TORRANCE TRIBUNE July 25, 2013 Page 5 Lakers Rebuilding to Rebuild Up and Adam and how to bang them By Adam Serrao next to preposterous. Among elite teams like the by Summertime BaseballChef ShaferOklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs,It is now a time of uncertainty for the Los Angeles Lakers. For the past two years, fans Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors By Adam Serrao and two runs scored, were the catalysts on across Los Angeles have been witnessing their and now Howard’s Houston Rockets, the Lakers The Major Leaguers aren’t the only ones offense for Palos Verdes. professional basketball club that wears the purple this season may be hard-pressed to make it into playing baseball throughout the summer. The hot Despite the loss, South High still enjoyed a and gold fall downhill. After getting swept the playoffs at all. Should they fail to gain at sun and the green grass are just too good to successful summer league season, going into out of the playoffs in Phil Jackson’s last year, least an eight seed, it would be just the sixth stay away from for an entire offseason, and for the game against Palos Verdes undefeated. the Lakers proceeded to lose Andrew Bynum time in their 65-year history that the team has that reason teams like the South High Spartans The Spartans wound up with a record of 5-1-2 in a trade that brought in Dwight Howard. missed the playoffs. Unless Kobe recovers in an participate in summer ball. Though technically when all was said and done. One loss doesn’t The move looked good at the time, but after extraordinary amount of time and is ready for it is still the offseason, summer baseball gives affect the way the team played all summer another unsuccessful season and Howard’s the preseason, Nash stays healthy and regains coaches and players alike the ability to assess long, however, and Sain found what he saw recent departure to Houston, the once proud the form from his Phoenix Suns days, Gasol talent. Coaches get to see the players who are this offseason very encouraging. “We’ve been franchise of 16 NBA championships now finds dominates inside and the team actually finds looking to make a difference on the team for pitching well, playing good defense and getting itself poised to start Pau Gasol at the center an identity for itself, the Lakers should be next season, while players get the chance to timely hits,” the coach explained. “Most games position. This is a player Lakers’ management anticipating a subpar season, to say the least. had been fervently trying to trade. Joining Gasol So where’s the silver lining? “Despite the loss, South High still enjoyed a successful summer league are the old and not fleet-of-foot Steve Nash The silver lining, for the Lakers, arises from and a presently handicapped Kobe Bryant. The the fact that the draft class of 2014 figures to be season, going into the game against Palos Verdes undefeated.” future for this team looks bleak indeed. Though the deepest and most talented group in at least the Lakers’ front office won’t say it, the team the last 10 years. Andrew Wiggins highlights showcase their skills in their attempt to become have been close. Today got a little bit sideways. is positioning itself for the 2014 season. With the draft class, but unless the Lakers drastically the next MVP of the ballclub. While there is no PV was really swinging the bats and put us every contract but Nash’s coming off of the fail next season and enter into the lottery, they championship at stake, teams like the Spartans in tough situations.” Sain’s observations were books, that will be the year of free agency won’t be seeing him on their radar. Instead, use the summer to their advantage in an attempt correct, especially in the third inning when the when the Lakers attempt to regain their royal they will have a group from the 2003 draft to put together the next championship team that Sea Kings broke the game wide open against status amongst the league’s very best teams. class to pursue. LeBron James and Carmelo will grace the baseball fields of South Torrance. South pitcher Nick Beardsley. Beardsley is In the wake of losing Howard, the Lakers Anthony are both obviously on the Lakers’ Just two months ago, the Spartans ended a going to join the rotation next season behind actually haven’t done a bad job at all in the free radar, though James is a long shot to come to successful season that saw the team wind up team ace Mogollon and didn’t look overly agent market. Just days after Howard signed with Los Angeles. Should they fail in their attempt in a tie for first place in the Pioneer League impressive in that inning of play when he Houston, L.A. signed Chris Kaman. Although to land either of those two free agents, there standings. The team started the season out by surrendered five straight hits and four runs. not one of the most athletic big men in the is still a crop that includes Dwyane Wade, winning five of their first six games and 10 out He did, however, show a great deal of mettle league, Kaman will bring interior defense and Chris Bosh and possibly Paul George, John of their first 13 when everyone around Torrance by coming back the very next inning to retire rebounding and fits into coach Mike D’Antoni’s Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Derrick Favors, knew that the Spartans and head coach Grady the side in order. “He’s been pitching quite offensive system as a big man who can shoot depending on what their current teams do with Sain were going to be one of the main teams a bit lately,” Sain explained of Beardsley. “I from the perimeter. Another player the Lakers their contracts. to reckon with in the Pioneer League. Behind