The boys basketball program has made an outstanding start to the 2021 basketball season after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted and sports were allowed to return. With their most recent win against Pacifica their record stands at 7-2 (64-36) and the team is ranked 19th in Southern California  and 38th among all teams in California. 

“We have worked as hard as we were allowed to stay prepared during all of the shutdown periods,” Buena boys basketball varsity coach Matthew Colton said. Although sports were postponed and a return was never guaranteed, the boys varsity team persevered, working their hardest while waiting for news on a possible season return. 

Another noticeable difference when you compare Buena’s opponents is the height difference among the starting five. “I do not think there has been one team that has matched up with our overall size, speed, and athleticism…we just are not really big,” Colton said.

Buena takes advantage of  their height and speed to outrun their opponents, this strategy lets Buena ignore the weight issue as much as possible capitalizing on strengths that they possess. 

During the match against Pacifica, Buena was leading in almost every category including score, rebounds, assist, and steals. A key play that happened early in the game was a three point shot made by Buena varsity’s shooting guard Ausin Shliecher, after Buena had gained the lead Pacifica was unable to retake it for the remainder of the match. 

Another important stat that determined the game for Buena was their shooting percentages. Buena was shooting 39% from behind the arc which was almost double  what Pacifica was shooting. Something else to take into account was the field goal percentage Buena had compared to Pacifica. While Buena was shooting nearly 50%,  Pacifica was only at 40%. Since Buena out performed Pacifica defensively and offensively, it is apparent why Buena nearly doubled the points Pacifica had scored by the end of the game. 

Buena has a lot of momentum in their recent games causing them to stockpile wins. The Bulldogs varsity team currently has 11 games remaining in their season and they are scheduled to play most of the teams within Ventura County.