March 26, 2015 Page 5 Lawndale Goes Cold in Regional Final Loss By Joe Snyder Photos by Joe Snyder A cold second half proved costly for Lawndale High’s boys’ basketball team as it lost the Southern California Regional Division II Championship Game to La Mirada 49-40 last Saturday at the Long Beach State Walter Pyramid. After trailing 16-8, the Cardinals pecked away at the Matadors’ lead before taking a 29-26 halftime advantage on a fade away three-point basket by Brandon Newman. Things were looking hopeful for Lawndale’s shot at its first-ever regional title in any sport and a shot at a trip to UC Berkeley for the California State Division II championship on Saturday. It did not go that way. The Cardinals mustered a mere two points in the third quarter and the Matadors had just nine, themselves, but managed to grab a four-point (35-31) lead entering the fourth period. Lawndale would score just nine more points; totaling 11 for the second half and La Mirada pulled away. “We played very good defense but we couldn’t put the ball in the basket,” Lawndale head coach Christopher Brownlee said. “After halftime, we were stalemate. We just did not get any shots or layups.” Lawndale’s only two points of the third quarter was a dunk from six-foot-10 center Chimezie Metu after an inbound pass from Quincy Pinkard. The Cardinals had the bigger squad with six-foot-10 players Metu and Brodrick Jones but smaller La Mirada squad, led by six-foot-8 Kendall Lauderdale, six-foot-seven Dezmon Murphy and six-foot-four Vittorio Reynoso- Avila was able to outrebound Lawndale 40-35 and totaled eight blocked shots. The Cardinals shot just 18.5 percent (fivefor 27) from the floor in the second half. Metu, who will continue his basketball career at University of Southern California, called it “his worst game all season.” “The game got a little physical,” Metu said. “We were hoping to keep our foot on the gas pedal in the second half but we couldn’t do it.” Lawndale had no players score in double figures. The Cardinals, who ended their season at 23-12, were led by D’lano Beckles with nine points. Metu added eight points and nine rebounds. Tedric Jones chipped in seven points. The Matadors, who enter Saturday’s state Division II final against San Jose Archbishop Mitty, was led by Reynoso- Avila with 14 points, 13 rebounds and three blocked shots. In the regional Division II semifinals on March 17 at La Costa Canyon in Carlsbad, Lawndale used a strong defense to eliminate the top seed Mavericks 60-46. Metu led the Cardinals with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Beckles finished with 13 points. Beckles also teamed with Pinkard on La Costa Canyon’s leading scorer in Harvard University-bound Tomay McCarthy. McCarthy still had a game-high 23 points. Hawthorne Routs Rancho Alamitos Hawthorne High’s softball team improved to 7-1-1 by rolling over Rancho Alamitos 9-1 in a Torrance National Tournament game last Thursday at Wilson Park. Winning pitcher Aylasa pitched a complete game. Elizabeth Cortez went four-for-five with two triples. On March 14 in the St. Monica Tournament championship game, the Cougars captured the title with a 6-3 victory over Venice. HMSA Edges Gardena; Cougars Fall to Uni, Jordan The Hawthorne Math and Science Academy softball team edged host Gardena 5-4 in a non-league game last Thursday. Winning pitcher Jessica Hands pitched all 10 innings and struck out 10 batters to get the win. Hawthorne High’s baseball team saw its record fall to 3-4 with non-league losses to Los Angeles University and Long Beach Jordan last week. At Hawthorne on March 18, the Cougars fell to the Wildcats 7-4. At Houghton Park in Long Beach on Friday, Jordan rolled over Hawthorne 18-7. Jamal Evans, though, had some strong games, especially in earlier games that saw the Cougars record wins over Mar Vista Windward and Animo Venice. Evans blasted a grand slam home run and scored twice in Hawthorne’s 11-8 victory over host Windward on March 4. Evans went three-for-three with two doubles and two runs batted in the Cougars’ 10-2 home win over Animo Venice on March 14. On March 9 in the Southern California Invitational, Hawthorne fell short of Heritage Christian 3-2 in Northridge. The Cougars have home games this week. After hosting Morningside from Inglewood Tuesday, Hawthorne will host St. Monica from Santa Monica today at 3:15 p.m. The Cougars have spring break next week but will play in the Santa Paula Tournament against Fillmore on Monday at noon, Oxnard Channel Islands Tuesday at noon and Oxnard Pacifica Tuesday at 3 p.m. Leuzinger Blanks Dominguez Leuzinger’s baseball team recorded its first win of the season by shutting out Dominguez High from Compton 14-0 last Thursday at Leuzinger. In other games last week, the Olympians were routed by host Compton 15-1 on March 16 and fell at home to Animo Venice 8-4 last Saturday. Leuzinger hosts cross town rival Lawndale today at 3:15 p.m. before staying at home against Animo Leadership from Inglewood next Tuesday at the same time. The Olympians are 1-7. • Lawndale High’s Brodrick Jones puts up a basket in last Saturday’s Southern California Regional Division II boys’ basketball championship game against La Mirada. Lawndale High’s R’lando Beckles attempts a three-point basket in last Saturday’s Southern California Regional Division II boys’ basketball championship game against La Mirada. The Cardinals fell to the Matadors 49-40. Lawndale High’s Quincy Pinkard attempts a basket as he is pressured by La Mirada’s Rendwick Helaire in last Saturday’s Southern California Regional boys’ basketball championship game.
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