The varsity boys basketball team won their first preseason game of the year 65-62 on Tuesday, December 2, against Fremont.

The squad returns with three of four top scorers from last year, and with a new, press-focused defense, the team is looking to dominate the upper league. Although certain strategies proved risky, the team has started on the road to success.

“We are trying new kinds of pressure this year which can be effective but are also risky,” senior captain Joey Malgesini said. “We left too many holes for them to break through this game and we need to tighten that up. We definitely did things right but we have a lot to work on.”

Joey cited several other factors the team needed to work on, including game intensity and energy on defense. The narrow victory – Los Altos only won by three points – certainly indicated the competitiveness of the upper league, but Los Altos aspirations remain lofty nonetheless. The victory only served to signify the beginning of a new season – something the players can’t wait for.

“This was our first real game in which… it all got more serious,” Joey said.

The team plays next in the Cupertino Tournament from Thursday, December 5 to Saturday, December 7.