Page 6 July 26, 2012 TORRANCE TRIBUNE Up and Adam Clippers or Lakers? Warriors Ready for Battle By Adam Serrao with the Phoenix Suns to capitalize on By Adam Serrao against Dominguez. The Warriors were able It seems kind of silly to be continuously what might have been the biggest deal of The West High Warriors football team is to make it back to the playoffs the very next talking about basketball even though we’re the summer thus far. The Lakers also added ready to start the season and this year, hop- year and again in ‘09-‘10, exiting both times in the midst of what is turning out to be a free agent forward Antawn Jamison to the ing to take the Bay League by surprise. In a with losses in the first round. This year, Holt great baseball season for the West Coast of mix to bolster their bench and rounded out traditionally tough league, head coach Greg is hoping to recapture some of the magic the United States. Both the Dodgers and the their starting five by deciding not to use the Holt has been working hard all summer to from earlier in his career and carry his team Angels are looking like they will at very least amnesty clause on Metta World Peace. As this prepare his team to go up against the likes of back to the playoffs and maybe even attain get one of the two wild card spots available article is currently being written, there is no Mira Costa, Redondo and even last year’s Bay the ever elusive CIF championship trophy. for this year’s playoffs if they don’t both end new news with Dwight Howard. The Lakers League champs, the Palos Verdes Sea Kings. If the Warriors are going to get themselves up making runs at first place spots. So why have been leading the charge to acquire the With enough preparation and hard work put back on the right track this season, they are does the center of attention seem to stay on big man from Orlando, but as everyone now in over the summer, the Warriors have the going to have to do it against another tough basketball even though the season is over knows, the process has become entirely too opportunity to not only take the Bay League schedule of opponents. Three of the Warriors’ and the Miami Heat have already been complicated to even talk about anymore. by surprise, but to also make a deep run in the first five games will be against cross-town crowned champions? Well, besides So from this point forward, let’s make playoffs this year. A team that is showing signs rivals Torrance, South and North. After their the fact that the baseball season believe Dwight stays in Orlando of consistently getting better, that is exactly attempt to maintain city bragging rights, West is an excruciating 162 games at least to start off the season. what Holt and the Warriors are looking to do. will jump right into league play where they long and it is only just about So with all of the moves made, After a disappointing 2010-‘11 season in will take on Mira Costa, Redondo and Palos halfway done, the moves be- which team will be better this which the Warriors won only three games all Verdes in consecutive weeks. The Warriors ing made in basketball right season? Well, with the addition year long, Holt saw his team successfully are 1-6-1 in their last eight games against now will shape the entirety of of Steve Nash, the combination rebound to a 6-4 record in order to ascend Mira Costa, while they have compiled only next season. In other years, that of Nash and Bryant will give the out of the cellar of the Bay League standings a 2-6 record against Redondo in that same still may not be enough to take Lakers a superior backcourt over and finish the year right in the middle of the amount of time. They are a little bit better, baseball off of the front pages during Chris Paul and Jamal Crawford. Craw- pack. This year, the middle of the pack will but still not even with Palos Verdes at 3-5 summertime, but the difference this year has ford can score points, but he shoots a poor not suffice for West High. The way that the in the last eight. The Warriors do, however, been that both L.A. teams have been the center average and is certainly no Kobe Bryant. team finished off last season may even give it have winning records against the Torrance of attention in the offseason. Both the Lakers With Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, the momentum coming into this new year. With teams from the Pioneer League, so Holt and and the Clippers have made moves to bolster Lakers have more skill and athleticism in back-to-back wins against league opponents, company will look to put together as many their respective rosters, with maybe even their front court than the Clippers’ duo of the Warriors didn’t just beat Palos Verdes wins as they possibly can before the most more moves to come before play gets back Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. Sure, Peninsula and Leuzinger; they embarrassed traditionally difficult challenge of league underway. Up to this point, though, which Griffin is explosive and a human highlight them. With a 45-19 win against Peninsula play rolls around. team has had the more impressive offseason? reel, but he has virtually no outside shot. followed by a 46-0 win against Leuzinger, One main advantage that the Warriors will The Lakers have been the center of attention The one area where the Clippers may outdo the Warriors pieced together their offense and have coming into this season is that they in Los Angeles for so long that it becomes the Lakers is in bench depth. Even there, defense a little late in the year to outscore will get last year’s starting quarterback, Joey easy to forget just how well the Clippers however, the Lakers have improved over last their final two opponents 91-19. As they say Notch, back for his final year as a senior did last year. Not only did the team make year by adding Antawn Jamison. Jamison’s though, “Better late than never,” and Holt captain of the team. Notch will unfortunately the playoffs for the first time since the 2006 career averages of 19.5 points and 7.9 re- and the Warriors hope that the same senti- have lost his favorite target on the team, Nick season, but they also finished