Atherton, CA-After a tough road trip down south that saw the Oaks lose two contests by a combined nine points, the men of Menlo Basketball put together one of their most resounding victories of the year defeating the visiting Jessup Warriors 79-56. It was a slow start to the game with the score tied 5-5 seven minutes into the first half. Thankfully, the Oaks would find their stride thanks to some big scoring nights from key players. 

Winning the Battle of the Analytics

Without even diving into individual performances, Menlo played a very solid game as a collective. The first thing that jumps out is the teams domination on the glass with a 52-25 edge in rebounding. The Warriors could not keep Menlo's players out of the paint where they pulled down 17 offensive boards. Those rebounds would directly lead to 18 second chance points that ensured Menlo would get multiple looks at the basket per possession.

Another big element of the Oaks victory was their efficiency from behind the arc. For the game the team would shoot close to 42% from deep with 10 makes. Jessup on the other hand would only hit four three point shots despite taking thirty attempts. Menlo's ability to limit the Warriors both as rebounders and shooters made it incredibly difficult for them to mount much of a comeback at any point.

Big Games From Multiple Guys

It is hard to write about the exploits of this team and not highlight the work of 6'8 big man Landon Seaman. Seaman had an unusually quite game in his last outing against Vanguard but he was clearly determined to not let that become a regular occurrence. Seaman was a force down low all game long with a game high 26 points. But, he has blossomed into a nightly double-double threat with another 14 rebounds. Not only is he scoring the basketball but he is putting constant pressure on the rim as he crashes the glass looking for opportunities to keep plays alive with a timely offensive board.

Lone senior Kaito Williams was also huge in keeping the Oaks offensive afloat throughout the first half. Menlo scored 35 points in the first half and Williams was responsible for 15 of them. He would hit five first half threes including a buzzer beater before the half and each one would seemingly stop a Warriors run or flip momentum back in favor of the Oaks. In just his second time coming off the bench this year, Williams provided a much needed spark to help get his team in position to pull away.

Up Next…

Menlo will now prepare to face The Master's University this coming Thursday inside Haynes-Prim Pavilion. Last time these two teams faced off in Atherton it was a thrilling overtime game that saw the Oaks emerge victorious 85-77. With both teams looking to continue their climb up the GSAC standings, don't be surprised to see another close game this coming week!