L-R: Hunter Woods, Darius Brown, Bryce Hamilton, Dez Washington, Darius Henderson, Chris Austin By BRIAN REED-BAIOTTO, Sports Editor The Pasadena area league battles really get started this week, including a pair of Pacific League games Monday. Pasadena will host Burbank at either Maranatha or PCC at 7:30 and Muir welcomes Arcadia at 6:30. As of […]
L-R: Hunter Woods, Darius Brown, Bryce Hamilton, Dez Washington, Darius Henderson, Chris Austin
By BRIAN REED-BAIOTTO, Sports Editor
The Pasadena area league battles really get started this week, including a pair of Pacific League games Monday.
Pasadena will host Burbank at either Maranatha or PCC at 7:30 and Muir welcomes Arcadia at 6:30.
As of 9 p.m. Sunday evening, Pasadena still had yet to confirm the location of Monday’s boys game with Burbank.
Muir (9-5, 2-0) is off to a great start, and in large part because of the balance they’ve enjoyed, and the production from their experienced and poised upperclassmen.
Hunter Woods is off to a tremendous start.
Woods leads the Mustangs with 17 points and 9 rebounds and is second with 4 assists per game.
He’s coming off a week where he was named the MVP of the Damien Classic’s Silver Division, and a pair of Pac League wins over Glendale and Burroughs.
But there is so much to Muir than just its charismatic big man.
Haleem Jenkins is good for 12 points a night, Tasson Aubry’s nearly double-double average has also been key.
Muir is off to a 2-0 beginning to Pacific League play, and in their hopes of upending the reigning 13-time champions Pasadena Bulldogs.
So far, the Mustangs have a road win over then 12-1 Glendale and they defeated Burroughs on Friday.
Muir has also gotten key guard play from seniors Simaine Stewart Junior, who is also the son of the Mustangs’ head coach.
Stewart scores 8 per night and averages and 3 assists..
His partner in crime is Tiyon Martin, who is steady as they come.
Martin averages 11 points and a team-best 5 assists a night,
Muir’s three opponents (Arcadia, CV and Burbank) this week have a combined 4-2 record in league.
“It’s an extremely important week,” Coach Simaine Stewart said. “We need to play patient, under control and more importantly, consistent. We have the ability to control our destiny with some quality wins. Arcadia, I believe are 1-1, CV 2-0 and Burbank 1-1. If we can go 3-0 this week, we put real pressure on the top half of our league.”
After the three games this week, the Mustangs will finally get their first shot at PHS next Friday.
“This is a very important week for Muir basketball, because we have long week ahead of us in playing three games I feel like it’s all about getting better everyday as a team,” Woods said. “If we keep getting better and not focus on the ranking everything will fall in place. We have a home game Monday and I think it is important for us to defend home court. I feel like every game is a different challenge, we are not discounting any teams this year or over looking anyone. I feel like we have a nice challenge ahead of us playing on the road at CV.”
Pasadena (7-5, 1-1) is coming off a 68-51 victory on Friday night over Arcadia, and some two days after dropping their Pacific League opener at Crescenta Valley.
Most notably in Friday’s win was the return of point guard Darius Brown II at least one game early and the senior leader sparked the PHS offense with 17 points and helped distribute the wealth, as nine Bulldogs scored in that
game, and with thanks to his game-high 8 assists.
DBII is not 100 percent and neither is Tavian Percy or Darius Mason.
No one, though, is going to feel sorry for the champs, who will continue to grind it out together.
This week, PHS hosts Burbank on Monday night at either PCC or Maranatha, and finish the week with road games at Hoover and Glendale, on Wednesday and Friday, respectively.
“We look at every game as a championship game, as Coach Brooks told us to do,” Brown said. “We need to win every game going forward. We’re taking it one game at a time. It was a good game for us Friday to get everyone involved and we saw the (Darius) Mason we’ve been waiting for. He is a very important part of our success.”
