With the final half of the season approaching, the Pinewood girls and boys basketball teams are preparing for deep playoff runs. Both teams currently have hit double-digit win totals and show no signs of stopping.

The Pinewood boys basketball program has turned around since Head Coach Larry Williams arrived. Since his arrival, he has changed the team culture, and their record this season reflects that.

Senior George Textor has been on the team since the start of Williams’ tenure. Textor appreciates how far the team has come.

“We already surpassed the number of wins we had last year, and that just shows our upward trajectory,” Textor said.

A large part of their ascent can be attributed to a tournament the boys played in just two months ago. They traveled to Boonville, Calif. for the Redwood Classic and went 3-1.

Sophomore Thomas Meehleib cited the positive effect the overnight trip had on team chemistry.

“The Boonville tournament was great because we were able to get three wins, and we had a good time,” Meehleib said. “It was a good way to start the season.”

The team continued their winning streak into the holiday break, where they got some time off and were able to recover from the first stretch of the season. However, heading into January, they were met with a rigorous schedule that tested their abilities to the fullest. Following those games, it became apparent that they still had a lot of room for growth.

“Our team can improve our body language and not let one bad play affect the way we perform,” Meehleib said. “Keeping a positive mindset will help us improve and stay focused.”

Similar to the boys, Pinewood girls basketball started their season on fire. Heading into the new year, they were 5-0 and traveled down to San Diego for a short trip before the end of winter break.

When asked about the tournament, junior Vallory Kuelker mentioned the valuable time spent with her teammates.

“I had a lot of fun hanging out with the team, and we had a great time together,” Kuelker said.

The team returned to Los Altos with a 1-1 record and  lessons learned.

Sophomore Caitlyn Kramer said overcoming the mental challenges of the season is an area her team needs to focus on to win close games.

“We have talked a lot about the mental aspect of the game,” Kramer said. “Bouncing back from mistakes and working through fatigue will be important for us.”

After a positive first half of the season, the girls look to build off of their impressive record through league play. As they play some challenging teams in the upcoming weeks, Kuelker stressed a key factor to winning games.

“My biggest goal for the team is for us to be fully confident in our skills and capabilities,” Kuelker said.

If they can focus on those little details, Kuelker believes they will be a difficult team to beat come playoff time.