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REBOUND: Sunnyvale boys get back on the winning track
By DEVIN HASSON, dhasson@acnpapers.com
The Sunnyvale boys basketball team found itself in an unusual position this week.
After running the battle en route to an undefeated district championship last season, the Raiders found themselves looking to bounce back from a loss after dropping a game to Life High Oak Cliff last Friday.
Sunnyvale showed no lingering effects from the setback on Tuesday as it got back on the winning track with a 79-42 win over Peak Prep.
"Dallas Peak has gotten a lot better as a team, but it was good to come out and play better after that loss," Sunnyvale head coach Paul Vanek said. "I thought we played with the kind of intensity we were lacking on Friday, so it was a much better effort."
The Raiders jumped on Peak Prep with a 19-9 run to start the game and the lead swelled to 40-19 by halftime.
The second half was more of the same, as the lead reached 25 through three quarters and Sunnyvale closed strong with a 21-11 run in the fourth.
The Raiders spread the ball round on offense, as 12 different players had at least three points. Thomas Wendt led the way with 16 points, while Connor Nash was also in double figures with 10.
That kind of balance has been indicative of the way the team has played all season long, and is a big reason for their success.
"It is nice to have that because you are not relying on just one or two guys to carry the scoring load," Vanek said. "Every night we have four or five guys who are capable of scoring in double digits and that is a tribute to how hard they work and the way they share the ball."
This year's Sunnyvale team features a different look than they one of a year ago. Whereas that squad had three starters that were 6-3 or taller, this is a smaller team that has relied more on its quickness to succeed.
That was evident during the Christmas break when the Raiders swept the field en route to winning the Leonard Tournament.
"That was nice to win because the Leonard Tournament traditionally has some great teams, so that is always something that helps build confidence," Vanek said.
Sunnyvale has some lofty goals on the horizon, but knows it must attend to the business at hand first, starting with Friday's home game against Palmer.
"We want to make the playoffs and hopefully try to defend our district championship," Vanek said. "But right now, we just have to stay focused on us and continue to work hard every day."
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