Archives

LONG BEACH – Two Del Rey League boys’ basketball programs sent the last of the top four seeds in the division packing Friday night.

On an evening when the St. Bernard High Vikings eliminated No. 1 and host Riverside Poly, the St. Anthony Saints provided the other CIF Southern Section Division I “upset”.

The Saints, playing in Jack Errion Gymnasium and on the floor named for the greatest player in the school’s history (Darrick Martin, who was in the building for the game), shellacked No.

[Click to continue reading]

IRVINE, Ca. – On a night when three of the top four seeds held serve in impressive fashion, one of the CIF Southern Section Open Division boys’ basketball openers didn’t follow any pre-game script.

The Damien Spartans, edged by Crean Lutheran by a single-point in a Selection Committee ballot last Sunday for the fourth seed in the eight-team bracket, found themselves in a 20-point hole with just less than three minutes to go in the second quarter Friday night with the host Saints.

But, in a comeback without parallel in the nine-year history of the top post-season playoff division in California, Coach Mike LeDuc’s visitors methodically fought their way back before pulling out a 64-59 victory in front of a crowd that was both stunned (the host fans) and delirious (those who made the trek south for the contest).

[Click to continue reading]

LAGUNA NIGUEL – After going with 16 teams in its Open Division brackets for the first four seasons of the division (2014-17), the CIF Southern Section administration cut it to an eight-team bracket in 2018 and into eight-team “pool play” competition three years ago.

And that’s where it stands now, when play begins on Friday night with Corona Centennial and Sierra Canyon sitting atop Pools A and B, respectively.

So, how would things look on Friday night if the run for the Open Division championship was still in the 16-team bracket mode?

[Click to continue reading]

TORRANCE, Ca. – The St. Bernard High basketball team didn’t have a player – or combination of players – that could check Xavier Edmonds Friday night.

And that, coupled with a stout half-court defense, is why the Vikings fell to their host Bishop Montgomery Knights in their Del Rey League showdown.

The 6-foot-eight Edmonds (pictured) scored 14 points to go with 11 rebounds and six assists as the Knights prevailed, 55-48.

Coach Doug Mitchell’s team clinched a share of the league crown while improving to 16-2 overall and 6-1 in the Del Rey League.

[Click to continue reading]

LAKEWOOD, Ca. – It was, to pounce on a cliché, old school high school basketball at its best:

*The Long Beach Poly High and host Lakewood boys’ teams hooked up Thursday evening, with a Moore League title on the line;

*The Lancers’ gymnasium was filled (as much as a high school gym can be “filled” in the COVID Era) with students, family members, alumni and faculty members who were vested, emotionally, in the outcome of the game;

*Head coaches Sheldon Diggs (LBP) and Duane Cooper (Lakewood) are graduates of, and former standouts for, their schools;

*At class reunions 20 years hence, the seniors involved in the game will be asked by their fellow alumni about the game and this season.

[Click to continue reading]