January 7, 2016 Page 5 Morningside Outlasts Peninsula to Win San Pedro Shootout Morningside High’s Patrick Jeune goes up for a basket in last week’s San Pedro Pirate Shootout Boys’ Basketball Tournament championship game against Bay League foe Peninsula. The Monarchs won the title with a 60-57 overtime victory over the Panthers. Morningside hosts Hawthorne in non-league play Friday. points, including three three-pointers. A day earlier in a final pool play game, Morningside slipped by Gardena 65-62. Akanno led all scorers with 20 points. Arkel Lord chipped in 15 points and Wright contributed nine. Clarence Bookman led the Panthers (7-5) with 15 points. The Monarchs won their first two games of the tournament over South Torrance (78- 59 on December 26) and host San Pedro (79-58 on December 28). Morningside also defeated Middle College 68-49 on Saturday. The Monarchs will host Hawthorne in non- Photos and article by Joe Snyder Under first year head coach Daniel Campbell, who is a nephew of ex-Morningside High and the National Basketball Association Los Angeles Laker standout Eldon Campbell, the Monarch boys’ basketball team was looking to make a comeback. Throughout the 1970’s, 1980,s, 1990’s and even into the first part of the 2000’s decade, Morningside was one of Southern California’s dynasties but during most of the past several seasons, the Monarchs have not enjoyed as much success. Morningside, though, is looking to bring back its glory days with a 10-3 record after winning the San Pedro Pirate Shootout with a thrilling 60-57 overtime victory over Bay League foe Rolling Hills Estates Peninsula on December 30. The Monarchs’ victory also avenged their 61-44 defeat to the Panthers in the 11th place game of the Westchester Tip-off Classic on December 5. The game started out with streaks as Morningside took a 9-5 lead before Peninsula, also under a first year head mentor in Ryan Quinlan, came back with 15 unanswered points and the Panthers appeared to be headed for another easy win over the Monarchs with a 20-9 advantage early in the second quarter. The Monarchs, however, came back with an 11-0 run behind two three-point baskets by Charles Wright and another threepointer from Patrick Jeune to tie the game at 20. Peninsula held a 25-24 halftime edge. The Panthers were still up by two (39-37) after three quarters but Morningside came back with a 14-12 fourth period to tie the game at 51. The Monarchs came back to outscore Peninsula 9-6 in the overtime period behind key baskets and free throws by Brandon Anyanwu and Charles Akanno, who ended up being named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Anyanwu led the Monarchs with 20 points, followed by Jeune with 10 and Akanno with nine points and 16 rebounds. “He’s a physical basketball player,” Campbell said of Akanno. “He gets in front very well. The team played real hard and we moved the ball well.” The Panthers were led by returning all-Bay League forward Mickey Babek with a game-high 21 points. Evan Malone added 11 league action Friday at 7:30 p.m. Morningside, then, will, again, play Peninsula on the road in their Bay League opener next Tuesday at the same time. Campbell knows that the Bay will be very competitive, led by Redondo, which came off a second place finish in the prestigious Maxpreps Holiday Classic after losing to the United States’ top ranked squad in Chino Hills 96-80 on December 30 at Rancho Mirage High in Palm Springs. Inglewood, which finished second in the Bay but defeated Redondo once last year, also figures to be well in the race, along with the Morningside High’s Charles Akanno shoots a basket in last week’s San Pedro Pirate Shootout Boys’ Basketball Tournament action against Bay League foe Peninsula. Monarchs, Panthers and Mira Costa. Executive Prep Academy of Finance Also playing in the San Pedro Pirate Shootout was a newer charter school in Executive Prep Academy of Finance in Hawthorne. Executive Prep finished 3-1 in the classic after a fifth place finish by routing Wilmington Banning 80-48 on December 30. Executive Prep began the tournament with a 66-49 win over Gardena on December 26. In the second game of pool play on December 28, Executive Prep downed South Torrance 66-52 before falling to host San Pedro 60-51 on December 29. Executive Prep displays a 14-5 record and is ranked third in the CIF-Southern Section Division VA. Executive Prep begins the Mullholland League at home against Lennox Academy Monday at 5:30 p.m. Leuzinger High Leuzinger High first-year head boys’ basketball coach Arturo Jones was looking to develop the young Olympians as the season goes on. It’s working out better. Leuzinger won four consecutive games that included a third place in the Westlake Village Oaks Christian Tournament and avenging an earlier Beverly Hills Tournament loss to Brentwood by defeating the Eagles 63-47 in the Jordan Brand Take Flight Challenge Classic Saturday at Redondo High. “This time around we played a lot better,” Jones said. The previous time, the Olympians lost to Brentwood 59-55 in overtime in the Beverly Hills Invitational on December 12. Davion Crowder led Leuzinger with 19 points. Kavon Fair finished with 15 points and Damani Washington had 10. In the Oaks Christian Tournament, the Olympians, who are 9-6 overall, began with a 60-51 loss to eventual champion Burroughs High of Burbank on December 19. Burroughs topped Oaks Christian for the title. On December 21-23, in order, Leuzinger topped Reseda Cleveland 57-54, San Gabriel Academy 63-58 and Sylmar 68-51. The Olympians will face King-Drew Medical Magnet from South Los Angeles in the Serra Cavalier Classic Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Leuzinger opens the Pioneer League at West Torrance next Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. • Morningside High’s Charles Wright has control of the ball in last week’s San Pedro Pirate Shootout Boys’ Basketball Tournament action in the finals against Peninsula.
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