Preps: Max McCoy

L.A. North: The top 10

January, 22, 2012
1/22/12
8:30
PM PT
There is a new No. 1 in the L.A. North and a new team in the top 10. Woodland Hills Taft ground out another tight one, this time against Fairfax in a match-up of two of the top teams in the City Section.

Oak Park cracks the top 10 for the first time this season after beating Oaks Christian by one point on the road.

Westlake and Harvard-Westlake had some untimely losses. Westlake dropped to No. 8. The Wolverines have lost three of their past four games, including 77-68, to Alemany and were knocked out of the top 10.

Here is a look at the top 10 teams in the L.A. North:

1. (2) Woodland Hills Taft (17-3) – The Toreadors extended their winning streak to seven games including 44-38 over Fairfax in the Fairfax City Preview Classic. Taft also tallied West Valley League wins over Cleveland and Birmingham. Anthony January scored 20 points for Taft against Fairfax in a defensive tussle.

2. (1) Crespi (18-2) – The Celts lost for only second time this season and had their six-game winning streak snapped against Harvard-Westlake, 67-66, in a Mission League game on Friday night. London Perrantes scored 16 points in the loss.

3. (3) Alemany (16-3) – The Warriors won both of their Mission League games last week, both on the road. They beat Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 85-62, and Harvard-Westlake, 77-68. Marqueze Coleman averaged 26 points in the games against Notre Dame and Harvard-Westlake, scoring 30 against the Wolverines.

4. (6) Royal (15-5) – The Highlanders won their sixth game in a row, 68-34, over Moorpark in a Marmonte League game. Max McCoy led Royal with 18 points and J.R. Powell scored 16.

5. (7) Calabasas (17-3) – The Coyotes won their second game in a row, 75-51, over Simi Valley. They have won five of their past six games. Jeremy Lieberman had a big game for Calabasas with 31 points against Simi.

6. (5) Providence of Burbank (17-4) – The Pioneers lost to Morningside, 71-70, in the Martin Luther King Shootout at Price High School, but rebounded nicely with a 73-66 win over Campbell Hall in the War on the Floor tournament at Taft High School. Freshman Marcus LoVett Jr. scored 45 points, 21 in the fourth quarter, for Providence against Campbell Hall.

7. (8) Canyon (19-1) – Canyon won its 12th game in a row, 68-34, over Golden Valley in a Foothill League game. The Cowboys are off to their best start in school history and can set the school record for longest winning streak against Saugus on Friday night. That is if Canyon beats Hart on Tuesday night.

8. (4) Westlake (16-7) – The Warriors were upset by Thousand Oaks, 53-46 in overtime, in a Marmonte League game last week. It was the only game Westlake played. Grant Lozoya scored 20 points for Westlake in the loss. Tanner Fanjoy had 22 points for Thousand Oaks.

9. (9) El Camino Real (12-6) – The Conquistadores won both their West Valley League games last week, but needed a buzzer-beater from Julian Richardson to beat Chatsworth, 57-55. El Camino Real has won three games in a row and four of their past five.

10. (NR) Oak Park (16-6) – The Eagles have won eight games in a row including all five of their Tri-Valley League games. They are coming off a 61-60 league win over Oaks Christian. Ron Lee scored 30 points, five in the final minute, and Oak Park held on after blowing a 17-point lead.

Title Thursday for L.A. North

December, 29, 2011
12/29/11
7:15
AM PT
It’s been a busy and productive week for some of the top boys basketball teams from the L.A. North region. Here is a look at some of the tournament championship and semifinal games tonight involving those teams:

Chaminade vs. Eastside Catholic in the championship game of the Chaminade tournament. Tipoff is at 6 p.m.

Canyon vs. Ventura in the championship game of the Ventura tournament. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.

Oaks Christian vs. Cleveland of Reseda in the semifinals of the Oaks Christian tournament. Tipoff is at 8:30 p.m. Etiwanda vs. Santa Monica in the other semifinal. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.

