L-R: Chris Austin, Bryce Hamilton, Hunter Woods, Dez Washington, Jonathan Le By BRIAN REED-BAIOTTO, Sports Editor With two weeks to go in the 2017-18 boys basketball season, six Pasadena-area schools have a realistic shot at a league championship. Pasadena and Muir are tied for first place atop the Pacific League with 5 games to play. […]
L-R: Chris Austin, Bryce Hamilton, Hunter Woods, Dez Washington, Jonathan Le
By BRIAN REED-BAIOTTO, Sports Editor
With two weeks to go in the 2017-18 boys basketball season, six Pasadena-area schools have a realistic shot at a league championship.
Pasadena and Muir are tied for first place atop the Pacific League with 5 games to play.
Poly and Flintridge Prep are both undefeated in Prep League action.
Blair is tied with La Canada with 4 games to play for the Rio Hondo League crown, and Maranatha holds a one-game lead over second-place Valley Christian with four games to go, including a Friday night showdown with the Crusaders.
Pasadena (15-6, 7-1) is the hottest team in the area.
The Bulldogs have won 8 consecutive games and play three more Pacific League games this week with Burbank, Hoover and Glendale in that order.
Don’t expect anything less than a 20-25 point margin in three PHS victories this week.
The Bulldogs blew out Crescenta Valley, the only team that has saddled PHS with a loss this season.
They got their payback, though, 9 days ago, when they knocked off the Falcons, 83-45 in a game that CV saw its coach get ejected on consecutive technical fouls in the second quarter.
Pasadena has won every game since point guard Darius Brown II returned from an ankle injury to lead a scorching Bulldogs offense.
They’ve outscored opponents in Pacific League play by a margin of 712-456, but over the 8-game win streak, the differential is 652-391.
UNLV-bound Bryce Hamilton continues to be the area’s and maybe section’s best player.
Hamilton is scoring in every way possible and from anywhere. He’s picked up his effort on the boards as well.
DBII’s worth in PHS’ success is invaluable with his assists, scoring, steals and just running the offense. Just watch a game when he doesn’t play and see what a different team the Bulldogs are, especially on the offensive end.
Tavian Percy and Omari Moore continue to add an incredible boost to the PHS program, with solid defense and timely shooting.
Darius Mason’s versatility has really come into its own and he’s making big contributions on both sides of the court for coach Tony Brooks.
And despite not having a home court the entire season, the Bulldogs are making both Marshall and Maranatha feel like home.
In multiple games over the past two weeks, PHS has shot above the 60-percent mark from the field.
“We’re playing really well, especially on the defensive end,” Brooks said. “Our defense has not only led to our offense, it also accounts for why we’re shooting so well. I really wanted to thank Marshall athletic director Phil Calafat and Maranatha’s Eddie Arnett, Sammy Skinner and coach Tim Tucker for making their courts available to us. They’ve been so helpful and generous and we want them all to know how much we appreciate their help.”
Muir (16-6, 7-1) showed it’s disappointing 19-point loss a week ago against Pasadena wasn’t going to slow them down.
The Mustangs earned victories over Glendale and Burroughs this past week.
Hunter Woods continues to lead the way, but he has so much help.
Woods was one point from a triple-double in the 79-73 victory over Glendale.
Three nights later, Woods had 33 points and 12 boards in the 27-point blowout at Arcadia.
Tiyon Martin and Simaine Stewart Junior have been solid and consistent as the Mustangs’ dual point guards.
Both average over 10 points per game and 5 assists each.
Tasson Aubry led Muir on Tuesday with 27 and they’re also getting contributions from Haleem Jenkins and the entire roster.
Muir has three Pacific League games this week, and all three will be at home.
Perhaps the only real test of the week for the Mustangs is likely their match up with Crescenta Valley on Wednesday.
“This week is extremely important to the overall team goal,” Muir coach Simaine Stewart said. “We have three difficult games approaching this week. To maintain a first-place tie (with PHS) we need to keep focused, intense and humble.”
Blair (17-6, 4-1) has found itself in the drivers seat for a Rio Hondo League championship.
The Vikings defeated La Canada for the first time since what people at La Canada High told us was 2001, which broke a 33-game losing streak to the Spartans.
Both the Vikings and Spartans have 4 games left and they are tied in first place with a 5-1 records.
If Blair wins out (games vs Monrovia, San Marino, South Pasadena and Temple City) over the next two weeks, they hold the tiebreaker over La Canada.
The reason for that being the point differential head-to-head gave Blair a one-point advantage.
Dez Washington continues to shine with close to 30 points and 12 rebounds per game.
