For the first time in 27 years, the Mariners boys’ basketball team is headed to the Division 4AA semi-finals. Under the leadership of Coach David Friedman, the Mariners have enjoyed a successful regular season, finishing with a 19-11 record, including a 4-4 mark in the highly competitive North Hills League.
Entering the CIF playoffs, the Mariners made a statement with a dominant 77-26 win over Providence High School in 
the first round. This victory also marked a milestone for Coach Friedman, as he was congratulated on achieving his 400th career win. The team then followed up with two thrilling victories, edging out the Tarbut Torah Lions (47-46) and the Cate Rams (44-41) in the second and third rounds of the CIF tournament.
Leading the charge for the Mariners is forward Myles Salas (‘26), who put on an impressive performance in the quarterfinals with 19 points, including five consecutive three-pointers that helped fuel the team’s momentum in the late third and fourth quarters. Salas has been the team’s “hot hand” throughout the playoffs, also sinking the game-winning three-pointer last week against the Tarbut Lions.
Looking ahead, the Mariners are preparing for a tough challenge this Friday as they face the scrappy Santiago Cavaliers who went (21-10) this season. The Cavs’ environment is notorious for being extremely loud and tough to play in, which the Mariners coaches and players will need to take into account. As the team gets ready for the game, forward Luke Thompson (‘25) says, “Our unique chemistry is what makes us special. If we continue to play for each other like we have been, I believe we can succeed in the future.”
“This year, our team has truly embraced our culture,” coach Friedman said. “They play selflessly for one another and have fully bought into the system we’ve implemented as coaches.”
The Mariners seem to be ready for the task at hand, and are eager to display their talents, hard work, and teamwork to try to get back to the finals for the first time in 31 years.
Coach Friedman adds, “If they keep following that path, we believe we have a real shot at success tonight.”
