San Lorenzo Valley High School boys’ basketball coach Russell Gross knows what works on the court. Emerging from the season with an 18-8 record and a trip to the Central Coast Section Division IV semifinals, Gross sang the praises of his team following their 57-53 loss to Salinas’ Palma School on Feb. 24 in a gripping game.
Advancing to CCS is no small feat, but the SLV Cougars are familiar with the tournament, having advanced to the quarterfinals twice in recent years: once in the 2016-17 season, and again in 2021, where they lost to Scotts Valley High.
After the two previous seasons were disrupted by Covid-19 limitations, the Cougars finished third in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League, despite a two-week hiatus on games and practices due to the virus.
“It was challenging for our players. They had to get tested every week, and not knowing whether they would be permitted to play based on the results was tough,” said Gross, who led the previous year’s varsity boys team to their first SCCAL title since 2007. “We lost some players for a short period of time due to Covid, but they were just a resilient team, and a great team to coach. They all stayed together from day one until the last game. They were getting recruited by other schools, but they stayed here to play for their community.”
Emerging from a strong regular season, the SLVHS team of sophomores, juniors and seniors entered the CCS playoff quarterfinals against Terra Nova High (13-11), rousting the Pacifica-based school with a decisive 71-63 win.
The semifinals saw SLV take on Palma (18-4) and come close to clinching a slot in the finals despite injuries and illness. Senior Asher Dollinger injured his wrist during the Terra Nova game, which limited his ability to score during the Palma match-up, and 6-foot, 2-inch center senior Rider Saunders missed the Palma game due to illness.
“This year was bittersweet for sure. It’s the last time I’ll get to coach as a dad,” said Gross, reflecting on his son Jack’s 2022 graduation. “I don’t think they realized what a great team they were. They’re humble kids. They had enthusiasm all the way through, and they’re very competitive kids. I think they left the season feeling fulfilled.”
Gross reflected on a team trip during the season to watch the Sacramento Kings face the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“My friend is a minority owner of the Kings, and we sat courtside to watch the game. It was a great team bonding event—we were supposed to go to Reno for a tournament, but it was canceled due to Covid, so we made the most of things,” said Gross. “It was a great experience for them.”
Sophomore point guard Kai Groleau made his varsity debut as a freshman last season, and has continued to dominate the court with his shooting and passing prowess, averaging 20 points per game. Groleau also pointed to the team bonding event in Sacramento as a high point of the season, and was grateful for the experience.
“It was fun playing with the same group of kids from the year before, and we had some great games against Aptos and other schools,” he said. “Getting to CCS and winning first round was definitely one of the highlights of our season. Our sophomores this year are great players and highly athletic, and I think we’ll have a strong team.”
Groleau singled out players Cade Petersen and Dollinger as leaders of the squad.
“Even when Cade was hurt, he came to every practice and every game, and really helped give us direction and motivation. Asher scored a ton, motivated us and led us to success in CCS and league,” said Groleau. “Next year, I want to see us have a winning record and take CCS.”
Junior point guard Damian Aguilar was upbeat about the team’s overall season.
“The best part for me was advancing to CCS, and competing at that higher level. I liked playing with my teammates and watching everyone have fun—not just the players on the court, but everyone on the bench as well,” said Aguilar. “I enjoyed the atmosphere of CCS, and how the bench was really involved and the crowds were cheering more than at a normal game. It really added another level of excitement.”
The SLVHS varsity basketball banquet on March 7 will see one senior player walk away with a coach’s award, including a $500 scholarship from Gross and his wife, Jill.
“At the end of the year, I do things a little differently,” said Gross. “I’ve never given an MVP award, because I strongly believe each player is valuable in their own way. They’ll all get their kudos at the banquet. All in all, I think the future is bright for SLV. We’ve got some strong sophomores and juniors coming up, and moving forward, they’re in a really strong position. I’ve had seven of the seniors since middle school, so it’s bittersweet to see them go. I think they were sad too, but they’re moving towards graduation, and those young men were an absolute pleasure to coach.”
