Page 6 July 12, 2012 Joe’s Sports Adam’s Sports Holly Park Sweeps Lennox to Pull off Nash Enters To Fireworks District 37 Crown By Adam Serrao playmaker for others out of the pick and By Joe Snyder Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant came into the roll is one of the best we’ve ever seen. He With its backs to the wall, the league together in 1996, but never did they has a high basketball IQ, in terms of being Holly Park Junior (age 13-14) expect to be chasing a championship together a coach out on the floor.” Clearly, Kobe is Little League All-Star baseball on the same team. Two of the fiercest rivals pleased with what Nash brings to the table team rallied for three straight in the league, Nash’s Suns and Kobe’s Lakers and is giddy with excitement at the fact that wins to pull off the District 37 have been battling it out for supremacy in he will have another playmaker on the floor crown by sweeping Lennox last the Western Conference’s Pacific Division for to play alongside him. Saturday at Jim Thorpe Park in 16 seasons now. Over time, Kobe has gotten With the team as it currently exists (assum- Hawthorne. After losing to Lennox the best of the rivalry, leading his Lakers to ing there will be no more trades), the Lakers earlier in the tournament, Holly five championships in the same amount time are sizing up to look quite formidable. With Park rallied to stun Tri Park 9-4 while Nash is still chasing his first. As they Nash handling the ball, they will have two last Thursday, and then went on say, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” but seven-footers down low to roam around in the to finish off Lennox by 9-6 and now that Kobe is 34 years old and Nash is paint and either take alley-oops from Nash, 9-1 scores on Saturday. 38, will the duo of cagey veterans still have run the pick and roll or rebound and pass it In the first game, Holly Park enough left in the tank to lead the Lakers to back out to restart the offense. Metta World surged to a 9-1 lead but held at least one more championship? Peace will round out the starting five and be off Lennox, which attempted a On Independence Day 2012, fireworks the defensive stopper, while Kobe will move dramatic rally by scoring five exploded in the nighttime air to the news to his natural position on the court--a position runs in the bottom of the sev- that Steve Nash had decided to leave all that he hasn’t played at for the majority of enth inning. Holly Park was led other teams in the dust and join forces with his career. “It puts me in my natural position, by Isaiah Flowers, who hit three summer baseball action. The Comets rolled over the Cougars 11-3. Hawthorne hosts Kobe Bryant to play at the Staples Center in which is that of a shooting guard and thatHawthorne High’s Jesus Sariano pitches to a Westchester batter during last Thursday’s home runs in the twin bill, two of West Adams Prep in the South Bay League today at 2 p.m. search of an NBA title. What better symbol of a finisher,” Bryant said about the addition those in the first contest. Both of of freedom for Kobe? In 16 seasons in the of Nash. “Michael Jordan had Scottie Pip- Flowers’ first game homers were solo. He NBA, Kobe has never played with an elite pen, who was a great facilitator for him andthorne. The Cougars are 6-0 in league, but also had a single as he went three-for-three. point guard. Now he has the freedom to enabled Michael to do what he does best,lost a non-league game to the Westchester Isaac Galen was two-for-four, including a roam around the court and choose the spot which is score the ball.” If Nash can be toAmerican League squad 11-3 last Thursday run-scoring double and a single. Lennox was that will best suit him for a pull-up jumper. Kobe anything like Pippen was to Jordan,at Westchester. “We’re mostly a young team,” led by Leo Morales, who was two-for-four He has the freedom to stand on the edge of then these two all-stars may be wishing thatHawthorne head coach Jeff Hines said. “We with three runs batted in. the court, not handling the ball or calling they found each other earlier in their careers.have a long ways to go.” In the second game, the first two innings out plays, and decide when to slash into the Clearly to Kobe, the possibilities seem to beTop returning players for the Cougars were scoreless until Holly Park let loose for lane to take an alley-oop from Nash or be endless and with the addition of one player,include junior Andrew Banuelos and junior four runs in the top of the third inning and on the receiving end of a behind-the-back the team immediately became a lot moreChris Robles. Mark Lafoon, who will be a five in the fourth. The third was highlighted pass off of a pick and roll. The pick and traditional but also a whole lot stronger.-senior, is back but did not play in last Thurs by back-to-back home runs by Flowers (two roll, after all, is something the Lakers have Some naysayers don’t believe that Nashday’s contest due to playing for a traveling runs) and Tito Ramirez (solo) as Holly Park never been able to accomplish with ease. is enough to put Kobe and the Lakers overteam. Starter Jesus Soriano and Steve Leyva took a 4-0 lead. Throughout the playoffs over the past few the hump. After all, Kobe isn’t getting anypitched for Hawthorne against the Comets. Holly Park blew the game open in the years, L.A. has always been the team get- younger and Nash is 38 years old himself.