BELLFLOWER – The Leuzinger High boys’ basketball team continued to look like the front-runner in the Ocean League – and a threat to make a nice run in the CIF SS Division 3AA playoffs – Monday during the MLK Dream Classic at St. John Bosco High.
Coach Arturo Jones’ Olympians knocked off the King/Drew Eagles, 67-65, in the last of the eight games played in the Braves’ gymnasium.
Jones’ squad improved to 15-7 (it’s 4-0 in league play) with its fourth win in a row and eighth in its past nine games.
The only loss in that stretch came by way of a 3-point buzzer-beating, 67-64 decision to San Diego Cathedral Catholic at Redondo Union on Jan. 6.
Six-foot-3, 230-pound junior Joshua Garland – who has recovered nicely from a shoulder injury that kept him sidelined from the late spring thru the late fall – showcased his wide variety of skills Monday night.
Garland (pictured) led four Olympians in double figures with 17 points to go with 10 rebounds and three assists.
Another junior, 6-5 Malachi Knight, added 14 points while one of SoCal’s underrated freshmen, 6-1 Tylan Kinsey, impacted things at both ends of the floor with 13 points (5-7 FGs), three rebounds and three steals.
King/Drew – a likely contender in the L.A. City Section’s Open Division – got all its offensive production from non-seniors, with 6-4 sophomore Josiah Webster (son of Eagles’ Coach Lloyd Webster) leading the way with 18 points (12 via 3s) and 6-1 junior Donald Thompson adding 15.
The Eagles (10-8 overall and 3-0 in the Coliseum League) are at home to Washington Prep Wednesday night while the Olympians (4-0 in league) play host to Hawthorne Wednesday in league competition.
In one of the other games played Monday night, Portland Central Catholic – one of the top teams in Oregon – used a strong second half to pull away from Newport Pacifica Christian, 65-52.
And the Rams (10-3) made the impressive run with 6-4 junior Isaac Carr (already committed to the University of Oregon) on the bench.
With his team trailing by five points, Carr was whistled for his fourth foul on a charge with 4:36 to go in the third quarter – and almost immediately was disqualified for the rest of the game when hit with a T, which translated into the fifth foul.
Carr left after scoring just five points (two of eight from the field) but his teammates more than picked up the slack.
With 12 second-half Triton turnovers often initiating the Central Catholic transition offense, 6-4 junior Duce Pachal led the charge with a game-high 23 points (16 after intermission) with four 3s in a row at one point.
His sophomore brother, Zamir Paschal, added 14 points while 6-foot senior Marley Zeller chipped in with 17.
The Rams’ only losses were to high-quality opposition – Concord (CA) De La Salle, Miami Columbus, and Gilbert (AZ) Perry.
The Tritons (14-9), who will try to stretch their San Joaquin League record to 4-0 when they visit Garden Grove to play Orangewood Academy Thursday night, got 15 points from 6-6 junior Logan Stewart and 14 (including four 3s) from 6-foot sophomore Michael Noel.
In other games played at SJB Monday:
*Artesia 66, Steele Canyon 57: Senior forwards Josh Martinez (20) and Zion Staples (17) combined for more than half of their team’s points as the Pioneers (12-8) knocked off the team from the San Diego Section.
Sophomore Ronnie Scott and senior Kaden Heinricy scored 14 points apiece for the 8-12 Cougars.
*Diamond Bar 66, Orange Lutheran 62: Junior center Max Gao scored 20 points and grabbed six rebounds as the Brahmas held off several challenges to hold off the Trinity League opponent, as the Hacienda League member improved to 13-8 overall.
Senior Ethan Alfonso added 12 points and junior Reed Bevans chipped in with 11 for the winners.
Sophomore post Jonathan Dzabatou led the Lancers (9-10) with 22 points while senior guard Jaden Hubbard added 14.
*St. Margaret’s 68, L.A. University 47: Seniors Russell Frye (23) and Cameron Danz (20) combined for 43 points as the Tartans improved to 10-8.
*Fairmont Prep 73, Desert Christian 43: Senior guard Nathan Kwon scored 24 points – via eight 3s – and sophomore center David Abisogun added 16 as the Huskies brought their record to 13-8. They return to San Joaquin League action Tuesday night at Capistrano Valley Christian. Junior guard Augustine Youssef led the Conquerors (14-7) with 20 points.
*Hesperia 56, Firebaugh 28: Six-four sophomore Nolan Newman-Gomez scored 22 points as the Scorpions improved to 14-7 with their seventh consecutive victory.
*Marquez 53, Walnut 44.
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