After success in the league’s lowest division in 2022-23, the Gilroy boys basketball team moved up a level. The next two years were a struggle. But in 2025-26, Coach Joe Te’s hoopsters succeeded at the challenge and reached new heights.
This Mustang team improved on the previous year’s record by four games overall and were competitive in a tough loop. After two seasons with a cumulative 13-34 overall mark and just 5-15 in two seasons in the division, Gilroy finished the season 11-13 overall and 4-6 in league.
Additionally, they advanced to the Central Coast Section playoffs for the first time in three years.
In Blossom Valley Athletic League, Santa Teresa South Division action, the 4-6 Mustangs scored 572 points and allowed only 560. They split series against both Sobrato and Silver Creek, the two teams directly above them in the standings.
Gilroy was outclassed in only one of 10 league contests. They were competitive and their relentless style made them the kind of team nobody wanted to play.
“It’s gone better than expected,” said Te, late in the season. “We play super hard. I love our work ethic. We’re led by our two senior guards.”
Those two, Rafael Abarquez and Xyros Callanta, spearheaded the Mustangs. Contributions came from everywhere. Joshua Kim and freshman Michael Cisneros were key players in the backcourt.
Rudy Chavez, Jordan Rom and Alexis Sanchez were up front, and found success even though undersized against mostly taller competition. Marcus Juarez and A.J. Masbate were major pieces of the squad.
The whole team was short on size but succeeded through athleticism, offensive execution and defensive intensity. The guards could blow by or through a defense and get to the hoop for layups. If the opposing front line rotated to protect the rim, they could dish it back to a teammate at the three-point line. Defensive ferocity often carried the day.
Pre-season highlights included wins over Pajaro Valley 58-17, Andrew Hill 77-40, Soledad 67-60, Lincoln 52-21, St. Francis Watsonville 75-70, Rancho San Juan 60-56 and North Salinas 60-52.
Many of those teams were solid squads, proving Gilroy’s impressive growth and competitiveness. St. Francis was 13-10 and in the upper half of the Pacific Coast Athletic League, Mission Division. RSJ was also a solid competitor in that league.
Lincoln was 13-11 and in the middle of the sibling league, the BVAL Santa Teresa North. Soledad was 17-7, and won the PCAL Cypress Division. North Salinas, a step back in the PCAL Cypress, also finished at 17-7. Of the seven defeats, only one was one-sided, and that came at powerhouse Salinas.
In league play, victories came over Oak Grove by scores of 60-23 and 69-51. Gilroy won a 69-63 thriller against Sobrato and collected a 64-53 triumph over Silver Creek.
The Mustangs finished the back half of the round robin 3-2, including the victories against Sobrato and Silver Creek. The two back-half losses were 67-60 to Live Oak in a road contest the Mustangs led with two minutes to play, and a 65-49 defeat to league champion Leland.
The matchup with Live Oak in Morgan Hill on Feb. 5 was illustrative of the Gilroy season and the strides the Mustang program has made. A solid Acorns team featured eight players listed as 6-feet or taller, with three at 6-foot-4 or more. That did not include the injured Leo Francke.
Gilroy gave the Acorns all they could handle. Five different Mustangs scored in the first quarter. Callanta drained two long triples in the second quarter and Cigneros hit a trey right before halftime. That bomb punctuated a 7-0 run that put the Mustangs ahead 29-22 at the half.
In addition to offensive execution, defensive persistence and intensity had caused nine LO turnovers.
“They were getting to their strengths,” Live Oak coach Randy Bartholomew said. “On-ball screens. They executed on defense.”
After the break, the Acorns started playing inside out, utilizing their height inside. A 22-8 run produced a comfortable 44-37 lead. But these Mustangs showed they don’t quit or get intimidated.
Callanta, Masbate and Cisneros each hit 3-pointers as Gilroy fought back within 46-43. Abarquez proved his mettle with three consecutive hoops in the late stages. He popped in a six-foot jumper, drove for a layup and sank a five-foot runner.
The Mustangs led 60-59 with less than two minutes remaining. However, the experienced Acorns prevailed down the stretch with a couple big buckets and Gilroy missing a few shots.
The regular season ended a week later and the Mustangs received an invitation to the CCS Division II playoffs. On Feb. 20, Gilroy traveled down Highway 101 to Soledad. A shaky start found them trailing 11-2 with 30 seconds remaining in the first period.
The Mustangs rebounded and closed within 13-11. Soledad pulled away but Gilroy replied once again and they were down just 28-20 at halftime. After the break, the dam broke and the Aztecs pulled away for a 55-38 win.
Regardless, it was a fine season with new accomplishments—competitive in a higher division on the way to the playoffs. The seniors left a revitalized program. The Mustangs march on, fueled by new-found success and competitiveness, several returning underclassmen and likely new additions.
