By: Chris Ha
The Varsity Boys Basketball team came out victorious at the 37th Annual Cain Classic this year, Varsity Basketball Coach Clarence “Champ” Wrencher said. The tournament was held at MHS over two days starting on December 28, with four main matches and one consolation match, Wrencher said.
The other schools that took part in the tournament were Washington High School, Soledad High School, and Pioneer High School, Wrencher added. The MHS team also plans to participate again next year, he said.
“Yeah, it’s kind of like a tradition here, and we’re just trying to keep the tradition going, so it’s been going on for 37 years, and it’s also technically a fundraiser…we try to raise money for the basketball team by hosting,” Wrencher said.
In the first round, the MHS Varsity team played against Pioneer High School, whereas Soledad High School played against Washington High School, Wrencher said. The two winners, MHS and Washington High School, progressed to the final round while Pioneer and Soledad played out a consolation match, he added.
The score for their game was 73-70, overtime, [one of the best games he has seen all year,] Wrencher said. There were also some players whose performances stuck out in the final match, he said.
“Justin Barnachea, he’s our team captain, and he was one of our better players during the tournament. And then Aaron Tumber, he’s also a senior, and he was all-tourney, both of them were, and they’re two of the better players on our team.”
Co-Captain Aaron Tumber is currently in his second year on the varsity basketball team, he said. This is his second time playing the tournament, the first time being his junior year, Tumber added.
“My position on the team is a point guard, [meaning] I have to be a leader on the court, make smart decisions, and score the ball,” he said. “[In the championship final], anybody on the team could have been considered the MVP, because everybody performed well in order to contribute to the team’s win.”
Co-Captain Justin Barnachea is also in his second year of varsity and played in the same tournament last year as well, Barnachea said. On the court, Barnachea plays pretty much any position, depending on the lineup currently on the floor, he said.
“In the second half of the game, I hit crucial shots which sparked the comeback against Washington High, including a game tying shot that allowed our team to make it to overtime, resulting in our victory,” Barnachea added. “Shoutout to Kenzo, who kept the bench live and excited despite being down by 20 something points.”
