Jan. 11 was an ideal day for Serra High’s boys’ basketball team to dedicate its Del Rey League opening 70-57 home win over Los Angeles Cathedral to the late head coach Dwan Hurt, who passed away in his sleep on Nov. 25.
The gym and court was re-dedicated as the Dwan Hurt Memorial Gymnasium, in honor of a coach who recorded more than 500 victories, won seven CIF-Southern Section titles and two California State championships in his 27 seasons.
Jan. 11 was an ideal day for Serra High’s boys’ basketball team to dedicate its Del Rey League opening 70-57 home win over Los Angeles Cathedral to the late head coach Dwan Hurt, who passed away in his sleep on Nov. 25.
The gym and court was re-dedicated as the Dwan Hurt Memorial Gymnasium, in honor of a coach who recorded more than 500 victories, won seven CIF-Southern Section titles and two California State championships in his 27 seasons.
Leading the Cavaliers, who won their fourth straight game after starting the season at 2-9, was E.J. Jackson with 12 points. Kobe Smith added 11 points and Jaylan Slaughter chipped in nine points and 10 blocked shots.
Unfortunately on Friday the 13th (Jan. 13), Serra had to travel to league rival Bishop Montgomery, which is currently ranked 20th in the United States. The Cavaliers were unable to muster much offense as the Knights ran away with a 68-31 victory.
Bishop Montgomery held a commanding lead throughout the entire contest. Already leading 21-11 after the first quarter, the Knights stifled the Serra offense, which was held to only single figure scoring in each of the next three periods.
“We knew we were going to have to play almost perfect to even keep the game close,” Serra High interim head coach Bernard McCrumby said. “Bishop Montgomery is very well coached with phenomenal talent.”
Returning fourth year starting varsity player and all-American Ethan Thompson proved dominant against the Cavaliers (7-10 overall and 1-1 in league). Thompson, who will be playing basketball at Oregon State University next season, had a game-high 22 points and made several blocked shots. Junior forward David Singleton contributed 10 points.
“Ethan Thompson is a great player,” Bishop Montgomery head coach Doug Mitchell said. “He’s playing fantastic.”
Serra was led by E.J. Jackson with 12 points and Ray Knight with eight.
Last Saturday in the California Elite Showcase at Diamond Ranch High in Pomona, the Cavaliers downed the host school 62-45. Jackson sparked Serra with 14 points and six assists. Terence Mitchell and Doctor Bradley each finished with nine points.
The Cavaliers visited Cantwell-Sacred Heart in Montebello on Wednesday and host Playa del Rey St. Bernard next Monday at 7 p.m.
Bishop Montgomery (15-1, 2-0) travels to Cathedral Friday at 7 p.m.
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Lady Cavaliers get on roll with three wins
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
Serra High’s girls’ basketball team is on a roll with two Del Rey League victories and an easy win over Spring Valley from Las Vegas in the St. Genevieve Classic last week.
In the Lady Cavaliers’ league opener at St. Anthony High in Long Beach on Jan. 10, Serra defeated the Saints 67-57. Last Thursday at the Dwan Hurt Memorial Gymnasium, the Cavaliers got off to a fast start and went on to down St. Paul High from Santa Fe Springs 65-54. Last Saturday, Serra traveled to St. Genevieve High in Panorama City and rolled over Spring Valley 80-52.
Against Spring Valley, one of the top teams in the Las Vegas area, the Cavaliers started out by scoring the game’s first 13 points and led 40-16 at halftime. The second half saw all Serra players involved as they breezed to their 13th victory against six losses.
Cheyanne Gibbons led the Cavaliers with 18 points and six assists. Alexis Tucker added 15 points and 10 rebounds. It was Tucker’s 11th double-double of the season. Michelle Gleissner chipped in 11 points.
In Serra’s second Del Rey game, Serra took command early and went on to lead by as many as 21 points early in the third quarter.
Tucker led the Cavaliers with 16 points, followed by Gibbons with 13.
Against St. Anthony, Gibbons sparked Serra with 18 points. Camille Hailey contributed 11 points.
