Wristbands and high socks, packed stands and jump shots. Sweat drenched hardwood floors, and Ruthless Rooters shouting wars. Broken ankles and a halftime cheer, sweet dimes and Nike gear. Basketball season has arrived. Coming off a sensational season last year, the Eagles hope to defend their league title in the 2001-2002 season. Last year the Eagles went 16-11 overall and 10-4 in league en route to the league championship. This year the Eagles will boast a roster packed full with 10 seniors, 5 of whom are Varsity veterans. 

After dismantling Chadwick in a pre-season scrimmage, the Eagles traveled to the Serrano Tournament for their first official game of the season. In the first round, the Eagles matched up against Granite Hills and cruised to a 30-point victory, winning by a score of 69 to 39. Senior Dashawn Strong had 23 points and 9 rebounds, Jeramie Hopson scored 19, Mike McCullough contributed 10 and Steve Urrutia chipped in with 7 to lead the Eagles to victory. In the second round of the tournament the Eagles faced the defending tournament champions, Silverado. The Eagles started the game out very strong and took an early commanding lead. However the defending champs wouldn't relinquish their throne without a fight and were able to claw their way back into the game. Despite the tough opposition, the Eagles managed to come out victorious with a 62-58 win. Strong led all scores with 23 points, Hopson added 12 and McCullough and Tino Gomez had 11 apiece. In the semi-finals the Eagles disposed of Sultana without much difficulty, winning 58 to 45. Jeramie Hopson lit it up for 29 points and grabbed 8 boards and Dashawn Strong provided the knock-out punch with a game clinching dunk for two of his 20 points. In the Tournament Finals, the Eagles faced the 7-0 Barstow Aztecs. The Aztecs gave a valiant effort, however in the end, the Eagles were simply too talented. And, winning by a score of 75 to 55, the El Segundo Eagles were crowned the Serrano Valley Tournament Champions. Hopson had 17 points and Dashawn Strong earned the tournament MVP with a performance that included 33 points, 17 rebounds and 2 blocked shots. After the tournament, the Eagles (4-0) were ranked by the Los Angeles Times as the 20th best team in Southern California. 

Two days later the Eagles were back home and ready to open their home tournament with a win against the Salesian Mustangs. The Eagles played solid ball and went into halftime with an 11-point lead. But in the third quarter, the Eagles broke the game wide open with excellent defense, scoring 23 points and holding Salesian to only 7. The Eagles went on to win 71 to 50 and were led by Strong and Hopson who had 20 points each. Mike McCullough added 3-points, 4 steals and 9 assists, Tino Gomez had 10, David Cryan had 7, D'Andre Matheiu had 5, Mike Lebow had 3 and Aaron Berger had2. In the second round the Eagles played the St. Monica Mariners. The Eagles continued their dominance and defeated the Mariners 67 to 52. Strong dropped 22 points and snatched 15 rebounds and Hopson scored 14. The game was a solid team effort led by a great defensive first half in which the Eagles took a 15-7 lead and never looked back. McCullough scored 10, Gomez had 11, Cryan had 6, and Urrutia and Matheiu each had a basket. The Eagles moved on to the semi-finals were they found Lake Elsinore waiting for them. The two teams matched up evenly and made for a great game. Early in the third quarter Strong was ejected from the game for a controversial flagrant foul and the Eagles were forced to play without their leading scorer and rebounder. Despite the setback, the Eagles managed to hold off the Elsinore Tigers and pull out a gutsy 3-point victory with the score El Segundo 57, Lake Elsinore 54. The win put the Eagles at a perfect 7-0 and thrust them into the tournament finals, a feat that had not been accomplished in 13 years. Strong ended the game with 17 points, but his ejection also forced him out of the final game. Jeramie Hopson led the Eagles with 18 points, and Mike McCullough stepped up in the clutch to add 13 points and 8 assists. In the championship game, the Eagles were forced to play the Loyola Cubs without two of their starters. Dashawn Strong was benched due to his ejection in the previous game, and Mike McCullough was sidelined by an injury. The Eagles played extremely hard, staying uncomfortably close to Loyola until the final moments of the game. The team gave their all, but came up shorthanded, losing 77 to 57. Hopson led the Eagles with 14 points and 11 rebounds and Tino Gomez scored 12 points and captured nine rebounds. Aaron Berger had 7, Steve Urrutia had 6, Mike Lebow had 5, Dustin Russel and D'Andre Matheiu each had 4 and David Cryan had 3. "The game was an excellent effort by the whole team especially D'Andre, Berger, Lebow, Russel and Smith off the bench. Tino, Jeramie and Cryan played their hearts out but missed their starting teammates," said Coach Sabosky. 

The Eagles currently have a record of 7 wins and 1 loss and are ranked 23rd in the Los Angeles Times. They also have been ranked 2nd in the SocalHoops CIF Div. IVAA Pre-Season Poll. The Eagles are off to one of their best starts in years, and this season promises to be a memorable one. The Eagles will begin league play against Hawthorne on Tuesday the 18th.

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