A poor third quarter proved to be costly as the New Millennium boys’ basketball team from Gardena was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the CIF-Los Angeles City Section Division V playoffs by Annenberg of Downtown L.A., 50-47, on Feb. 26 at Gardena High.
The Warriors started the game well in taking an early 9-0 lead but the Panthers started their hot shooting to chew away at New Millennium’s lead, cutting it to 11-8 by the end of the first quarter.
A poor third quarter proved to be costly as the New Millennium boys’ basketball team from Gardena was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the CIF-Los Angeles City Section Division V playoffs by Annenberg of Downtown L.A., 50-47, on Feb. 26 at Gardena High.
The Warriors started the game well in taking an early 9-0 lead but the Panthers started their hot shooting to chew away at New Millennium’s lead, cutting it to 11-8 by the end of the first quarter.
Both teams were tied at 24 at halftime, before Annenberg, behind junior point guard Ernesto Cordova who scored 11 of his game-high 16 points in the third period, outscored the Warriors, 21-8, in that quarter to pull out to a 13-point lead (45-32). Cordova also had six assists.
New Millennium also had trouble against the Panthers’ effective trap defense, especially with guards Cordova and Miguel Estevez, who had several key steals, along with physical forwards Spencer Aranda and Vincent James.
“They beat us on the boards,” New Millennium head coach Spencer Schultz said. “They had a nice run in the third quarter and we had to crawl back.”
The fourth period belonged to the Warriors, who outscored Annenberg, 15-5, but it was not quite enough. The final three-point margin was the closest New Millennium could get.
“In the fourth quarter, we stepped up on defense,” Schultz said. “Our defense got us back into the game. We had a few opportunities to tie the game.
The Warriors also missed numerous inside shots.
New Millennium was led by Anthony McClean with 14 points. Julian Walker chipped in 11 points and Jian Jefferson-Roberts had nine points for the Warriors.
With the loss, New Millennium ended its season at 11-12 but Schultz is seeking improvement for next season with seven returning players. The Warriors also had a tough preseason schedule that included numerous larger schools, including North Torrance, which New Millennium lost to, 101-49, in December at North. The Saxons, who finished second behind champion Lawndale in the Pioneer League, advanced to the second round of the CIF-Southern Section Division IIA playoffs by host Placentia El Dorado, 79-71, on Feb. 25.
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Cav boys ousted by Sierra Canyon
By Joe Snyder
GVN Correspondent
Serra High’s boys’ basketball team lost in the consolation quarterfinals of the CIF-Southern Section Open Division to Sierra Canyon, 53-45, last Friday at Serra.
The loss, though, does not end any hopes for the California State playoffs as, according to head coach Dwan Hurt, will, most likely, compete in the California State Division IV playoffs that begin next week.
The Cavaliers began the playoffs ranked No. 2, behind Del Rey League rival Torrance Bishop Montgomery, in the Southern Section Division IVAA.
Cold shooting plagued Serra in its loss to Sierra Canyon, a private college prep school located in Chatsworth.
Jason Richardson led the Cavaliers with 14 points.
After losing in the first round of the elite division to Chino Hills, Bishop Montgomery rebounded to top Los Angeles Cathedral, 71-59, in the consolation quarterfinals last Friday at Cathedral.
The Knights continued to get a hot hand from Stephen Thompson, Jr. who had a game-high 25 points, five assists and five steals.
Justin Bibbins added 13 points, seven assists and five steals, while Christian Oshita contributed 12 points and five rebounds.
The Knights played in the consolation semifinals at home against Bellflower St. John Bosco last Tuesday, in hope to play in the consolation championship tonight at 7 p.m. at a site to be announced.
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Etiwanda drops Serra girls out of Open Division
By Joe Snyder
GVN Correspondent
Serra High’s girls’ basketball team enjoyed winning the California Division IV championship last season and was hot throughout a large majority of this season.
This year, the CIF-Southern Section decided to align with the California State CIF and add an Open Division and the Cavaliers 23-3 regular season record was good enough for a fifth seed in the elite playoffs.
Serra certainly ran into a larger high school Division IAA team on Feb. 25 in Etiwanda, the playoffs’ No. 4 seed. Behind all five NCAA Major College-bound starting players, the Eagles upended the Cavaliers, 67-54, to end their Southern Section run.
The game was a match-up between two players who will be playing together at University of Southern California next season in Serra’s Chyanne Butler and Etiwanda’s Amy Okonkwo. Okonkwo was the Eagles’ second leading scorer with 16 points and Butler was the Cavaliers’ second leading scorer with 17 points. Butler also had four assists, six rebounds and three steals.
Leading Serra, which is 24-4 and will be awaiting a playoff bid for either the State Open Division or Division IV playoffs that begin next week and will be announced on Sunday, was Caila Hailey with 26 points and 15 rebounds. Hailey is bound for Washington State next fall.
The top scorer for Etiwanda was University of Arizona-bound McKynzie Fort with 18 points.
The Eagles’ depth certainly proved it on Serra. Daega Smith chipped in 13 points for the Eagles.
Outside of the top two scorers for the Cavaliers, the rest of the squad combined for just 11 points.
A poor start also hurt Serra, which fell behind 11-0 about four minutes into the contest.
A basket by Brijaye Bracket tied the game at 15-15 and the Cavaliers were trailing by six (28-22) at halftime, but Etiwanda took command in the second half.
With the Cavaliers entering the playoffs being ranked No. 1 in the Southern Section
