now is when the games matter the most. 

“It all comes down to this,” said junior Elzie Harrington. “We prepared all year for this moment and [now] it’s time to show what we can do.”

The Braves’ goal of avenging last year’s CIF-SS Open Division Championship loss starts tonight against a talented Sierra Canyon roster that contains some well known names, including senior Justin Pippen, son of six-time NBA champion and Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, and Junior Bryce James, son of the one and only Lebron James. 

The Trailblazers, who managed to capture the top spot in a highly competitive Mission League, are looking forward to being the first team to defeat the Braves at home this season, who hold a perfect record of 10-0 while playing at the Thunderdome. 

“I think the opportunity to host an Open Division game is incredible for our community and team.  Our pool has four teams who have all been in the Open Division many times, so there will be no surprises,” said Coach Dunn.

Throughout the duration of the season, the Braves were challenged with a tough schedule, facing multiple nationally ranked teams and finishing second place in the Trinity League. Despite the ups and downs, the Braves were given the opportunity to learn from each game and create a stronger bond with each other. Entering the remaining few games of the season, every single learning moment has prepared the Braves for right now. 

“We have had a really good year. With the schedule we have played, we knew there would be a couple of tough nights, but overall I am very proud of this group,” Coach Dunn said.

Tonight’s game against Sierra Canyon only marks the first step of the postseason for the Braves. As they enter in pool play, the Braves will face some of the best teams in Californina. Following Friday’s game, they will host number eight seeded Corona Centennial next Tuesday before taking on number one seeded Harvard Westlake at their house.

“The reason for playing a schedule like [ours] is to prepare for the toughest playoff division in the country, and I believe are guys are ready for that,” said Coach Dunn. 

So begins the countdown to tip-off. Anticipation is high for the entire Brave community, as the Thunderdome will be electric as two high school basketball teams going head-to-head to see who’s best. 

For the Braves, this is their time to prove everyone wrong and show what they are really capable of doing. So be prepared as the Braves hope to fulfill their goals and make this a game to remember. 

“This should be a good game. I have confidence in my teammates, and I know that if we all execute, we have a good chance of winning,” said the five-star sophomore, McCoy, Jr.