How Cupertino basketball went from “rock bottom” to one of the Bay Area’s biggest surprises

CUPERTINO — Cupertino center Max Feldan never stopped running against Homestead.

From the moment he stepped on the court, the Pioneers center was in perpetual motion as he zipped from guarding the perimeter to banging with future Michigan State tight end Wyatt Hook on the block.

That commitment to maximum effort, the biggest reason Cupertino has improved from 3-21 last season to 18-1 in 2023-24, started shortly after the final game a year ago.

“They’ve grown up a lot compared to last year,” longtime coach Craig Ellegood said after his team won 49-40 on Tuesday night. “This group was really in shock last year.” 

The team’s returners were determined to not repeat what unfolded last season.

“The culture of our team changed, because once we reached rock bottom, the only way was up,” Feldan said. 

The seniors became obsessed with conditioning, to the point where Ellegood noted that every player became capable of running a mile in under six minutes. 

That tireless work ethic is apparent in every player, which includes lead guard Soham Nighojkar.

Nighojkar might be the team’s top playmaker, but he also considers himself just one of the guys on a squad that enjoys spending time with one another outside of basketball.

Cupertino’s Soham Nighojkar (3) dribbles the ball on a fastbreak to score against Homestead High in the second half of a basketball game at Homestead High School in Cupertino, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 

“After school or after games, we have this tradition of going to get food,” Nighojkar said. “Throughout the offseason, we all worked hard, no days off, and were on each other constantly. That built a lot of our team’s bond.”

The chemistry is evident when watching the Pioneers, whose rotation goes eight deep.

Cupertino doesn’t put up a lot of points, but every player is a threat to score in an offense that emphasizes cutting, high-post splits, perpetual screening and ball-movement. 

Good shots are passed up in search of great ones, and no player holds onto the ball for more than a few seconds.

That equal-opportunity offense complements a high-energy defense that suffocates the interior scorers. 

All of that running in the summer has paid off. 

“I think the guys have the mindset that they’re trying to maximize this season to the best of their abilities,” Ellegood said.

Cupertino’s Max Feldan (24) makes an offensive foul over Homestead’s Will Hamburger (31) in the second half of a basketball game at Homestead High School in Cupertino, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 

The vibes are better and the players are in better shape, but it would also be easy to attribute this season’s resurgence to a move down from the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division to the weaker El Camino crowd. 

And though last year’s 0-12 league record certainly was a key contributor to the Pioneers’ 3-21 season, that still meant the program only won three of its dozen non-league games.

Cupertino’s Houma Yoshimochi (22) dribbles past Homestead’s Khalil Neely (3) in the second half of a basketball game at Homestead High School in Cupertino, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 

This season’s team has defeated schools such as Evergreen Valley, Independence and Homestead, which all beat Cupertino in 2022-23.

The Pioneers haven’t just been smashing overmatched opponents, either. A six-point victory over Burlingame, an overtime win against Wilcox and three-point victories against Saratoga and Homestead just off the resume.

That has helped Cupertino have the kind of season that even its longtime leader did not expect.

“To be honest, I felt like we had a good team, a better team,” Ellegood said. “But I had no idea we would be at this point and have this type of record.”

Ellegood has led a number of excellent squads to the playoffs since taking the head coaching job in 1999. 

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But none of them won the section.

Feldan said winning the program’s first Central Coast Section title since 1976 is something he wanted to achieve before graduating. What seemed like a longshot is suddenly a possibility, maybe even a realistic one.

“I’m confident this team can make some noise in CCS,” Nighojkar said. 

At the rate Cupertino is going, it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see the team-oriented Pioneers go from “rock bottom” to lifting section hardware next month. 

Cupertino’s Max Feldan (24) makes a shot gainst Homestead’s Frank An (21) in the second half of a basketball game at Homestead High School in Cupertino, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 
Cupertino’s Blake Barba (42) gains a rebound against Homestead’s Brian Chou (22) in the first half of a basketball game at Homestead High School in Cupertino, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 
Cupertino’s Max Feldan (24) looks to pass after gaining control of the ball against Homestead’s Wyatt Hook (33) in the second half of a basketball game at Homestead High School in Cupertino, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) 
Homestead’s Wyatt Hook (33) and Cupertino’s Justin Yu (5) fight for a loose ball in the second half of a basketball game at Homestead High School in Cupertino, Calif., on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)