High-flying Falcons look to ‘Locke’ down playoff opener

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

If you’ve read our blog this week you know at least two coaches were extremely unhappy about their teams being excluded from the Invitational Division boys’ basketball tournament. Santee Coach Curtis Hughes sympathizes, so you won’t hear him griping about his Falcons’ No. 7 seeding.

‘I was hoping to be in the top four but we’ll use this as motivation,’ said Hughes, whose team ended the regular season on a hot streak, winning 16 of its last 17 games. ‘The truth is, a lot of teams don’t know about us. Hopefully they will when it’s all said and done.’

Santee had a bye in Wednesday’s first round and hosts No. 10 Locke at 7 tonight. Hughes’ squad is undefeated at home and he doesn’t envy the team trying to escape with a victory on the Falcons’ home court.

‘Anyone who’s got to come here and play us is in trouble,’ Hughes said. ‘Locke has two good guards who love to shoot threes so we’ll have to watch out for that, but we’re pretty excited to be playing in our own gym.’

When he took over the program, Hughes vowed to win league and play for the Invitational championship within three years. Now, in his third season, he has guided the Falcons to the Southern League title and is looking to make good on his ‘other’ promise.

‘I’m a man of my word and I’m standing by it,’ he said. ‘If we play the kind of ball we can play, you’ll see us in the championship.’

-- Steve Galluzzo