Serra High coach Dwan Hurt is used to having predominantly winning seasons, including several CIF-Southern Section titles and two California State championships.
Most of his other teams, at least, went far in the Southern Section and California state playoffs.
Serra High coach Dwan Hurt is used to having predominantly winning seasons, including several CIF-Southern Section titles and two California State championships.
Most of his other teams, at least, went far in the Southern Section and California state playoffs.
However, there are times when even high schools with the best programs go through rebuilding years and it showed it for Serra, which fell to 10-13 after a Del Rey League loss to visiting Bishop Montgomery and a 76-54 defeat to Windward School from Mar Vista in the Fairfax State Preview Showcase last Saturday.
At Serra on Jan. 28, the Cavaliers were pitted against highly regarded rival Bishop Montgomery from Torrance. The Cavaliers made good efforts to stay with the Knights, led by all-American guard Stephen Thompson, Jr. but him and his team proved too much with a 73-53 win.
Traditionally, the Cavaliers always have big rivalry games against Bishop Montgomery and they managed to stay with the nationally ranked Knights (20th in the United States by USA Today).
Serra was tied with Bishop Montgomery at 17-17 early in the second quarter. The Cavaliers trailed by six (32-26) at halftime and were down by one on a few occasions in the third period.
From there, Thompson and the Knights got hot and Serra was unable to find any way to stop the Oregon State University-bound senior. Thompson led all scorers with 27 points, 21 of those in the second half. He had 11 points in the third quarter that saw Bishop Montgomery, which improved to 23-1 overall, pull out to an 11-point (53-42) lead.
Thompson added 10 points, including two three-point baskets, in the fourth period to help the Knights finish off the Cavaliers. Bishop Montgomery outscored Serra 20-11 in the final quarter.
The Knights also proved that they are well-balanced. Senior Christian Oshita and sophomore Jordan Schekel each chipped in 16 points.
Grid hoops standout Caleb Wilson did his best to keep the Cavaliers in the game as long as possible as he led them with 19 points. Jason Richardson, a returning all-CIF Southern Section guard, contributed 17 points and Ian Carter had eight points.
Bishop Montgomery stayed unbeaten at 6-0 in Del Rey action with a 71-48 home win over St. Bernard on Friday.
The Cavaliers are 1-3 in league.
Both also vied in the prestigious Fairfax State Preview but the Cavaliers were unable to keep up with small schools power Windward. Serra trailed 15-13 after the first quarter but the Wildcats outscored the Cavaliers 44-25 in the second and third quarters, combined, to pull away.
The Knights, meanwhile, had a surprisingly 60-point blowout win over usually very tough Loyola 94-34, behind 37 points by Thompson.
Bishop Montgomery had 13 three-point baskets in the contest.
Serra will look at its second league win when it visits St. Bernard (0-5 in league) Friday then hosts a physical Cantwell-Sacred Heart squad next Monday in 7 p.m. league games. The Cavaliers close Del Rey at Bishop Montgomery next Wednesday.
The Knights hosted Cathedral Wednesday and will be tested at Cantwell-Sacred Heart next Monday at 7 p.m.
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GHS in contention with 2 league wins
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
Gardena High’s boys’ basketball team improved to 17-5 overall and 6-1 in the Marine League after home wins over San Pedro and Banning last week.
The Panthers hosted a Pirates them they beat 59-40 on Dec. 30 for third place in the San Pedro Pirate Classic but had to hold on for a defensive 40-37 victory on Jan. 28. Last Friday, Gardena had little trouble with an undermanned Banning squad 68-24.
Against the Pilots, Gardena surged out to a 33-5 halftime lead and continued to toy around with Banning for its third blowout win against the Wilmington-based school.
Virtually everyone got into the act against Banning as the Panthers were led by Christian Carating with a game-high 12 points. Daniel Estes put in 10 points and Michael Thompson scored nine.
Banning (1-17, 0-7) was led by Eddie Diggs with 10 points, eight of those in the third quarter.
Dominic Data led Gardena with 13 points and Clarence Bookman tallied nine points in Gardena’s win over the Pirates.
The Panthers will be heavily tested from there. The Panthers visited Washington last Monday but results were unavailable, as was Wednesday’s home game against Carson.
Gardena visits King-Drew Medical Magnet, a team that it defeated 52-49 in overtime at home on Jan. 16, Friday at 7 p.m. before its second league showdown at home against first place Narbonne (7-0 in league) next Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
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Sports Scoop
Serra girls continue to roll in Del Rey League
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
Serra High’s girls’ basketball team is 5-0 in the Del Rey League after downing host St. Paul 56-45 on Jan. 27 in Santa Fe Springs.
The Lady Cavaliers led 9-7 after the first quarter before their advantage ballooned to 24 points (49-25) by outscoring the Swordsmen 45-0 in the Del Rey League after downing host St. Paul 56-45 on Jan. 27 in Santa Fe Springs.
The Lady Cavaliers led 9-7 after the first quarter before their advantage ballooned to 24 points (49-25) by outscoring the Swordsmen 40-18 in the second and third periods, combined.
St. Paul outscored Serra 20-7 in the final quarter against Serra, playing mostly reserves.
The Cavaliers show down at home against Bishop Montgomery tonight at 7 p.m. before visiting St. Anthony in Long Beach next Tuesday at the same time.
Gardena’s girls continued to struggle with Marine League losses of 69-20 at San Pedro on Jan. 28 and 56-36 at Banning last Friday.
The Lady Panthers host King-Drew Medical Magnet Friday at 7 p.m. before visiting powerful Narbonne next Wednesday at 4 p.m.
In boys’ soccer, Gardena edged host Narbonne 2-1 on Jan. 28 before losing at home to San Pedro 4-1 last Friday.
The Panthers had one goal apiece by Christian Guervara and Ronaldo Chicas in their win over the Gauchos.
Chicas also scored Gardena’s only goal against the Pirates.
After hosting Banning, one of the top teams in the CIF-Los Angeles City Section, Wednesday, the Panthers visit Washington Friday and host Carson next Monday in 4 p.m. Marine games.
