By Joe Snyder
Gardena High’s boys’ basketball team passed two big Marine League tests with wins over host Narbonne on Jan. 10 in Harbor City and San Pedro last Friday at Gardena.
In a defensive battle at Narbonne, the Panthers held off the Gauchos 37-35. At Gardena, the Panthers rolled over San Pedro 74-45.
Against San Pedro, the only time the Pirates were in the game was just the first couple of minutes with a 2-2 tie. After that, Gardena took complete command with leads of 17-9 after the first quarter, 34-19 at halftime and 53-23 after three periods. The Panthers led by as much as 35 points in the contest before clearing the bench.
“This was the first complete game we played,” Gardena head coach Ernie Carr said.
The Panthers, who improved to 4-0 in league and 14-7 overall, had balanced scoring led by Willie Denham with a game-high 16 points. Dwayne Boston and Promise Madubugavup each chipped in 14 points.
San Pedro had no player in double figures as A.J. Bobich led the Pirates with nine points.
After hosting Wilmington Banning last Tuesday, Gardena visits Rancho Dominguez Prep in a 7 p.m. Marine contest Friday in Long Beach. The Panthers, then, will have a very stiff non-league test against Manual Arts, the top-ranked team in the CIF-Los Angeles City Section by Maxpreps, on Saturday at a site and time to be determined before returning to league at home against Carson next Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. The Panthers are currently ranked seventh in the City.
In girls’ action last week, Gardena split its two Marine League games; edging Narbonne 32-29 on Jan. 10 at Gardena before falling to league leading San Pedro 62-30 last Friday at San Pedro.
The Lady Panthers (9-7 overall and 3-1 in league) hosted Banning last Tuesday and is at home against Rancho Dominguez Prep Friday at 3:30 p.m. Gardena visits Carson next Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
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Serra rallies to outlast St. Anthony
After a dismal 76-61 Del Rey League loss at St. Paul on Jan. 10 in Santa Fe Springs, Serra High’s boys’ basketball team had to travel to Long Beach to take on an always very tough St. Anthony team in another league game last Friday.
In that contest, the Cavaliers trailed almost the entire game including by nine points (36-27 at halftime and 49-40 after three quarters). In fact, Serra trailed by as much as 11 points in the third period.
In the fourth quarter, the Cavaliers woke up inching closer to the Saints before finally grabbing a 58-57 lead on a basket by Devin Shell with 39 seconds left in the game. St. Anthony, which handed St. Bernard a loss and lost a close 68-64 game to California state-ranked Downey St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy a week earlier, took a 59-58 lead on a basket by Joseph “Jo Jo” Wriler with 16 seconds remaining but Maximo Adams was fouled with four seconds to go. He promptly made both free throws and Serra went on to pull off a 60-59 victory.
After being out with a concussion two weeks ago, Serra welcomed back Kayleb Kearse and he was a big lift with 18 points against St. Anthony. He scored 17 two days earlier against St. Paul.
The Cavaliers were led by Adams with a game-high 21 points. Kadin Sealer chipped in eight points.
Wriler and Quincy Phillips shared the Saints’ high scoring honors with 18 points apiece.
Against the Swordsmen, Jeremiah Wilson led Serra (13-7 overall, 2-2 in league) with 19 points. Adams contributed 13 points.
The Cavaliers hosted St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy in a crucial Del Rey game on Wednesday. Serra, then, visits rival St. Bernard in Playa del Rey Friday and Bishop Montgomery in Torrance next Wednesday. Both league games start at 7 p.m.
In girls’ action, Serra improved to 9-9 overall and 4-3 in the Camino Real League with a 61-31 home win over Bishop Conaty-Loretto from Los Angeles on Jan. 9.
The Lady Cavaliers hosted Sotomayer in a non-league game on Monday and resumed CRL at home against Bishop Conaty-Loretto on Tuesday. Serra hosts Santa Monica St. Monica today at 7 p.m. and visit Mary Star of the Sea in San Pedro next Tuesday at 6 p.m.
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Jimmerson leads North past West in cross-town match
On Jan. 10 at North, the Saxons suffered their first Pioneer League loss to El Segundo Wiseburn-Da Vinci 68-66 in double overtime, before returning with a 52-47 league victory at crosstown rival West (Torrance) last Friday.
Down 47-46 with about a minute left, the Saxons went to Kai Bradley and Al Jimmerson who put up key baskets to finish off the Warriors, who are currently in third place in Pioneer play.
Jimmerson led North, which is currently tied for first place with Wiseburn-Da Vinci in league at 5-1, with 17 points. Bradley added 14 points.
Francisco Monsoon led West with nine points, all on three three-point baskets.
Against the Wolves (also 5-1 in league after a loss to cross town rival El Segundo last Friday), North started well leading 15-10 after the first quarter, but Wiseburn-Da Vinci took a three-point lead (25-22) at halftime before extending it to eight (40-32) after three periods. The Saxons proceeded to outscore the Wolves 23-15 in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 55 sending it into overtime. After each team scored seven points in the first overtime period, WDV outlasted the Saxons 6-4 in the second extra time to pull the game out.
After hosting Price Christian High from the L.A.-Crenshaw District on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, North returned to league at home against El Segundo on Wednesday before visiting cross town rival Torrance Friday at 7 p.m. The Saxons visit South Torrance next Wednesday at the same time.
North’s girls are unbeaten at 6-0 in Pioneer play after routing host West Torrance 64-28 last Friday.
Behind a 16-0 run in the second quarter, the Lady Saxons took a 35-10 halftime lead as the Warriors never threatened.
North’s balanced scoring was led by Bailey Enomoto with 12 points. Enomoto also had six rebounds and two steals.
Two days earlier at North, the Lady Saxons crushed Wiseburn-Da Vinci 78-4.
After hosting El Segundo on Wednesday, North visits Torrance Friday at 5:30 p.m. The Saxons will play on the road against a very good Sage Hill Prep team in Newport Beach on Saturday at 6 p.m. before returning to Pioneer action at South Torrance next Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
