By Joe Snyder
Gardena High’s boys’ basketball team took two overtimes to hold off Wilmington Banning High 68-63 for its first Marine League victory on Jan. 14 at Gardena.
The Panthers, who fell to 8-13 overall after losing to host Rancho Dominguez Prep 78-56 Friday in Long Beach, started things well with a 17-8 lead after the first quarter and led by as many as 13 points in the second period. Gardena went to halftime with a 31-22 lead.
The Pilots, however, used their hustle and an effective sagging defense to outscore the Panthers 21-9 in the third quarter for a 43-40 lead. The two teams continued the tight-nit battle as Gardena outscored Banning 12-9 sending the two teams into overtime tied at 52.
Each team scored seven points knotting the contest at 59 in the first overtime period before the Panthers settled things with a 9-4 second extra four minutes to pull out the game.
Gardena, which is 1-3 in league after the loss to the host Lobos, was led by forward Eli Edwards with a game-high 21 points, 19 of those in the first half. Joshua Edema added 19 points, including nine in the two overtime points. He had five key second OT points to aid the Panthers’ young squad.
Pennick Davis chipped in 16 points.
The Pilots, who are 0-4 in league, were led by Diego Lena with 14 points.
Gardena played Compton in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Showcase last Monday at Dominguez High in Compton. The Panthers visited Carson on Wednesday before coming home to face Narbonne Friday at 6 p.m. The Panthers visit San Pedro Wednesday in another Marine contest Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
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North remains unbeaten in Pioneer after convincing win over Torrance
After blowing out West Torrance 71-40 in a Pioneer League boys’ basketball game on Jan. 14 at Torrance, the Tartars, after losing its league opener to host South Torrance on Jan. 9, were looking to get things going in a key Pioneer contest Friday at North Torrance.
Behind the strong shooting of Cash Correa, Torrance jumped out to a 20-10 lead early in the second quarter before head Saxon coach Wai Sett called for timeout and got some advice from assistant and former legendary Westchester High head mentor Ed Azzam, that completely changed the game around. Behind Jordan Staub (17 points) and Ethan Edwards (11 points), the Saxons went on a 14-2 run as a running bank shot by Maeachi Harris and a three-point basket from Izaiyah gave the Saxons their first lead at 24-22.
From there, the Saxons never trailed. Baskets from Harris and Joshua Legette gave North a 32-27 lead.
The Saxons continued to pull away in the second half, outscoring the Tartars 26-15 for a 58-42 victory.
Torrance was led by Correa with 16 points, 11 of those in the first period, and seven rebounds.
A day later, North hosted the State Preview Showcase against a very good Damien team from La Verne. The Saxons struggled offensively in a 53-32 loss to the Spartans, one of the top teams in Southern California. North is 18-6 overall and 4-0 in league.
On Jan. 13 at North, the Saxons crushed El Segundo 75-29.
The Saxons resume league at home against cross town rival South Torrance Friday and host another rival West next Wednesday in 7 p.m. league games.
Serra split its two Camino Real League games last week. After losing at home to rival Torrance Bishop Montgomery 76-45 on Jan. 14, the Cavaliers outlasted host Verbum Dei-Jesuit 65-63 Friday in South Los Angeles. Serra, then, traveled to Arcadia High to take on Shadow Hills from Indio in a non-league showcase and came away with a 61-43 victory in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Showcase Classic.
Last Monday, Serra traveled for another MLK Showcase Classic at St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy in Downey for another non-league contest against Warren, also located in Downey.
The Cavaliers returned to CRL play at Bosco Tech in Rosemead on Wednesday before hosting Bernstein High from Hollywood Saturday at 4:45 p.m. Serra hosts Bishop Amat from La Puente next Wednesday at 7 p.m. before visiting unbeaten Bishop Montgomery (20-2 overall) on Jan. 30 at the same time.
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Lady Saxons fall short to Redondo in Bay showdown
After two big Bay League victories over Manhattan Beach Mira Costa and West Torrance two weeks ago, North Torrance High’s girls’ basketball team came home for a showdown against Redondo in a battle of two of the top teams in the CIF-Southern Section on Jan. 13.
Both came in after winning their first two league games and are the top two teams in the South Bay by the Daily Breeze, the Sea Hawks first and North second. The Lady Saxons were ranked 18th in the Southern Section and the Sea Hawks were 21st.
Redondo got things started well and led by as many as 14 points late in the third quarter and still led 43-32 at the end of the period. That is when the Saxons caught fire by scoring the fourth periods’ first 12 points for a 44-43 lead on a basket by Sydney Matsumoto.
From there, the Sea Hawks responded with a 6-0 run that put away the game on back-to-back baskets by Texas transfer Lilian Johnson and another from Sofia Rozell after a steal.
North finished with a late basket from Shay Tokeshi but it was a bit too late as Redondo prevailed 49-46.
Camryn Shimuzaki led the Saxons with 14 points, followed by Tokeshi with 10.
Senior Abby Zimmerman led Redondo (10-6 overall and 4-0 in league after routing rival Mira Costa 69-34 Friday at Redondo) with 13 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocks. Zimmerman is one of the top female athletes in the South Bay who was already an all-CIF Southern Section Open Division selection in volleyball last fall.
North came back and won its own State Showcase Preview game over always tough Mark Keppel High from Alhambra 50-39 on Saturday. Shimuzaki and Tokeshi led the Saxons’ balanced scoring with 10 points each. Matsumoto and Leila Fitzgerald each scored eight.
North returns to Bay at home against Mira Costa Friday and hosts West next Tuesday in 5:30 p.m. games.
Serra High improved its unbeaten Camino Real League record to 7-0 and overall mark to 15-4 after three blowout wins all at home against Montebello Cantwell Sacred Heart (76-41 on Jan. 13), Los Angeles Bishop Conaty-Loretto (80-3 last Thursday) and Inglewood St. Mary’s Academy (75-25 on Saturday).
Against the Belles, the Cavaliers were led by Deja Smith with 17 points, Kali Carter with 15 points and 16 rebounds, and Sierri Davis with 12 points.
Milan Bacon and Carter each led Serra with 20 points in its easy win over Bishop Conaty-Loretto.
After hosting San Pedro in a non-league game on Monday, Serra resumed league at home against Bishop Amat last Tuesday before visiting Ramona Convent in Alhambra tonight at 6 p.m. The Cavaliers host St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy from Downey next Wednesday at 7 p.m.
After losing its first two Marine League games to Narbonne and San Pedro last month, Gardena High’s girls’ basketball team got things going with two blowout wins over host Wilmington Banning and at home against Rancho Dominguez Prep from Long Beach last week.
The Panthers picked up their first Marine victory over the Pilots 46-19 on Jan. 14 and, last Friday, rolled over the Lobos 51-4.
Against Rancho Dominguez, Isabella Sanchez led Gardena with 14 points and Soniya Keyes had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Nathalie Torres-Rivas sparked the Panthers with 14 points and 15 rebounds against Banning. Keyes also had 14 points.
