Serra High’s boys’ basketball team had a rare miss from this season’s CIF-Southern Section playoffs but two key seniors and head coach Dwan Hurt managed to have one extra game; the 22nd Annual South Bay Club All-Star Game at South Torrance High on March 24.
The Cavaliers had Jason Richardson play for the Red Stars, who were coached by Hurt and Peninsula’s Jim Quick, and Caleb Wilson played on the Blue team. The Blues were coached by Torrance’s Paul Nitake and Mira Costa’s Jeff Amaral.
Serra High’s boys’ basketball team had a rare miss from this season’s CIF-Southern Section playoffs but two key seniors and head coach Dwan Hurt managed to have one extra game; the 22nd Annual South Bay Club All-Star Game at South Torrance High on March 24.
The Cavaliers had Jason Richardson play for the Red Stars, who were coached by Hurt and Peninsula’s Jim Quick, and Caleb Wilson played on the Blue team. The Blues were coached by Torrance’s Paul Nitake and Mira Costa’s Jeff Amaral.
In the end, it was the Reds that rolled over the Blues 98-79.
Richardson helped the Reds with 14 points, as Christian Oshita from CIF-Southern Section Open Division champion Bishop Montgomery led the squad with 16 points.
“It was fun,” Richardson said of playing in the senior all-star game. “It’s always good to compete but have fun.”
Richardson, who was all-CIF Southern Section last year and made first team all-Del Rey this season, is undecided on college choice but has visits to San Jose State, Fresno State and Cal State Northridge coming.
Caleb Wilson was the game’s high scorer with 17 points for the Blue squad.
Also for the Reds, former Gardena High player Shane Carney, who played his last two seasons at Narbonne, under ex-Panther head coach Anthony Hilliard, added 14 points. Among Carney’s points were four three-point baskets.
Josh Staffieri of West Torrance added 10 points for the Reds.
Blake Miles from Bishop Montgomery chipped in 10 points for the Blues.
In that game, the Blues started well in taking a 23-15 lead after the first quarter but the Reds turned things around, outscoring the Blue team 24-9 in the second period, for a 39-32 halftime lead and led by as many as 26 points.
In the girls’ game, the Reds also topped the Blues 60-55. No Serra or Gardena girls were involved, although three of them, Kenia Michael and Nathanaelle Dambo (Reds) and Nautica Morrow (Blues) would have played but had their California State Division I championship game last Friday. The Cavaliers ended up losing a thrilling 65-61 double overtime game to Sacramento McClatchy at the UC Berkeley Haas Pavilion but not before they rallied from a 10-point deficit in the last 58 seconds of regulation to force overtime.
Monica Merkovsky of CIF-Southern Section Division IA champion West Torrance highlighted the Reds with eight points. Peninsula’s Paris Lucci led the Reds with a game-high 11 points.
Amijete Nyingifa of Southern Section Division IIAA champion and Southern California Division II runner-up Redondo led the Blues with eight points.
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Lady Cavalier magic runs out in double overtime
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
Serra High’s girls’ basketball team had a magical run in the California State Division I playoffs this season.
The Lady Cavaliers enjoyed an impressive win on the road over a very good Vista Murrieta in the Southern California Regional Division I semifinals, overcame a six-point fourth quarter deficit to send their regional championship game into overtime against top seed Ventura, then outscored the Cougars 18-2 for a 61-45 overtime victory on March 21 at the Long Beach State Walter Pyramid to send them into the California State Championship game against McClatchy High from Sacramento last Friday at the UC Berkeley Haas Pavilion.
Against the Lions, Serra appeared to be down and out as it trailed 46-36 and key senior player Nautica Morrow fouling out with just 1:11 left in regulation. Then, the Cavaliers proceeded to outscore McClatchy 13-3 in the final 58 seconds of regulation to send the game into overtime, behind a three-point basket by Briana Johnson with a second remaining tying the game at 49.
The two teams played what was equivalent to a fifth quarter; two four-minute overtimes, before the Lions regrouped and prevailed 65-61.
The dramatic comeback began when Jenny Albano converted on a three-point basket with 58 seconds to go in regulation. In the process, Brooke Bayman was fouled under the basket and she converted on two free throws to cut McClatchy’s lead to 46-41.
Destiny Lee made one of two free throws to up the Lions’ lead to 47-41 with 34 seconds remaining, but Nathanaelle Damba made a three-pointer to get Serra within three.
