By Joe Snyder
After losing its first two games, Gardena High’s boys’ basketball team won all three of its games and captured the Salesian High Summer Splash Boys’ Basketball Tournament last week.
In summer league games on July 17 and 18, in order, the Panthers had several key players out as they lost to Laguna Beach 62-34 in their Artesia High League finale in Lakewood, and, in the Manhattan Beach Mira Costa League, Gardena lost to Team Q, consisting of mostly players from Crenshaw High, 55-52. The Sale- sian Tournament in East Los Angeles began last Friday with the Panthers edging the host Mustangs 50-49.
On Saturday, Gardena rolled over Bellflower 47-29, then closed out the classic with a 54-39 win over West Co- vina Edgewood on Sunday.
Against Edgewood, the Panthers were led by Donaven Turner with 16 points.
Darell Franklin sparked Gardena with 12 points, while Jarren Ponds added 11 in its win over Bellflower.
Against Salesian, Willie Denham sparked the Panthers with 24 points.
In Gardena’s loss to Q, Willie Denham led the Panthers with 21 points.
Gardena finished summer play at Serra on Tuesday and Mira Costa Wednesday before taking the rest of the summer off before returning to school on Aug. 15. Ernie Carr is seeking the Panthers to contend for the Marine League title and do well in the CIF-L.A. City Section playoffs for 2023-24. Last season, Gardena tied for third place in Marine play with Long Beach Rancho Dominguez Prep. Narbonne won the league, followed by runner-up San Pedro.
GHS hopes for turnaround season after successful passing showing
It has been a long time since Gardena High’s football teams were able to contend in the rigorous Marine League.
Last season, things looked very good for the Panthers as they finished a rather weak non- league schedule at 6-0. Then came the premiere Marine as Gardena ended at 0-4. The Panthers ended up playing in Division I in the CIF-Los Angeles City Section playoffs where they fell to host Mervyn Dymally High 30-14 in the first round in South L.A.
This season, according to head coach Monty Gilbreath, Gardena had a successful passing leagues and tournaments and he felt that the Panthers went unbeaten.
The Panthers closed out the summer passing season by going 3-0 in the Marquez Classic last Saturday in Huntington Park. They defeated the host Gladiators for the title. Gardena also recorded wins over Huntington Park and Washington.
“I feel we are one of the best in the City when it comes to passing,” Gilbreath said. “Our goal is to win the Marine League and make the L.A. City Section Open Division playoffs.”
Gardena, in fact, already reportedly won passing games over Carson, Wilmington Banning and Narbonne. The Panthers also defeated some strong CIF-Southern Section teams in North Torrance, West Torrance, and Rolling Hills Estates Peninsula.
“We have several Division I college prospects,” Gilbreath said of his team. “We will be competitive at the top level. We’re building a quality football program.”
Top returning players for the Panthers include all-purpose Torey Pierce, running back Pharrel Davis, along with running back-linebacker-defensive end Xavier Grant.
Gardena begins its 2023 football season at home against Bell High on Aug. 18.
The Panthers also have non-league games against Crenshaw (away on Aug. 25), Compton Centennial (home on Aug. 31), L.A.-Watts Jordan ( away, Sept. 8), Washington (home, Sept. 15) and King-Drew Medical Magnet (home on Sept. 22). Gardena opens the Marine League at home against always powerful San Pedro on Sept. 29. Other league games include Wilmington Banning (away, Oct. 13), Carson (home, Oct. 20) and Harbor City Narbonne (away, Oct. 27). All games start at 7:30 p.m. except for 6 p.m. on Aug. 31 against Centennial.
USC is top pick in the PAC 12
University of Southern California and UCLA football teams will play their final season in the Pacific 12 Conference before moving to the Big 10 beginning in Fall 2024.
USC is favored to win the conference and hopes it will finish its long-time stint by winning the crown. The Trojans are ranked seventh in the NCAA Major Division I and have an outstanding shot at making the playoffs, which will for the first time, have 12 teams instead of just four.
If USC wins the PAC 12, it will show those Big 10 colleges that they will be strong contenders for the premiere conference, which has a long his- tory of NCAA champions.
Followed by USC, from second through 12th in order, include Washington, defending conference champion Utah, Oregon, Oregon State, UCLA, Washington State, Arizona, California, Arizona State, Colorado, and Stanford.
The Trojans begin the season at home against San Jose State on Aug. 26 at 5 p.m. at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. USC, then, hosts University of Nevada-Reno on Sept. 2 before beginning PAC 12 play at the Coliseum against Stanford on Sept. 9.
The Trojans have their first away game at Arizona State in Tempe on Sept. 23, then visit Colorado on Sept. 30. USC returns home to face Arizona on Oct. 7 before its traditional non-conference showdown at Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. on Oct. 14. Other Trojan conference games include Utah (Oct. 21 at home), California (Oct. 28, away), Washington (Nov. 4, home), Oregon (Oct. 11, away), and UCLA (Nov. 18, home).
USC already returns Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Caleb Williams. Last year, Williams completed 333 of 500 passes for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and five interceptions.
The Trojans also welcome three key transfers in wide receiver Dorian Suyer (Arizona), running back Mar Shawn Lloyd (South Carolina) and linebacker Mason Cobb (Oklahoma State).
UCLA is picked to finish sixth in the conference but hopes it can do better and prepare to be ready to compete in the Big 10 in 2024. Gone from the Bruins is premiere quarterback Dorian Thompson Robinson, who sparked UCLA to a 9-4 record last season. Robinson was drafted in the fifth round of the National Football League draft by the Cleveland Browns.
The Bruins, though, have good quarterback depth behind junior Ethan Garbers, freshman Dante Moore (a five-star recruit from Michigan) and sophomore Justyn Martin, a former Inglewood High standout who helped the Sentinels reach the CIF-Southern Section Division II finals before losing to Mission Hills Alemany.
UCLA does return a very good offensive line that includes Laaiatu Latu, Garrett Diorgio and Duke Clemens.
The Trojans and Bruins each have ex-Serra High standouts.
Max Williams will be a senior at USC. He is a safety. UCLA brings back ex-Cavalier Devin Kirkwood, a defensive back who will be a junior.
UCLA begins its season at home against Coastal Carolina on Sept. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The Bruins, then, travel south to take on San Diego State on Sept. 9 before closing non-conference at home against North Carolina Central on Sept. 16. UCLA opens the PAC 12 at Utah on Sept. 23. The Bruins take a week off before resuming conference at home against Washington State on Oct. 7. Other conference games for UCLA include Oregon State (Oct. 14, away), Stanford (Oct. 21, away), Colorado (Oct. 28, home), Arizona (Nov. 4, away), Arizona State (Nov. 11, home), USC (Nov. 18, away) and California (Nov. 25, home).
Oregon, meanwhile, hopes to have standout freshman defensive back Roderick Pleasant make its debut as it begins its season in Eugene against Portland State University on Aug. 26. The Ducks also have another former Cavalier in senior Bryan Addison. Also with Oregon is former Narbonne High standout, sophomore J.J. Greenfield.
The defending three-time World Cup champion United States women’s soccer team got off to a good start by shutting out Vietnam 3-0 in the opener last Friday in New Zealand. The USA played its second game against a tough Netherlands team on Wednesday and close pool play against Portugal on Sunday. If the Lady Yankees win the cup or can qualify for the Round of 16, they play next week in Sydney, Australia. The World Cup lasts through Aug. 20 in Australia and New Zealand.