It might seem weird to be seven paragraphs into a Pasadena section and not having mentioned Bryce Hamilton.
It’s not that he isn’t still ‘the man,’ it’s that he is so consistent that you know you’re going to get at least 22 points and 7 rebounds a night, and in many cases, he delivers more than that.
Hamilton leads PHS in scoring (27) and rebounds (8), but the Bulldogs will live or die on the pieces on the chess board around him.
Along with Hamilton, Mason and Brown, the key additions that could determine the outcome of this season are Omari Moore and Florida transfer Tavian Percy.
Moore came over from St. Francis and his teammates and coaches appreciate how unselfish he and his play are, as well as his contributions.
Percy is 6-foot-6 and has been active on the boards, passes the ball well and can score from any range. He is trying to get healthy, and when he does, PHS will likely play their best basketball.
“I just want us to play as a team and get the job done,” Percy said. “As for me, I just want to contribute in any way that I can to help us win games.”
Blair (12-4) is coming off a Huntington Park Tournament championship Saturday night.
The Vikings’ star senior Dez Washington, who was named the 2016-17 CIF Division 4 Player of the Year earned MVP honors and scored 88 points in the four-game title run at Huntington Park.
He had 15 points and 12 rebounds in the 40-38 grinder over El Segundo on Saturday.
But now Washington and Dallas Murray and all of his teammates are focused on Monrovia Wednesday and then the perennial pains in their collective backside, La Canada on the road on Friday.
It is the first two Rio Hondo League games of the season for Blair.
“I’ve been waiting on that game. We lost last year twice and it’s really personal. It’s really important because we want to start and finish strong. It’s important for us to make a statement. People think we weren’t going to do as well because we lost so many seniors. We did lose a lot and they had a big part of our success, but we’ve been working hard to become a complete team and are playing pretty well,” Washington said.
Washington said his team is versatile and their team signature is different each game and depending on the opponent and the match up.
Blair is comfortable in both an up-tempo offense and the slow it down, half-court offense.
First-year coach Jelani Gardner is really making his mark at Blair and he’s continually trying to find ways to evolve as a team and as individuals.
“We break the season up in three sections. The preseason, league, and postseason. We’re happy with the way we finished the preseason, felt like we let some games slip away as well. Our goal for league is to be champions. I think La Canada has been champions for 10-plus years and have our respect. It won’t be easy, but this is why you play, for the opportunity to compete for championships. The kids have come a long way, with more work to do. We look forward to the challenge,” Gardner said.
Maranatha (5-9) opens Olympic League play at Whittier Christian on Tuesday at 7
Chris Austin, a Fordham commit is one of the area’s most elite players.
Austin averages 24 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals per game.
Xavier Ford is putting up 17 points a night and Wes Clarkson has pitched in about 10 points per game for coach Tim Tucker.
La Salle (11-5) begins Camino Real League play on Wednesday when they host Bishop Amat (13-3) and then travel to St. Monica (4-9) on Friday.
The Lancers went 2-2 at the Mt. Carmel Tournament in San Diego and are led by their star senior Darius
Henderson.
Poly (13-1) begin Prep League play on Tuesday when they host Rio Hondo Prep and then travel to Palos Verdes Peninsula on Friday to take on Chadwick.
Flintridge Prep (5-9) broke a 9-game losing streak over the past weekend and have consecutive wins over San Marino and Shalhevet.
The Rebels have Prep League road games at Firebaugh and Rio Hondo Prep this week.
This week’s schedule and updated standings are below.
