Menlo-Atherton takes 1st in M-A Bear Classic holiday tourney

In one of the most exciting and competitive games of the basketball season, M-A freshman Christian Perkins and super-soph McKinley Mathon saved their best games of the Bear Classic for the last against rival Palo Alto, with Perkins scoring 15 points and McKinley playing a complete game in leading the Bears to their championship win. In the previous two games, the Bears hammered Westmoor High from Daly City and Half Moon Bay High, each by more than 20 points. With inspiring point guard play and trademark smothering defense generated by Jesse Perkins, timely jumpers and slashing drives to the hoop by Michael Culhane and nothing-but-net shooting from Chris Chavolla, combined with strong and aggressive post play by Walbank Mahoney, the bears went into the half down by 1. The second half was well fought like the first, with Miles Weiss leading the attack at the point, Stoss Dela Morte skying with tough rebounds and Zach Cantu playing with intensity and tenacious defense. The team played without its starting guard, Wes Hagman who was out with the flu. The team was also missing Bill Thomsen and Chase Warren. All tourney honors went to Christian Perkins and the tournament MVP was McKinley Mathon. The team is coached by Tino Mendoza. Final score: 37-35 (M-A)