“We’re growing and maturing,” Serra head coach McKenzie Hadley said. “We’re playing harder and more concentrated. We need to improve on free throw shooting and consistency.”
Serra will host Cantwell-Sacred Heart from Montebello in Del Rey action tonight at 7 p.m. The Lady Cavaliers, then, visit Bishop Montgomery in Torrance in what could be a league showdown next Tuesday at 5 p.m.
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Gardena Boys’ Basketball
Gardena can’t keep up with Narbonne
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
Gardena High’s mostly young and inexperienced boys’ basketball team stayed close with Marine League favorite Narbonne but the Gauchos steadily pulled away for a 66-50 win over the Panthers in a league contest last Friday at Narbonne.
Gardena, which fell to 10-9 overall and 1-2 in Marine play, trailed by seven points at 41-34 at halftime but it could have been even closer. That is because Khalif Pollard appeared to make a three-point basket at the buzzer but it fell just a fraction of a second shy.
The Panthers trailed by five early in the third quarter but that was a close as they could get. Narbonne eventually put the game out of reach.
“We played with them during most of the game,” Gardena head coach Ernie Carr said about the team’s effort against one of the top contenders for the CIF-Los Angeles City Section Open Division title.
Dominique Alexander led the Panthers with 16 points. David Heard finished with 12 points. Ramon Sanford had nine points and freshman Michael Franklin put in eight.
The Gauchos were led by Jermaud Galang with a game-high 17 points.
Gardena played L.A. Jordan High from Watts in a Martin Luther King, Jr. Classic game last Monday at Centennial High in Compton. The Panthers hosted San Pedro last Tuesday before visiting Banning in Wilmington Friday at 7 p.m. Gardena travels to Washington for a 5:30 p.m. league contest next Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
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Sports Scoop
Chargers move to L.A.; will play at StubHub Center
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
Just a year ago, the Los Angeles area did not have a National Football League team.
During that time, the Rams announced their move from St. Louis to L.A. and finished their first season back in L.A. (They played in L.A. and Anaheim from 1946-94.) at 4-12 after a 44-6 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on New Year’s Day at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum.
On Jan. 11, the Chargers announced their move from San Diego and will play their home games at the 30,000-seat StubHub Center, soccer home stadium for the L.A. Galaxy, for the 2017 and 2018 seasons before moving to the new Inglewood Stadium with the Rams at the start of 2019.
The move came after efforts to stay in San Diego failed due to San Diego voters rejecting the plan to build a new stadium there on Nov. 8. Their 1967 Qualcomm Stadium is outdated and crumbling.
The Chargers played their first season at the Coliseum in 1960, during the first year of the American Football League. The AFL merged with the NFL in 1969, a couple of years after the NFL and AFL champions played in the first Super Bowl 50 years ago.
Both the Chargers and Rams had losing seasons in 2016; the Rams finishing at 4-12 after a 3-1 start, and the Chargers going 5-12 that included a loss to the Cleveland Browns’ (1-15), their only win of the season.
Both will also have new head coaches. The Chargers will be headed by Anthony Lynn, recent offensive coordinator and interim head coach of the Buffalo Bills. The Rams will be headed by Sean McVay, who replaces the fired Jeff Fisher. Fisher guided the Rams for six-plus seasons and was fired after their loss to the Atlanta Falcons last month. He was replaced by interim John Fassell, who went 0-3.
The Chargers’ move was expected but with some mixed reactions. Most San Diego Charger fans plan on not rooting for the team any more. It’s nice to have two teams again; just like 1982-94 when L.A. had the Rams and Raiders but the Chargers, who will play their home games in Carson for two seasons, could have played at the bigger Rose Bowl in Pasadena, share the Coliseum with the Rams and University of Southern California, or possibly even at Dodger Stadium, which seats 56,000. If goes as expected, the 30,000-seat venue will be sold out very fast for every home game. Even while waiting for the new stadium, play at a bigger venue! Of course, UCLA already plays its home games at the Rose Bowl.
Let’s hope that Lynn and McVay will get the Chargers and Rams on the winning track.
The Oakland Raiders, who were considering moving to L.A., are expected to go to Las Vegas at an undetermined time.