think he got a little tired. But what I liked is pulled for the veteran’s minimum was Nick While it is nice to imagine a team with brilliant junior pitcher Matt Mogollon (10-2, that after the tough third inning, he went out Young. Formerly of the Wizards, Clippers and Kobe, LeBron and Carmelo all wearing the 1.41 ERA, 71 strikeouts) and the timely hitting in the fourth and threw quality pitches for a 76ers, Young brings athleticism and youth to purple and gold, the chances of it actually of players like Nick Cohan (.409 with 24 RBIs one, two, three inning. It was a good comeback a ballclub that formerly had none. With the happening are slim to none. Carmelo might be and 25 runs scored this season), South reached inning for him mentally.” same size and body type as Kobe Bryant, the biggest hope for the Lakers in 2014, but the second round of the CIF Southern Section The Spartans are going to need solid mental Young has the ability to light up the box score if he falls through, one of the most successful Division IV playoffs before being knocked out toughness to get through a demanding Pioneer on certain nights, though he has never proven franchises in all of basketball may be in for by Northview with a tough last inning loss. League schedule next season. The North High to be completely reliable. The Lakers also some major hurt in the near future. Could the The Spartans went into the last game of Saxons and the Torrance Tartars are continually brought Jordan Farmar back into the mix and Lakers possibly decide to tell Kobe to take their summer league experience with the intent improving and are out to un-seed the Spartans are flirting with the idea of re-signing Lamar his time getting back from injury and “tank” to fix what went wrong in that last game of as the defending Pioneer League champs. Last Odom to bring some familiarity back to the the upcoming 2013-14 season in order to get the season and get a little bit further into the season, the Spartans had only three league bench. Though it is sad to see Metta World a better draft pick? It may actually not be the playoffs next season. Going up against a Palos play losses all season long. One was to the Peace go, the Lakers saved about $14 million worst idea. Mitch Kupchak, the Buss family Verdes team that had trouble scoring runs last Tartars at home in early April when Torrance in luxury tax costs, further clearing the books and the Lakers are too proud of a franchise season, the Spartans figured to finish off their shut the Spartans out by a final score of 4-0. and saving money for what stands to be one to do that, though. While the front office has year with a bang. Unfortunately, those plans The other two were to the Saxons when North of the biggest off-seasons in recent history for done a great job of finding talent to get the went awry when Palos Verdes took a 4-1 lead swept South in consecutive games near the the Lakers come 2014. team past this season with one-year contracts, into the third inning. There was no shortage of end of April by the scores of 2-1 and 6-5. If Though these moves can be graded on a the books will be clean come 2014. It is still runs for the Sea Kings in this summer game, as the Spartans are going to look to defend their scale of decent to good, there is no doubting unclear as to what the Lakers will actually the team tacked on five more runs to eventually status as Pioneer League champions, they must the fact that they have been made simply to do to turn themselves into contenders once win up with a 9-1 victory over the Spartans. first find a way to get past the cream of the pass time. To think the Lakers will contend this again, but it looks as if we will all have to Players like Blake Matsuda, who went three crop in their own division. With a successful year for a title, let alone a top five seed in the wade through one more excruciating season for four with an RBI and run scored, and Dirk summer season like the one just completed, Western Division, barring a miracle, would be in order to find out. • Durko, who went two for three with a double South looks to be well on its way. • Business Briefs Hillside Dentistry Celebrates go to www.hillsidedentistry.net or call US Hybrid Celebrates New Facility Assembly Bill 1077 which he introduced Grand Opening (310) 530-4300. US Hybrid President Dr. Goodarzi which would give incentives for the purchase Dr. Dave Goldwyn Jequinto and his staff Special guests at the Hillside Dentistry celebrated the new integration facility at 2945 of alternative fuel vehicles by lowering the hosted a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ribbon-cutting included Torrance Mayor Columbia Street in Torrance on July 17 along upfront and long-term costs. Other dignitaries ceremony to celebrate their new office Frank Scotto, Councilman Bill Sutherland with several dignitaries including Assembly- present at the ribbon-cutting included Torrance Hillside Dentistry, located at 2945 Rolling and members of the Torrance Area Chamber man Al Muratsuchi who represents the 66th Councilman Bill Sutherland, Councilman Hills Road in Torrance. For more information, of Commerce. Assembly District. Founded in 1999, US Hy- Pat Furey, CALSTART President & CEO brid Corporation specializes in the design and John Boesel and Torrance Area Chamber of manufacture of integrated power conversion Commerce Board Chair Sherry Kramer. For components for electric and hybrid vehicles more information on US Hybrid, please call as well as renewable energy generation and (310) 212-1200 or visit www.ushybrid.com. storage. Assemblyman Muratsuchi spoke about Photos by Charlene Nishimura. •
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