If the old sports adage is true and defense does, in fact, win championships, the Saints basketball team is following the right path.

After defeating Victoria College last week, 107-81, the team’s focus is still on defense. Their goal to make it to the playoffs, and their defense will play a key role in accomplishing this.

“We’re always working on defense, no matter what,” head coach Frank Hernandez said. “After a loss or a win, we still need to improve on our defense.”

The win was the team’s first of the season and, according to center/power forward Derek Ezell, was a culmination of the team’s hard work.

“Everything finally came together,” Ezell said. “Everybody played as a whole, and we all played really well. Everybody locked down on defense this time. Even though we gave up 80 points, we still got the win.”

Hernandez also saw the team coming together in the victory and improvements in the team’s defensive efforts.

“We finally played team basketball and finally starting executing,” Hernandez said. “We played defense, and we controlled the rebounding game as well. All those opportunities led to easy baskets for us. Our full-court press and management defense really came to the forefront and gave us that edge.”

The team is currently led by small guard/shooting guard DJ Rodriguez who is averaging 23 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.

Other leaders include center/power forward Nicholas Espinoza who is averaging 14.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Point guard Donnel Weary is leading the team in assists, averaging 4 assists per game, and is also one of the team’s leading scorers with 19 points per game.

According to Hernandez, the team still has a lot to prove and must continue working hard to see more success in the future.

“As a coach, I am never satisfied,” Hernandez said. “Once they start getting complacent then I got to start working. I’ve got to keep them on the edge and say, ‘Hey we haven’t done anything yet,’ which we haven’t.”

The Saints face off against Palo Alto College at PAC on Wednesday.