By Joe Snyder
The Marine League boys’ basketball season was to begin on Jan. 8, but due to the Palisades and Eaton Fires that destroyed thousands of homes, businesses, schools, and other structures and causing extremely dangerous air quality due to the smoke throughout virtually all the greater Los Angeles area, all CIF-Los Angeles City Section and several Southern Section games were postponed.
Gardena High’s boys’ team was finally able to begin Marine play at San Pedro on Jan. 15, but the contest was moved up a day to Thursday due to various activities at San Pedro High.
The Panthers lost that league opener to the Pirates 67-62.
A day later, the Panthers traveled to the other L.A. Harbor area school, Banning High in Wilmington, and came away with its first Marine win at 46-30.
Willie Denham led Gardena (10-11 overall and 1-1 in league) with 17 points in its win over the Pilots.
Denham led all scorers with 26 points in the Panthers’ loss to San Pedro.
Much of that game was a see-saw battle with GHS grabbing a 12-10 first quarter lead, but the Pirates let loose for 21 second period points to 12 for the Panthers for a 31-24 halftime advantage. Gardena fought back to tie the game midway in the third quarter but fell behind by five (51-46) at the end of the period.
San Pedro led by as many as 10 points before the Panthers attempted a rally only to fall short.
“We played hard but we blew some defensive assignments,” Gardena head coach Ernie Carr said. “The fires (in Palisades and Altadena) didn’t help us.”
Elijah Perkins added 12 points for the Panthers.
Last Saturday, Gardena played in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Showcase at Providence High in Burbank and defeated North Hollywood High 60-51.
After hosting Rancho Dominguez Prep from Long Beach on Wednesday, the Panthers will have back-to-back games against Carson beginning at home on Friday and at Carson next Monday. Both of those games begin at 4:30 p.m. Gardena visits Narbonne next Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Harbor City.
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North outlasts Torrance in Pioneer game
North Torrance High’s boys’ basketball team showed down at cross town rival Torrance High last Friday as the Saxons were able to pull out a 68-63 win over the Tartars.
The Saxons were faced against Torrance, which was enjoying a very good season by winning 17 of its first 20 games before it fell at West Torrance 49-44 on Jan. 15.
The game was close virtually all the way. North grabbed a slim 14-13 lead after the first quarter but the Tartars bounced back for a 29-27 halftime lead behind a buzzer beating three-point basket by Cash Correa.
Despite continuing to be close, North managed to outscore Torrance 41-34 to improve its Pioneer League record to 3-1, while the Tartars fell to 2-2.
“We didn’t fight as hard in the first half,” North head coach Wai Sett said. “We fought for the ball better in the second half. The kids did well on the boards. There are no nights off in the Pioneer. It’s a very competitive and balanced league.”
The Saxons’ balanced scoring attack was led by senior guard Kole Tanaka-Lee with 15 points, followed closely by Ethan Edwards with 14. Geovanni Gilpin added 10 points.
Leading Torrance was Elias Emerson with 17 points as Timothy Umbargar and Shane Stanfield each chipped in 12.
At El Segundo on Jan. 15, North defeated the Eagles 52-40 in a league game.
At North in its State Showcase Preview, the Saxons lost to Moreno Valley Rancho Verde 63-47.
After playing Bellflower High in a Martin Luther King, Jr. Showcase game on Monday, the Saxons return to league at South Torrance Friday at 7 p.m. North visits West Torrance next Tuesday at the same time.
Torrance hosted El Segundo last Tuesday and visits South Torrance next Tuesday at 7 p.m.
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Young Cavs still struggle in league; defeat Lancaster in competitive contest
Serra High’s boys’ basketball team continued to struggle through the rigorous Del Rey League with three more defeats last week.
The first two were against rivals Playa del Rey St. Bernard at home on Jan. 13 and on the road against Bishop Montgomery in Torrance on Jan. 15. It started when the Cavaliers were dominated by the Vikings, who have an unbeaten 5-0 record after a key win over powerhouse Downey St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy last Friday, 80-44. The Knights, then, downed Serra 70-49. At St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy, the Cavaliers played a good defensive game but its offense could not muster much in a 54-30 loss.
In a Martin Luther King, Jr., Showcase game Saturday at Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, Serra managed to top Lancaster 60-53 behind a triple-double from Jermiah Graham. Graham finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Khary Wilder added a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
After visiting St. Monica in Santa Monica last Monday, the Cavaliers (11-11 overall and 0-6 in league) are at St. Paul in Santa Fe Springs for a 7 p.m. Del Rey game on Friday. Serra hosts Long Beach St. Anthony next Monday and visits St. Bernard next Wednesday in 7 p.m. league games.
North Torrance High’s girls’ basketball team took control of the Bay League lead with wins over hosts Redondo and Peninsula High in Rolling Hills Estates last week. At Redondo on Jan. 14, the Lady Saxons ended the Sea Hawks’ 22-game Bay League winning streak with a 52-45 win. At Peninsula last Friday, North had little trouble with the Panthers in a 68-33 victory.
Against Redondo, Kaimi Santiago led the Saxons with 17 points. Camryn Shimazaki added 13 points. Santiago had 23 points in North’s win over Peninsula. Sax Misnunu and Chloe Kim chipped in 11 and 10 points, in order
In a Mira Costa Showcase game last Saturday, North topped Glendora 46-40.
The Saxons will show down at Mira Costa in Manhattan Beach, which is currently in second place in Bay action after downing Redondo 46-33 last Friday at Mira Costa, Friday at 5:30 p.m. At North two weeks ago, the Saxons rolled over the Mustangs 67-42. North visits West next Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
Serra’s girls’ basketball team split their two Camino Real League games last week. At Cantwell-Sacred Heart High in Montebello last Thursday, the Lady Cavaliers fell short of the Cardinals 45-44. At Serra on Saturday, the Cavaliers crushed Bishop Conaty-Loretto 77-8.
Against Bishop Conaty, Serra started out with a 30-0 shutout in the first quarter and led 49-2 at halftime. The Cavaliers did not allow more than three points in each of the four periods.
Marijah Lewis led Serra (4-2 in league and 10-11 overall) with 21 points, followed by Yve Young with 15 points and Jadah Foster with nine.
Young led the Cavaliers with 17 points, while Kaicia Snelson contributed 10 in the one-point loss to Cantwell-Sacred Heart. In that game, Serra fell behind 28-12 at halftime but made a ferocious second half rally that included a 20-6 fourth quarter.
After two games with St. Paul (home last Monday and away on Tuesday), Serra visits Bishop Amat in La Puente today at 6 p.m. The Cavaliers come home for a 6:30 p.m. CRL game against Ramona Convent from Alhambra next Tuesday.
Last week, Gardena High’s girls’ basketball team started out with a key 51-37 win over defending three-time Marine League champion San Pedro last Thursday but fell to Wilmington Banning 53-42 last Friday in home games.
The Lady Panthers hosted Rolling Hills Prep from San Pedro last Monday and visited Rancho Dominguez Prep in Long Beach on Wednesday. Gardena visits Carson Friday and hosts the Colts next Monday in 4:30 p.m. Marine games before hosting Narbonne next Wednesday at the same time.
