By Jondi Gumz
The Scotts Valley High School girls basketball team wrapped up their undefeated season in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League to earn the league championship and then captured the league tournament title with a 52-51 win over Santa Cruz.
Scotts Valley High School Girls Basketball celebrating their SCCAL Championship.
Amazingly, there are just eight players on the Falcons roster — but what players they are.
Brooklyn Williams, a junior, shoots 3s. So does Hanna Shehorn, a sophomore.
Samantha “Sammy” Rebbert, a junior, scores and steals the ball like nobody’s business. Count on seniors Claire Skinner and Abi Shi for rebounds.
Lily Watson, Amaya Guerra, Isabella Williams, fill in wherever they are needed.
Their motto: Together.
There is team chemistry from playing on the same Amateur Athletic Union basketball team, and on the Falcons’ flag football team that this year won a league title.
Did I mention their defense? Smart, aggressive defense — so they don’t rack up fouls.
This is the second stint for Coach Stu Hurvitz, who was at the helm from 2018-2021 when his teams finished 6-4 twice and then 4-7. He returned in 2023 for another 6-4 in league finish and third place.
No wonder he’s smiling.
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CCS Basketball Playoffs: SVHS Girls & Boys Advance
Scotts Valley High School girls and boys are among the three local teams are left in the Central Coast Section basketball playoffs after the second round.
The top-ranked girls have won 13 in a row.
On Saturday, playing at home, they dominated Mercy 68-14.
Sammy Rebbert scored 16, grabbed five rebounds and made three assists.
Hanna Shehorn scored 15 and got eight rebounds.
Brooklyn Williams made three 3s and scored 13 overall.
Claire Skinner grabbed eight rebounds.
The Falcons played tight defense which got the Mercy girls off rhythm from the very start.
Mercy ended the season 7-12.
The girls’ magical season came to an end Tuesday with a 58-42 loss to Notre Dame Belmont.
TOP PHOTO: Scotts Valley’s Sammy Rebbert gets open under the basket for an easy layup. • Photo Credit: Jondi Gumz
Boys
On Friday, the Scotts Valley boys, who tied with Soquel for third in league and are 14-14 overall, topped Stevenson 55-43 at home, then toppled Jefferson of Daly City 65-45 on Saturday.
Scotts Valley’s Taylor Knox (3) goes up for a shot under the basket. • Photo Credit: Darwin Horvath
Seniors carried the team Friday, with Taylor Knox the high scorer with 21 on Friday, followed by Will Schilling, 13, Jacob Sanders, 10, and Zach Schilling,10.
On Saturday, Taylor Knox and Alex Burgos, a junior, each scored 15 points. Will Schilling scores 13 and Zach Schilling scored 11.
In the quarterfinals, the Falcons lost to No. 1 Kings Academy 75-49.
The No. 7 Soquel High Knights edged No. 10 Terra Nova 53-46 in the second round of the playoffs.
Chase Pedersen, a sophomore, and Nolan Westfall, a senior, scored 10 points apiece, and Nico Ramirez, a senior, added eight.
On Tuesday, Soquel boys lost a close one in Division III to No. 2 Carmel 47-42.
Scotts Valley head coach Gabe Gonzales draws up a play during a time out. • Photo Credit: Darwin Horvath