only one game bounds per game will do much to improve ment rings true to give the team momentum Roos, but with the experience that Notch has back of the Lakers in the Pacific Division a toxic bench of a year ago. coming into the 2012-‘13 season. gained throughout his seasons under Holt as standings. Seems Chris Paul really can make The Lakers won’t be the better team just Holt is coming up on his ninth season as the starting quarterback, it shouldn’t be hard a difference to a ball club. Maybe that’s why because they have the better players. The the Warriors’ head football coach. Overall, to find a new go-to player. The quarterback David Stern did all that he could to keep him team is constructed in a way that it has not his tenure at West has been successful as he is the focal point of every football team, from going to the Lakers in order to even out been in previous years and that alone will has compiled a 40-35-2 record. Holt’s most so with another year under his belt, Notch the amount of “power teams” in the NBA. benefit them down the stretch and into the successful year may have come during the should have no problem leading the Warriors Either way, it worked and Paul teamed up playoffs. Nash will become the new floor ‘06-‘07 season when he led the Warriors to past the traditional powerhouses of the Bay with Blake Griffin, Chauncey Billups and general and in the process lessen the load an undefeated (5-0) record in league play League this season. company to make a run at the playoffs. for Kobe offensively, giving the Lakers a while attaining a 12-1-1 record overall. That Whatever the outcome of this season may The Clippers’ problem was that Billups got fresher Kobe late into games and late into same season, the Warriors finished on top of be, the Warriors have certainly set themselves injured early in the season and took away the season. Chris Paul is a good opposite to Leuzinger in the standings to capture the Bay up to start off with a bang. This year should a scoring starter and bench depth from the Nash, but the Clippers don’t have an elite League crown and move into the playoffs most certainly be an interesting one that Notch, team. So in the offseason the Clippers have shooting guard like Kobe and they don’t have for the first time in Holt’s tenure. The head Holt and the entire Warriors’ ball club hope made some moves to bolster not only their an inside presence like the Lakers. Maybe if coach was able to move his team past the to begin with a number in the win column. starting rotation, but also their bench. Odom returns to his Sixth Man of the Year first two rounds of the playoffs against Culver Opening day for the West High Warriors will First on the list of things to do for the form, the Clippers will be able to challenge City and St. Paul only to later take a nail- come on August 31 as they get set to take Clippers was to re-sign Billups--a good the Lakers for supremacy. Grant Hill has biting 28-21 loss in the championship game on the Culver City Centaurs. • move, as he acts not only as a good veteran traditionally been an excellent defender, but at presence in the locker room, but also as a age 39 he just doesn’t have the knees to keep clutch scorer and a pseudo-coach on the up with a player of Kobe’s caliber anymore. El Segundo Herald* floor. In addition to Billups, the Clippers Nash’s ability to space the floor will turn Manhattan Beach Sun also picked up 39-year-old veteran Grant the Lakers into a team that fans throughout Hawthorne Press Tribune* Hill, Lamar Odom and Jamal Crawford to Los Angeles have not seen before. His skill Inglewood News* that was probably the reason that they were and adds offensive potency to a defensivelyset perfectly complements the Lakers rosterround out their efforts to revamp a bench Lawndale News* ousted from the playoffs in the second round. capable team--in turn widening the talent gap Torrance Tribune From the outside, it looks like the moves that between the two clubs. This year, the Clip- the Clippers made may not only get them pers will be good. They may even compile EL SEGUNDO OFFICE •312 E. Imperial Ave • El Segundo • CA • 90245 further in the playoffs next season, but may a better record than they did last year. But Phone: (310) 322-1830 • Fax: (310) 322-2787 • www.heraldpublications.com also put them a step ahead of the Lakers in the Lakers will be better. Look for a West- *Our papers are legally recognized and adjudicated newspapers of general circulation overall talent. ern Conference Finals matchup between the Herald Publications Board Members Graphic Artists Enter Steve Nash. The Lakers acquired Oklahoma City Thunder and Steve Nash’s CEO and President: Heidi Maerker Jean Shultz their new point guard in a sign and trade Los Angeles Lakers. •Patty Grau Richard Van VrankenChairman and Vice President: Secretary:Linda Conkey Herald Publications Staff Greg McMullin, Duane Plank, PeopleContributing WritersGerry Chong, TerriAnn Ferren, John Van Hook Director-at-Large: Editor-in-Chief: Heidi Maerker, ext. 28 Adam Serrao, Brian Simon, Accounting:Denise Armas, ext. 24 Joe Snyder, Cristian Vasquez Editorial: Noraly Hernandez, ext. 25 ConGrATuLATionS GrADuATeS Laude. Classifieds, DBA, People Items, Subscriptions: The following students, all from Torrance, Kamal Atallah earned a Bachelor of Sci- Noraly Hernandez, ext. 25 Shelly KempPhotographer: Legal Notices: Martha Prieto, ext. 21 graduated with honors from Loyola Marymount ence in Biochemistry. University’s 2012 Centennial graduating class: Ezrah Bryant earned a Bachelor of Arts Display Advertising Sales: Charlene Nishimura, ext.23, advertising@heraldpublications.com Andrew Forney earned a Bachelor of in History. Liz West Odabashian, ext. 22, sales@heraldpublications.com Science in Computer Science and graduated Joy Deits earned a Bachelor of Arts in Summa cum Laude. Studio Arts. General Information Michael Petersen earned a Bachelor of Arts Karla Miyoshi earned a Bachelor of Arts For Calendar items: calendar@heraldpublications.com in History and graduated Magna cum Laude. in Communication Studies. 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