“Jesus pitched well,” Hines commented. fourth behind a two-run double from Flowers. ting burnt by quick, speedy guards cutting With a history of chronic back problems asEntering the bottom of the fifth inning, Flowers was two-for-three with four RBIs. He into the lane and having their way with the well, Nash will have to work hard to stay-Hawthorne was only down 4-3 before West scored two runs. Galen was three-for-three and Lakers’ big men, making a once-admired healthy enough to take the floor night inchester let loose for six runs in the bottom drove in two runs. He scored twice. Angel franchise look foolish. Now with Nash on and night out at the Staples Center. Thoughof the inning and added another run in the sixth. The Cougars host King-Drew today at the team, the whole dynamic of the Lakers’ his back has been a problem, it has never 2 p.m. and West Adams Prep next offense will change. meant Nash missing any significant time Tuesday at the same time. Obviously, Nash will be the primary during the season. The two-time NBA MVP Westbrook Makes U.S. Team ball-handler on the team, taking the ball hasn’t only always found a way to get it It was this past season that out of Kobe’s hands for the most part. As done on the court, but has rallied his team former Leuzinger High and UCLA explained earlier, in all of his 16 seasons to do so as well. men’s basketball standout Russell in the league, Kobe has never played with Nash won’t only help the Lakers with his Westbrook led the Oklahoma City an elite point guard unless you count Nick own personal skills, but expect him to recruit Thunder to the National Basketball Van Exel, but at that point, Kobe was a other players like Grant Hill to join the team Association Western Conference baby and his game wasn’t the same as it is and make the Lakers’ atrocious bench of crown and the championship now. Since he has arisen as the best player a year ago that much stronger. All in all, series against the Miami Heat. in the league, however, the knock on Kobe Steve Nash is the best thing that could have The Thunder went on to lose the has been that he handles the ball too much happened to the Lakers this offseason and series to the Heat in five games, and doesn’t get his teammates involved. Well anyone who says otherwise just doesn’t like but Westbrook will seek to lead the now the responsibility of handling the ball the Lakers. By the looks of it, Mitch Kupchak Americans to their second straight will be entrusted to Nash, a player that Kobe and the rest of the front office aren’t done gold medal at the XXX Olympiad clearly already trusts. With Kobe, trust goes wheeling and dealing yet either. It should be in London, beginning on July 27. a long way. When he feels like he can’t trust an interesting offseason for L.A. Expect the Holly Park second baseman Tito Ramirez awaits the ball as he attempts to tag out Westbrook was also on the U.S. others with the ball, he does it all himself. Lakers to be a bigger contender this year then Lennox baserunner Josh Salsido in last Saturday’s District 37 Junior Little League 2008 gold medal winning squad Now even according to Kobe, that should they have been the last couple of years. At All-Star baseball championship action. Holly Park rallied out of the loser’s bracket that won the title over Spain in change. “He gives us a much, much better this point, it looks like it’s a three-horse race to sweep Lennox 9-6 and 9-1 to win the District 37 title. Holly Park will face Riviera Little League from Torrance in the first round of the Section 4 Tournament Saturday chance,” Bryant said after his first day of for next year’s championship trophy. AlongBeijing, China. at 11 a.m. at North Venice Little League Field. Photos by Joe Snyder Westbrook will be joined by USA basketball training in Las Vegas. “He’s with the Thunder and the Heat, the addition other returners, including Los a terrific shooter. And shooting is something of Nash has immediately thrust the Lakers Lujan went two-for-three with a run scored. that was lacking for us. His ability to be a into championship contention. •Angeles Laker great Kobe Bryant, L.A. Clippers guard Chris Paul, champion Winning pitcher Raul Reynoso went the Heat standout LeBron James, Carmelo An- distance, limiting Lennox to one run on just thony, Deron Williams (recently signed as a two hits. Morales had an RBI single for free agent with the Brooklyn Nets), Thunder Lennox in the bottom of the fourth. standout and 2011-12 NBA leading scorer Holly Park begins play in the Section Kevin Durant, Tyson Chandler and ex-UCLA 4 Tournament Saturday at 11 a.m. against and current Minnesota Timberwolves standout Riviera Little League from South Torrance Kevin Love. All are NBA players. at North Venice Little League. Riviera won Newcomers include Clipper star Blake the District 27 title over Harbor City last Griffin, Andre Iguodala and James Harden of Saturday. the Thunder (former Lakewood Artesia High Hawthorne Remains Atop Division and University of Arizona star). The United Hawthorne High’s summer baseball team States is expected to again be the gold medal remains in first place in the South Bay favorite, but Spain, behind Laker standout League Division II after topping King-Drew Pau Gasol and other top NBA players, will Medical Magnet High 6-4 on July 3 at Haw- be expected to challenge. •
Lawndale 7.12.12
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