Weekly schedule, Jan 8-12:
Monday:
Boys Basketball: Burbank vs Pasadena at PCC or Maranatha at 7:30
Boys Basketball: Arcadia at Muir at 6:30
Boys Basketball: Gabrielino at Marshall at 4:45
Girls Basketball: Pasadena at Burbank at 5
Girls Basketball: Arcadia at Muir at 5
Girls Basketball: Mayfield at Brentwood at 5
Girls Basketball: Westridge at Chadwick at 4
Girls Basketball: Gabrielino at Marshall at 6:30
Tuesday:
Boys Basketball: Flintridge Prep at Firebaugh at 7
Boys Basketball Rio Hondo Prep at Poly at 7:30
Boys Basketball: Maranatha at Whittier Christian at 7
Girls Basketball: Rio Hondo Prep at Poly at 3:30
Girls Basketball: Flintridge Prep at Firebaugh at 4
Girls Basketball: Harvard-Westlake at FSHA at 6
Girls Basketball: Maranatha at Whittier Christian at 5:30
Wednesday:
Boys Basketball: Monrovia at Blair at 5:30
Boys Basketball: Pasadena at Hoover at 5
Boys Basketball: Muir at Crescenta Valley at 5
Boys Basketball: St. Francis at Alemany at 7
Boys Basketball: Bishop Amat at La Salle at 7
Boys Basketball: McAuliffe at Flintridge Prep at 5:30
Thursday:
Girls Basketball: Westridge at Poly at 4
Girls Basketball: Mayfield at Chadwick at 5
Girls Basketball: Pomona Catholic at La Salle at 7
Girls Basketball: FSHA at Chaminade at 6
Friday:
Boys Basketball: Blair at La Canada at 7
Boys Basketball: Pasadena at Glendale at 7
Boys Basketball: Muir at Burbank at 7
Boys Basketball: St. Francis at Crespi at 7
Boys Basketball: La Salle at St. Monica at 7
Boys Basketball: Poly at Chadwick at 7:30
Boys Basketball: Flintridge Prep at Rio Hondo Prep at 7:30
Boys Basketball: Arroyo at Marshall at 4:45
Girls Basketball: Pasadena at Glendale at 5:30
Girls Basketball: Muir at Burbank at 5:30
Girls Basketball: Poly at Chadwick at 6
Girls Basketball: Flintridge Prep at Rio Hondo Prep at 4
Girls Basketball: Arroyo at Marshall at 6:30
Updated Boys Basketball Standings Through January 7:
Camino Real League:
St. Anthony (13-2)
Bishop Amat (13-3)
La Salle (11-5)
St. Genevieve (5-10)
St. Monica (4-9)
Bell-Jeff (0-5)
Mission League:
Crespi (15-2 overall, 2-0 in league)
Harvard-Westlake (14-2, 2-0)
Alemany (10-6, 1-1)
Chaminade (9-10, 1-1)
Loyola (8-4, 0-1)
St. Francis (9-5, 0-1)
Notre Dame (14-3, 0-2)
Mission Valley League:
Arroyo (8-7 overall, 2-0 in league)
Mountain View (7-11, 2-0)
Marshall (5-10, 1-0)
Rosemead (3-6, 1-1)
Gabrielino (3-9, 0-1)
El Monte (6-8, 0-2)
South El Monte (4-11, 0-2)
Olympic League:
Valley Christian (9-3 overall, 3-0 in league)
Heritage Christian (8-2, 2-1)
Maranatha (6-5, 1-2)
Whittier Christian (4-6, 0-3)
Pacific League:
Muir (9-5 overall, 2-0 in league)
Crescenta Valley (9-6, 2-0)
Glendale (13-2, 1-1)
Burbank (11-4, 1-1)
Pasadena (8-6, 1-1)
Arcadia (4-3, 1-1)
Hoover (4-11, 0-2)
Burroughs (8-5, 0-2)
Prep League:
Chadwick (8-5 overall, 1-0 in league)
Poly (12-1, 0-0)
Flintridge Prep (5-9, 0-0)
Rio Hondo Prep (7-6, 0-1)
Rio Hondo League:
Blair (12-4)
San Marino (9-6)
La Canada (8-7)
South Pasadena (8-8)
Monrovia (7-9)
Temple City (7-10)
