With the football season ending and winter approaching, all signs point to the boys’ basketball season starting again. This season, the Titans believe they can not only win the De Anza league but also Central Coast Section (CCS).

Last season the Titans posted a 16-10 record and were awarded a first-round bye in CCS. However, Gunn fell short of its ultimate goal losing 53-47 to the Westmont Warriors in the quarterfinals. “We let that game get away from us,” senior Max Minowitz said. “There were so many opportunities to put the game away and we just couldn’t do it.”

The varsity team features eight returning seniors: point guards Mike Shubat and Ryan Miller, shooting guards Nathan Ma and Minowitz, small forward Kyle Perricone, centers Gus Brennan and Avery Reiss and power forward Stephan Castro. In addition, Chris Redfield reprises the role of head coach for the Titans.

With only four players from last year’s team having graduated, the team expects to continue to succeed. “We still have a lot of the same guys from last year,” Perricone said. “It’s going to be good for team chemistry and we should be able to get out to a fast start.”

With the first preseason game against Oak Ridge High on Nov. 22 fast approaching, the final 12 to 13 man roster will be determined in the coming week. “Whatever the final roster is going to look like, we should have a similar if not better team than last season,” Perricone said. Players believe that the bench’s success will determine how far the team will go. “It’s all about depth,” Minowitz said. “The most important thing for the team is for everyone to succeed in their respective roles. It’s not just about one person; every player has to contribute.”

With the De Anza Division featuring schools such as Cupertino, Los Gatos and Palo Alto (Paly), the team recognizes the tough competition they are facing. “We play in a really good division,” Castro said. “There’s the possibility of losing on any given night if we don’t always play our best.” After losing to Paly both at home and away last year, the Titans hope to avenge their losses this season. “Of course every game matters, but Paly is a whole different story,” Ma said. “Beating Paly, especially at home, is one of our biggest goals this season.” The home game against Paly is on Jan. 23 and the away game is on Feb. 13.

After last year’s disappointing loss in CCS, many players have high expectations for the upcoming season. “I don’t want to say that we have been underachieving, but there’s definitely a lot of room for improvement,” Perricone said. “All of us are pumped for this season and really believe that we can go far in CCS.”