December 10, 2015 Page 3 Lawndale Girls Capture Redondo Tournament Winning the Platinum (Elite) Division was Troy High from Fullerton which defeated Gardena Serra 70-62. Inglewood Struggles Inglewood High’s boys’ basketball team lost all three of its pool games in last week’s Redondo Battle at the Beach Gold Division Classic. The Sentinels (0-4) opened with a 56-33 loss to Cerritos Valley Christian on December 1. Two days later, Inglewood fell to Los Angeles Marlborough 44-15. Last Thursday, the Sents fell to Redondo High’s junior varsity squad 46-31.Against Marlborough, Inglewood, head coached by first year mentor Charles Cain, was led by his daughter, Cheyene, with seven points. Christel Welch added five points. Rowan Smith led all scorers with 26 points for the Mustangs. Leuzinger Wins Three of Five Last week, Leuzinger High’s girls’ basketball team opened its season in the Brentwood Tournament and won three of five games there.The Olympians started out well with wins over Venice and Bel Air Marymount before taking losses to Saugus and Santa Monica St. Monica. Leuzinger closed the classic with a 65-51 victory over Inglewood St. Mary’s Academy last Saturday. In the Olympians’ opening win over the Gondoliers on November 30, junior Brooke Scott led with 20 points and seven steals. Sophomore Prescious Onwuku finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds, 10 steals and five assists. Sophomore Cheyenne Tannan had 14 points and seven steals, and senior Rebecca Oderola recorded 11 points and six assists. Scott tallied 21 points, including three three-pointers in Leuzinger’s 52-50 win over Marymount on December 1. Tannar chipped in 11 points and Onwuku totaled seven points and 10 rebounds. Michaela Keefe led the Sailors with 19 points. The Olympians gathered a total of 47 rebounds in the contest. A day later, Leuzinger lost to Saugus 50-44. Tannan led the Olympians with 16 points and six steals. Scott tallied 11 points. Onwuku had nine points and 10 rebounds. Last Friday, Leuzinger fell to St. Monica 63-50. Hawthorne Splits in Downey Hawthorne High’s girls’ basketball team split its four games in the Downey Tournament for a 13th place finish last week. After losing the first two games to host Downey (52-34) on November 27 and Lakewood (47-31 on November 28), the Cougars bounced back with a 37-31 overtime victory over Van Nuys Fulton 37-31 on December 1 and held off Article and photos by Joe Snyder It was six years ago that current head coach Anthony Gipson took over the Lawndale High girls’ basketball program. The Lady Cardinals went through a rough season with a 2-20 record but Gipson pledged that he would bring Lawndale to the top. Last season, the Cardinals finished third in the Ocean League and advanced to the CIF-Southern Section Division IIAA playoffs losing in the first round. This year, Gipson and the team have high hopes of a successful year after capturing the Gold Division of the always tough Redondo Battle at the Beach Tournament by edging Torrance 37-34 last Saturday. “It was a long time coming,” Gipson said. “I’ve been waiting for this. It’s been a six-year process.” In a defensive battle against the Tartars, Lawndale (4-1) led most of the way but the game was close. The Cardinals played a strong defense and were very good at the boards with 55 team rebounds. Lawndale also totaled nine assists, seven steals and five blocked shots.“Defense is our key,” Gipson said. “We put our pride on D.” After losing their non-league opener at Raboe Academy in Glendale 47-37 on November 28, the Cardinals began the Redondo Tournament by rolling over Rolling Hills Estates Peninsula 56-30 on December 1. Last Thursday, Lawndale downed CIF-Los Angeles City Section power Narbonne 51-35, before defeating Cerritos Valley Christian 48-34 on Friday to go unbeaten at 3-0 in pool play. Junior Rajinae Crandall led the Cardinals with 10 points and 16 rebounds as she was named the tournament division’s Most Valuable Player. Taylor Hall was also on the all-tournament squad as she led in scoring with 12 points. “Rajinae has been consistent in the last two games,” Gipson said. “She had no rest in all five of our games.” Against Narbonne, Crandall sparked Lawndale with 25 points and 16 rebounds. Talia Jones added nine points, four steals and three assists. Kamsi Metu, younger sister of former Lawndale High boys’ basketball standout and now University of Southern California freshman Chimeze Metu, contributed seven points, 17 rebounds and seven blocks. “It’s exciting to defeat Narbonne,” Gipson said. “It’s always a pleasure to win against one of the best coaches in Southern California (head Gaucho mentor Vicky Sanders).” After the big showing, the Cardinals won’t play until December 28 when they travel to San Francisco for the West Coast Jamboree. Fullerton Sunny Hills 44-42 on December 2. Tianna Grant was named Player of the Game as she led Hawthorne (2-2) with 11 points, including three three-pointers, against Sunny Hills. Khari Holmes finished with nine Inglewood High’s Cristal Welch shoots a basket in last Thursday’s Redondo Battle at the Beach Girls’ Basketball Tournament against Marlborough. The Sentinels lost to the Mustangs 44-15. Lawndale High’s Taylor Hall dribbles the ball down the court in last Thursday’s Redondo Battle at the Beach Girls’ Basketball Tournament action. The Cardinals downed the Gauchos 51-35, then defeated Torrance 37-34 for the Gold Division championship on Saturday. Lawndale’s Alisha Robinson goes for a layup in Thursday’s Redondo Battle at the Beach Girls’ Basketball Classic against Narbonne. points and five rebounds. Dyemond Cooper chipped in six points. Brianna Anderson and Kierra Miller gathered nine and six rebounds, in order. • Visit us online: www.heraldpublications.com
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