On Tuesday, boys basketball played against Menlo Atherton and lost 46-45.

Being such a close game, the team may feel a sense of dissatisfaction, which can push them to work even harder for their next game.

“We had complete control of the game until the last 2 minutes, where we made some crucial mistakes due to inexperience with finishing games. We fought really hard, but couldn’t pull through in the end,” senior Mert Yanar (‘23) said.

Menlo Atherton has a versatile team and PALY knew this going into the game. 

“They have a very well rounded team with skilled and athletic bigs, as well as quick and shifty point guards,” junior Alaap Nair (‘24) said.

The beginning of the game proved to be successful for the team and they were hopeful.

“During the first 3 quarters, we actually played very well. We were moving the ball around well, and creating opportunities for one another. We had a few turnovers here and there, but we were still up 5. We got up 7 with like 4:30 left and we started forcing shots on offense and speeding up our press break,” Nair (‘24) said. 

After a number of turnovers, the team was down 2 points. 

“Jackson hits 3 clutch free throws to go up 1 and we let this point guard get a super tough layup. We miss an open 3 for the win and lose,” Nair (‘24) said. 

This game made the team reflect on themselves and where they could improve personally.

“Overall, we just have to get better at finishing out close situations at the end of games, and we’ll be just fine. The game went alright for me, I played my role defensively, but not as much on offense,” Nair (‘24) said. 

From this loss, the team has been practicing hard, preparing for their upcoming game against long-time rival Gunn.