Village Christian vs. St. Francis in the semifinals of the La Salle-Temple City tournament. Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m.

Crespi vs. Washington Prep in the semifinals of the Sea Hawk Beach Classic at Redondo Union High School.

Woodland Hills Taft vs. Windward in the semifinals of the Torrey Pines tournament

Alemany vs. Modesto Christian in the semifinals of the Modesto Christian tournament. Bakersfield vs. Weston Ranch is the other semifinal at the Modesto Christian tournament.

Here are some highlights from games played on Wednesday night:

(Read full post)

L.A. North: Boys' basketball Top 10

December, 6, 2011
12/06/11
11:13
PM PT
Here is the top-10 boys basketball teams in the L.A. North region. The teams are ranked with their 2010 records in parantheses:
  1. Harvard-Westlake (29-5) – The Wolverines won the Southern Section Division 3A championship and advanced to the semifinals of the Southern California Regional in the CIF State Division 3 playoffs last year. Harvard-Westlake has two talented seniors returning. Zena Edosomwan averaged 17.0 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in his junior season. He scored 11 points and had 15 rebounds against Inglewood in the championship game of the Southern Section Division 3A playoffs. Josh Hearlihy averaged 14.5 points per game in his junior season. Sophomore forward Derick Newton has already made an impact with Harvard-Westlake, dropping 30 points on Dominguez on Saturday (Dec. 3). He was 8-for-10 from the field and 11-for-13 from the free-throw line.
    Key returners: Edosomwan (senior forward), Hearlihy (senior guard).
    Key newcomers: Newton (sophomore forward), Alex Copeland (freshman guard).
    Can’t-miss games: Harvard-Westlake vs. Loyola at Roybal Learning Center (Jan. 13), Harvard-Westlake at Crespi (Jan. 20), Alemany at Harvard-Westlake (Jan. 21), Harvard-Westlake vs. Loyola at L.A. Valley College (Feb. 3).
  2. Woodland Hills Taft (29-3) – One of the key losses for Taft team is coach Derrick Taylor. He guided Taft to the City Section Division I championship last season, beating longtime nemesis Westchester, 66-62, in the title game. Jason Hart takes over a talented team, despite the loss of three key seniors. Seniors Brandon Perry and Steven Jones will anchor a promising team. They saw limited action last year, but displayed moments of brilliance. Perry averaged 4.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game as a junior. He scored a season-high 17 points against El Camino Real in a 67-36 win for Taft. Jones only scored 3.9 points per game, but had one of his best games in the CIF State Division I playoffs. He scored 10 points and was one of five players from Taft in double figures in a 94-81 loss to Centennial in the semifinals of the Southern California regional. Much of the success of this team will depend on if or when Anthony January will become eligible to play for Taft. He transferred from Compton and isn’t expected to be able to play for Taft until next month.
    Key returners: Perry (senior forward), Steven Jones (senior guard).
    Key newcomers: Hart (head coach).
    Key transfer: January (Compton).
    Can’t-miss game: Taft at El Camino Real (Jan. 11).
  3. Crespi (24-9) – The Celts lost their top scorer and floor leader, Matt Mounier, to graduation, but have three talented seniors returning. Crespi lost in the semifinals of the Southern Section Division 3A playoffs, 42-40, to Inglewood. The Celts earned a berth in the CIF State Division 3 playoffs and advanced to the second round before losing to La Canada, 43-42. Senior guard London Perrantes averaged 8.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season. Justin Rubia will most likely join Perrantes in the backcourt for Crespi. He averaged 7.3 points per game as a junior. Forward Michael Milligan will provide senior leadership in the frontcourt.
    Key returners: Perrantes (junior guard), Michael Avery (senior guard), Rubia (senior guard), Milligan (junior forward).
    Key newcomer: Sammy Linn (freshman guard).
    Can’t-miss games: Crespi at Alemany (Jan. 11), Harvard-Westlake at Crespi (Jan. 20), Crespi at Loyola (Jan. 23).

(Read full post)

BACK TO TOP

SPONSORED HEADLINES