Basketball Recap: Sunset Comes Up Short

Sunset fought the good fight in their overtime matchup against Varela on Thursday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Varela Vipers by a score of 53-51. The Knights were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Vipers apparently hadn't forgotten their loss the last time these teams played back in January.

When it comes to explaining why Sunset lost, don't look at Brandon Luis. Despite the final result, he went 8 of 17 en route to 25 points. The game was Luis' seventh in a row with at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Ethan Rojas, who posted nine points and five boards.

Even though they lost, Sunset smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 13 offensive boards in four consecutive contests.

Sunset's defeat ended a three-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 5-4. As for Varela, they now also have a winning record of 5-4.

Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. After both having extra time off, Sunset and Mater Bay Academy will shake off the cobwebs and take on one another at 7:30 p.m. on January 7, 2025. Mater Bay Academy will roll in looking for their ninth straight victory, something Sunset surely won't give up without a fight. As for Varela, they will have some time to savor their win since their next game is a little ways off: they'll take on Hialeah-Miami Lakes at 7:30 p.m. on January 7, 2025. Varela has insisted on making their lastthree contests complete nail-biters, turning in a record of 1-2 during that stretch of close contests.