McClatchy’s Lauren Nubla made two free throws to bring the Lions’ lead back up to five with 21 seconds left, but a basket from Johnson cut McClatchy’s lead to 49-47 with nine seconds remaining.
As the Lions attempted to inbound the ball, a successful full-court press by Serra forced them into a five-second violation and Serra got the ball back. The ball came to Johnson who swished a three-pointer from about five feet in back of the key to send the game into overtime.
Baskets from Lee and Gigi Garcia got the Lions off to a good start with a 53-49 lead in the first overtime period. They continued to lead before a three-pointer from Brijaye Brackett and a free throw by Camille Hailey tied the game at 55. Hailey, however, missed the second free throw that prevented the Cavaliers from winning.
The second overtime saw a basket by Lee and two more from Garcia, who led McClatchy with a game-high 23 points and 18 rebounds, give the Lions a 61-56 lead with 50 seconds to go.
Serra tried to fight back, twice getting within two points behind a three-pointer from Brackett and Johnson’s score, but two free throws by Alex Washington sealed the game for the Lions, who won their first state championship.
The Cavaliers started the game well jumping out to a 14-3 lead on Nautica Morrow’s three-pointer with 3:51 left in the first period.
McClatchy, then, woke up and scored 12 unanswered points to grab a 15-14 lead early in the second quarter but Serra came back with a 25-18 halftime advantage.
The Cavaliers still led 33-29 after three periods before the Lions took their next lead at 37-36 on Kelsey Wong’s free throw with 4:38 remaining in regulation. McClatchy led 46-36 when Nubla made one of two from the charity line.
Johnson led Serra, which finished its season at 23-11, with 21 points. Bayman added 13 points and Brackett chipped in 12.
Nubla contributed 17 points and Wong finished with 12 points for McClatchy.
The double overtime was one of three and four overall OT contests in the state finals. The girls’ Division I contest, Ramon Valley’s boys topped Chino Hills 79-71 in two extra periods. On Saturday in the boys’ Division II contest, La Mirada, which defeated Lawndale in the Southern California Regional Division II finals, outlasted San Jose Archbishop Mitty 71-70 in two OT’s for the California Division II crown. The two-day state championship classic ended in the boys’ Open Division final when Oakland Bishop O’ Dowd nosed out Santa Ana Mater Dei 65-64 in overtime, ending the Monarchs’ reign of four consecutive state Division I and Open Division titles.
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Serra, Gardena baseball teams struggle in league
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
A young and shorthanded Serra High baseball team is off to a 0-3 start in the Del Rey League after losses to Santa Fe Springs St. Paul, La Puente Bishop Amat and Los Angeles Cathedral last week.
At St. Paul on March 24, the Cavaliers fell to the Swordsmen 7-3. At Bishop Amat last Friday, the Cavaliers lost to the defending CIF-Southern Section Division III champion Lancers 7-4. At Serra last Monday, the Cavaliers were defeated by the Phantoms 5-1.
Serra’s defense just could not find the handle of the ball combining for 11 errors in the three league games, including five against Bishop Amat.
“We’re a young team and fairly inexperienced in terms of skills and emotionally of playing varsity baseball,” Serra head coach Wilmer Aaron said. “We have some young freshman kids. We started four freshmen in the games. We expect them to step in. Right now, we’re not ready.”
Also plaguing the Cavaliers are being without key players in senior Morgan Lomax (sore ankle) and Tyler Morrison, who is currently ineligible after transferring to Serra from San Diego.
Adrian Morales had a hit and drove in Serra’s only run against Cathedral.
Junior Tom Bothwell pitched well despite the loss to St. Paul. He allowed just one earned run as the other six were unearned.
The same went to sophomore Cardinal Fernandezees. He allowed four unearned runs in the top of the first, behind three Cavalier miscues.
Aaron expected both Lomax and Morrison to play in Wednesday’s Del Rey game at home against Pasadena La Salle.
The Cavaliers have spring break beginning today and through next week and their next contest will be non-league doubleheader against CIF-Los Angeles City Section school Dorsey on April 11 at 11 a.m. After visiting Alemany in Mission Hills on April 18, Serra (4-6 overall and 0-3 in league) will resume league at home against St. Paul on April 21.
Gardena fell to 0-2 in the Marine League after falling at Carson 12-2 last Thursday.
The Panthers (4-2 overall) will host Narbonne on April 14 at 3 p.m.
