Gardena High’s boys’ basketball team improved to 10-3 after placing third in the San Pedro Pirate Shootout with a 59-40 victory over host and Marine League foe San Pedro on Dec. 30.
The Panthers and Pirates spent the first three quarters neck-to-neck with Gardena ahead by just three points (37-34) before breaking the game open with a 22-6 fourth period.
After being held scoreless through three quarters, senior guard Christian Carating finally let loose by scoring all nine of his points in the fourth quarter.
Gardena High’s boys’ basketball team improved to 10-3 after placing third in the San Pedro Pirate Shootout with a 59-40 victory over host and Marine League foe San Pedro on Dec. 30.
The Panthers and Pirates spent the first three quarters neck-to-neck with Gardena ahead by just three points (37-34) before breaking the game open with a 22-6 fourth period.
After being held scoreless through three quarters, senior guard Christian Carating finally let loose by scoring all nine of his points in the fourth quarter.
A key three-point basket from Michael Thompson, also Gardena’s standout football player, helped Gardena pull away. Thompson, along with Jad Smith, were named to the all-tournament team.
Clarence Bookman sparked the Panthers with a game-high 19 points. Thompson added nine points.
San Pedro was led by R.J. Ebert with 14 points.
In the championship semifinals on Dec. 29, the Panthers fell short to eventual tournament champion and another league rival, Narbonne, 52-47.
Gardena held a slim 43-41 lead with 3:55 left in the game but a pair of baskets from Alex Alingbulu gave the Gauchos the lead and Shane Carney’s layup upped Narbonne’s advantage to five points.
Carating led the Panthers with 13 points, five of those in the fourth period.
Narbonne was led by Shane Carney with 13 points.
Earlier in the classic, Gardena had wins over Garden Grove Pacifica (49-31) and South Tahoe (56-39).
Gardena is currently playing in the Kennedy Tournament in Granada Hills before it resumes Marine action at Carson next Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
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Serra captures Ayala Tournament
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
Serra High’s girls’ basketball team captured the Ayala Tournament with a 64-52 victory over Corona del Mar High from Newport Beach on Dec. 31 in Chino Hills.
In that New Year’s Eve game, the Lady Cavaliers led by as many as 25 points before coasting to the win.
A day earlier, Serra pulled away from Ontario Colony 64-44. The Titans took an 11-7 first quarter lead but the Cavaliers turned things around by outscoring Colony 41-20 in the second and third periods for a 17-point (48-31) lead. Serra (9-5) continued to pull away from there.
In the championship quarterfinals on Dec. 27, the Cavaliers crushed host Ayala 84-44. Serra jumped out to leads of 21-8 after the first quarter, 46-24 at halftime and 61-36 after three periods and continued to pour it on with a 23-8 fourth quarter.
Briana Johnson was selected as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Camille Hailey and Brijaye Brackett were all-tournament.
“It was a good team effort,” Serra head coach McKenzie Hadley said. “We’re finally playing defense. It’s good to see the guards move the ball around.”
Prior to beginning the highly competitive Del Rey League at home against Bishop Amat from La Puente next Thursday at 7 p.m., Serra will face a very good Oaks Christian team from Westlake Village in the Sierra Canyon Showcase Classic Saturday at 1 p.m. in Chatsworth.
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All-American Football
Houston, Green named to all-American
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
Serra High senior linebacker John Houston was named to the Maxpreps football first-team All-American defensive team that was recently released.
Houston sparked the Cavaliers with 147 tackles including three quarterback sacks and three interceptions as Serra finished in a three-way tie for the Mission League championship with La Puente Bishop Amat and Encino Crespi. The Cavaliers ended up on the bottom of the coin flip that sent them to Centennial High in Corona that ousted Serra 68-64 in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section PAC Five Division on Nov. 15.
The Huskies went on to win the PAC Five crown by upsetting nationally ranked and defending California State Open Division champion Bellflower St. John Bosco 48-41 on Dec. 6 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. Centennial lost in the California State Open Division Bowl championship to Concord De La Salle 63-42 on Dec. 20 at the StubHub Center in Carson.
Houston also played in the Under Armour All-American All-Star Bowl last Friday in St. Petersburg, Fla. He had several key plays in that game. Results and the team he played on were unavailable.
Houston has been recruited by a large number of Major Division I colleges and he has yet to make a commitment. So far, top considerations appear to be Oregon, Miami, Arizona State, Oklahoma and University of Southern California.
Last Saturday, Serra High players, defensive end Rasheem Green and running back Stanley Norman were present at the United States Army All-American All-Star Classic where the West stars, head coached by Serra head mentor Scott Altenberg, held on for a 39-36 win over the East at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. Due to injuries, neither were able to play. Norman, though, committed to Arizona State University.
Norman, who transferred to Serra from Culver City High last year, had Washington State, Alabama, Oklahoma and UCLA on his finalist list before Saturday.
Green, meanwhile, was on the all-USA first team all-American. Both Green and Houston were also named to the all-Los Angeles Times All-Star team.
Green is undecided with top choices being Miami, Arizona State, USC and Oregon.
Altenberg was the West’s head coach, while Cavalier defensive coordinator Josh Bazzs was on his defensive staff.
The West started fast in taking a 33-3 lead late in the second quarter. The West was ahead, 33-9, at halftime, but the East, behind San Clemente High and USC-bound quarterback Sam Darnold, nearly pulled it out. It took a 25-yard field goal from Westlake kicker Kevin Robledo with about two minutes left that helped the West hang on.
Darnold, who was put on the East squad due to the too much competition on the quarterbacks for the West, completed 6 of 7 passes for 89 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Brady White (Newhall Hart), Ricky Town (Ventura St. Bonaventure) and Travis Waller (Anaheim Servite) each threw a TD pass for the West.
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Cavaliers lose final two at Maxpreps
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
After winning its first two games of the Maxpreps Holiday Classic, Serra High’s football team settled for a fourth place finish after losses to Urspring from Ulm, Germany and San Diego Cathedral Catholic last week.
On Dec. 29, the Cavaliers lost to Urspring, which is one of the top teams in Germany, 49-41.
Serra fell behind early with deficits of 15-5 after the first quarter and 34-17 at halftime. The Cavalier defense stiffened in the second half, limiting Urspring to just 15 points, but Serra was only able to muster nine fourth period points and fell short.
Urspring ended up winning the division.
In the finals, the Cavaliers were edged by Cathedral Catholic 63-62.
Chatsworth Sierra Canyon, which is ranked sixth in the United States by Maxpreps, won the elite division by outlasting Pebblebrook.
Serra will host its Cavalier Classic on Saturday at Los Angeles Southwest College where it faces last year’s California State Division III champion Chaminade from West Hills at 5 p.m. The Cavaliers will play in a Martin Luther King, Jr. Showcase against Oak Park High at Cerritos College on Jan. 17 at Cerritos College and on MLK Day (Jan. 19) at a site to be determined.
The Cavaliers open the four-team Del Rey League at home against rival Playa del Rey St. Bernard on Jan. 21.
