By Joe Snyder
North Torrance High’s boys’ basketball team displays a 13-4 record after splitting its first two games of the St. Francis Tournament on Friday and Saturday in La Canada-Flintridge.
After losing the opener to Digital Pioneers Academy from Washington D.C. 62-48, the Saxons bounced back by crushing Van Nuys High 71-22. Against Van Nuys, North rolled to a 42-10 halftime lead and continued to dominate from there.
The Saxons played Alemany High from Mission Hills last Monday with the finals on Tuesday.
North begins Pioneer League play at cross town rival South Torrance next Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Serra played one non-league game on Dec. 22 at Downey and had a big fourth quarter to rally past the Vikings 63-48.
Downey had leads of 28-25 at halftime and 43-40 after three periods before the Cavaliers, who improved to 9-8, outscored the Vikings 23-5 in the fourth quarter.
The Cavaliers will have their first home game on Friday in their Camino Real League opener against Bosco Tech from Rosemead Friday at 7 p.m.
Serra had a non-league game against Vasquez Saturday at 6 p.m. before a road non-league game at Malibu High next Tuesday at the same time.
After receiving bad news that Gardena High boys’ basketball team’s top player, Elliery Johnson. was declared academically ineligible, the Panthers went on to lose all four games in the Alhambra Tournament last week.
Gardena, though, lost three of those games by single digits that included 54-52 to San Gabriel on Dec. 22, 50-49 to Montebello on Dec. 23 and 57-49 to Bell Gardens last Saturday. The Panthers’ other loss was on Friday to Fontana Eisenhower 70-42.
Freshman Elijah Edwards had a fine performance with 22 points against Montebello.
Gardena will play in the San Fernando Valley Classic as it opens against University High from West L.A. next Monday at Kennedy High in Granada Hills. The Panthers resume the Marine League at home against Wilmington Banning on Jan. 14 at 4:30 p.m.
In girls’ basketball action, North Torrance and Serra each split their first two games in the Southern California Invitational on Friday and Saturday in San Diego.
The Cavaliers began the tournament by routing Rancho Buena Vista from Oceanside 63-29 on Friday before falling to Arroyo Grande 58-44.
North also began the classic by topping Alemany 69-61 on Friday before getting blown out by Long Beach St. Anthony 79-41 on Saturday.
The tournament resumed on Monday with the finals on Tuesday.
Serra, which is 2-0 in the Camino Real League, will return to league at home against Ramona Convent from Alhambra Monday at 7 p.m. The Lady Cavaliers host St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy from Downey next Thursday at the same time.
North begins the Bay League in a key one at Mira Costa High in Manhattan Beach next Tuesday at 5 p.m.
Gardena lost in the San Pedro Tournament to Marine League foe Carson 50-16 last Friday.
The Panthers begin the Bernstein Tournament in Hollywood on Friday.
Gardena will resume the Marine League at Banning High in Wilmington on Jan. 14 at 4:30 p.m.
