In the season finale, Valencia and Golden Valley, who clinched the Foothill League title on Monday, both entered the matchup having already secured playoff berths. 

Still, it was the Vikings who came away with the win, heading into the postseason with momentum.

“It’s perfect, it’s great momentum going into the postseason,” said Valencia Head Coach Greg Fontenette. “I felt like coming out with a win, we have some confidence and momentum.”

Prior to the game, Fontenette told junior Steven Irons that he would need to step up in a big way, and Irons delivered, leading the Vikings in scoring with 17 points. Noah Trevino backed him up with a strong performance of his own, finishing with 15 points.

However, it was Golden Valley who opened the game, showing off their shooting ability, as its first four baskets came from beyond the arc. The biggest threat to Valencia’s defense was Donovan Webb, who led all scorers with 19 points.

“We thought we were better off with Donovan shooting threes than letting him get to the rim and be a playmaker,” said Fontenette. “Today we said, hey, if [Donovan] starts shooting, then we adjust and that’s what we did.”

Valencia picked up the pace early, tying the game at 12 apiece in the first quarter before taking a 20-15 lead by the end of the period. The two teams continued to trade baskets, but Valencia maintained the upper hand and went into halftime with a 36-31 advantage.

After the break, the Grizzlies found a second wind and briefly took a 47-46 lead. That advantage was short-lived, however, as Valencia quickly reclaimed control. Golden Valley closed the gap multiple times down the stretch but was unable to regain the lead, as Valencia secured a 68-63 victory.

While the Vikings fell just short of a league title, they finished the season exactly how they wanted, on a five-game winning streak with momentum and a healthy roster after battling injuries throughout the year.

“You know it’s funny because I think that in my own mind sometimes, like, man, you never want injuries for your team, but it allows other guys to be able to have an opportunity to step up and you get to see as a coach what other guys are capable of bringing to the team,” said Fontenette.

He added that giving players valuable game experience this season will carry over into next year and give them a head start on development.

Now, the only thing left for both Valencia and Golden Valley is to await the release of the CIF-SS playoff bracket, which is set to be announced Saturday.

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