Page 4 January 28, 2016 Tough Luck Leuzinger Falls Short to North point league loss was in their opener at West Torrance 52-51 on Jan. 13 when the Warriors pulled it out after an offensive rebound that resulted into their winning basket. Leuzinger managed to have balanced scoring with four players in double figures. Kavon Fair led the Olympians with 13 points, followed closely by Terrell Williams and Anthony Hamilton with 12 apiece. Damani Washington added 11 points. Despite Fair’s team leading scoring effort, he made just one of eight free throw attempts. Leuzinger made 17 of 30 from the charity line. North was led by Holmes and Tyler Johnson with 15 points apiece. Johnson scored 14 of those points in the first half. At Leuzinger on January 20, the Olympians made just 10 of 35 free throw attempts but managed to defeat South Torrance 53-45. Williams led Leuzinger with 17 points, followed by Washington with 13. The Olympians visited Lawndale in a cross town rival non-league game last Monday then resumed Pioneer play at Centennial in Compton on Wednesday. Leuzinger hosts West in hope to avenge one of their one-point losses Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Olympians visit league leading Torrance (4-0 in league and 13-7 overall) next Wednesday at the same time. By Joe Snyder Photos by Joe Snyder Despite youth, Leuzinger High first year head boys’ basketball coach Arturo Jones had hopes that the Olympians would be strong contenders for their second consecutive Pioneer League title and, maybe, go far in the CIF-Southern Section playoffs. Instead, the Olympians are 1-3 in league play losing two of those games by one point, including a 68-67 defeat to host North Torrance last Friday. The game was close all of the way. The Olympians held a slim 19-18 lead after the first quarter. The contest was tied at 36 at halftime and Leuzinger (9-9 overall) took a 51-46 after three periods. The Olympians continued to lead throughout most of the fourth quarter but a big three-point basket from Isaiah Holmes gave the Saxons (3-1 in league) a 64-63 lead with about 1:30 left in the game which proved to be pivotal. From there, North continued to have the edge and held on. Jones blamed poor free throw shooting and lack of defensive rebounding on the loss. “Poor free throw shooting killed us,” Jones said. “We dropped two games by one point and they were on baskets from offensive rebounds in the final seconds.” The Olympians’ other one- Morningside Wins Two After losing its first two Bay League games on the road to Rolling Hills Estates Peninsula and Redondo two weeks ago, Morningside High’s boys’ basketball team got on the right track returning home to defeat Palos Verdes and Mira Costa last week. The Monarchs held off the Sea Kings 65-59 on January 20, then slipped past the Mustangs 70-66 last Friday. Against Mira Costa, Patrick Jeune sparked Morningside with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Brandon Anyanwu added 16 points and 10 rebounds. Kameron Khalbeer and Charles Wright chipped in 14 and 10 points, in order. Two days earlier, Anyanwu led the Monarchs (13-7 overall and 2-2 in league) with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Jeune contributed 17 points, eight rebounds and five steals. Arkel Lord had 10 points. Khabeer dished out eight assists. With the victories, Morningside moved into a four-way tie with Inglewood, Mira Costa and Peninsula for second place at 2-2. Redondo, one of the top teams in California, leads at 4-0 and Palos Verdes is 0-4 in league. The Monarchs were at cross town rival Inglewood last Tuesday and host Peninsula Friday at 7:30 p.m. Morningside also has a home game against Redondo next Tuesday at the same time. The Panthers helped force the four-way deadlock for second place with a come-from-behind 68-62 victory over the Sentinels last Friday. The Sea Hawks had little trouble at Palos Verdes with a 77-28 victory on Friday. Inglewood Splits Inglewood High’s boys’ basketball team played two away Bay League games last week. The Sentinels started out by topping Mira Costa 55-47, but fell to Peninsula 68- 62 on Friday. Last Friday, Inglewood had trouble containing the Panthers’ leading scorer Mickey Bebeck who scored a game-high 33 points. The Sentinels held a 51-47 edge after three quarters before Peninsula outscored Inglewood 21-11 in the final period. Terrell Gomez led Inglewood (14-6 overall and 2-2 in league) with 21 points. Gomez sparked the Sents with 15 points, seven assists and five rebounds in their win at Mira Costa on January 19. Jordan Bell finished with 14 points and nine rebounds and Chance Hunter tallied 11 points and nine rebounds. After hosting rival Morningside on Tuesday, Leuzinger High’s Damani Washington attempts basket under pressure of North Torrance’s Saeed Galloway in last Friday’s Pioneer League boys’ basketball game. The Olympians host West Torrance Friday at 7:30 p.m. North Torrance High’s Makanna Enonto dribbles as she is being defended by Cheyenne Tannan from Leuzinger in last Friday’s Pioneer League girls’ basketball game. The Saxons downed the Olympians 65-44. North visits Centennial in Compton Friday at 6 p.m. Inglewood will have its second Bay showdown at Redondo Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Sea Hawks (16-3 overall) slipped past the host Sentinels 58-53 on January 13. Inglewood visits Palos Verdes next Tuesday at the same time. Lady Olympians Top South; Lose to North Leuzinger High’s girls’ basketball team enjoyed an impressive home win over defending CIF-Southern Section Division IIA champion South Torrance 64-52 on January 20, but found last year’s Southern Section Division IIIAA champion North Torrance too much in a 65-44 loss last Friday at North. Against the league leading Saxons, Leuzinger (2-2 in league) fell behind early and was trailing by double figures margin throughout most of the contest. Brooke Scott led the Olympians with 14 points. Kaylin Brown put in nine points, all of those on three three-pointers. North (4-0 in league and 12-8 overall) was led by Brendy McPherson and Makenga Ecomoto with 15 points each. After visiting Centennial in Compton on Wednesday, the Olympians host West Torrance, which won CIF-Southern Section titles the past two seasons and is off to a 15-5 start this year, Friday at 6 p.m. Leuzinger visits Torrance next Wednesday at the same time. • Leuzinger High’s Christopher Williams goes up for a basket in last Friday’s Pioneer League boys’ basketball game against North Torrance. The Saxons edged the Olympians 68-67. Leuzinger High’s Prescious Onwuka shoots basket in last Friday’s Pioneer League girls’ basketball game against North Torrance.
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