But it has also been the contributions of Dallas Murray, Zavior Smith, Don Guyton, Favour Ihiaso and the whole Vikings team.
“The tiebreaker advantage kind of makes me feel like we won it outright,” Blair coach Jelani Gardner said. “Any team in the Rio Hondo League can beat you when you’re not playing your best. We’re going to focus on us and our execution and details. We’re going to focus on defense this week and that helps us get into transition and getting back to the basics and make sure physically we’re in shape to play hard.”
Maranatha (8-12, 3-1), as mentioned, enjoy a one-game lead over Cerritos Valley Christian with just four games to play.
The Minutemen open the week on Tuesday at Whittier Christian and then can do themselves a huge favor with a Friday night victory over visiting Valley Christian.
Despite being 8-12, they are playing some of their best and most consistent basketball of the season.
Xavier Ford and Chris Austin have led the way offensively.
In the final week of the regular season, MHS will travel to both Heritage and Village Christian.
If they can get through the next three games, the fourth is as close to a sure shot as any game this year.
Village Christian, who Maranatha plays on the regular season’s last day, Feb 8, is 2-22 overall, and 0-5 in Olympic League play.
“We’re going after our fourth (consecutive) title and the guys are giving us their all. Maranatha coach Tim Tucker said. “We lost three starters to start the season and we haven’t recovered from that. Sometimes we suit up 7 players. We’re 3 points from being undefeated in league. But it’s easy to run out of gas when you only have 7 guys suited up at times. We’re in charge of our own destiny.”
Flintridge Prep (9-10, 3-0) and rival Poly (17-2, 4-0) are both paving a path to what could be a really exciting finish.
With just five games to go for both the Rebels and the Panthers (four in league), Prep and Poly will have a home-and-away series over a three-day period.
Prep will host Poly this coming Saturday at 7:30 and then the Rebels will travel to take on the Panthers on Feb 6 at 6:30.
This rivalry never seems to disappoint, so that may add even more drama with the league championship at stake.
Weekly Schedule, Jan 29–Feb 3:
Monday:
Boys Basketball: Pasadena at Burbank at 5
Boys Basketball: Muir at Arcadia at 6:30
Boys Basketball: St. Francis at Loyola at 7
Boys Basketball: Marshall at Gabrielino at 6:30
Tuesday:
Boys Basketball: Rio Hondo Prep at Flintridge Prep at 7:30
Boys Basketball: Maranatha at Whittier Christian at 7
Wednesday:
Boys Basketball: Crescenta Valley at Muir at 5
Boys Basketball: Hoover vs Pasadena at Marshall at 8
Boys Basketball: Monrovia at Blair at 7
Boys Basketball: Crespi at St. Francis at 7
Boys Basketball: Chadwick at Poly at 6:30
Boys Basketball: St. Monica at La Salle at 7
Boys Basketball: Marshall at Rosemead at 6:30
No Boys Games Thursday:
Friday:
Boys Basketball: Glendale vs Pasadena at Marshall at 8
Boys Basketball: Burbank at Muir at 7
Boys Basketball: Temple City at Blair at 7
Boys Basketball: Alemany at St. Francis at 7
Boys Basketball: Flintridge Prep at Chadwick at 6:30
Boys Basketball: Poly at AGBU (Canoga Park) at 6
Boys Basketball: Valley Christian at Maranatha at 7
Boys Basketball: La Salle at Bell-Jeff at 7
Boys Basketball: Marshall at Arroyo at 6:30
Saturday:
Boys Basketball: Poly at Flintridge Prep at 7
Updated Boys Basketball Standings Through Jan 27:
Camino Real League:
St. Anthony (20-2 overall, 6-0 in league)
Bishop Amat (19-4, 5-1)
St. Monica (7-14, 3-3)
La Salle (13-10, 2-4)
St. Genevieve (9-14, 2-4)
Bell-Jeff (0-12, 0-6)
Mission League:
Crespi (21-2 overall, 8-0 in league)
Harvard-Westlake (19-3, 7-1)
Loyola (12-7, 4-3)
Alemany (14-9, 4-4)
Chaminade (11-13, 3-5)
St. Francis (12-10, 1-6)
Notre Dame (14-9, 0-8)
Mission Valley League:
Arroyo (13-8 overall, 7-1 in league)
Mountain View (13-8, 7-1)
South El Monte (9-12, 5-3)
Gabrielino (6-12, 3-4)
Rosemead (5-11, 3-5)
Marshall (6-17, 2-5)
El Monte (7-14, 0-8)
Olympic League:
Maranatha (8-12, 3-1)
Valley Christian (16-7, 3-2)
Whittier Christian (10-13, 3-2)
Heritage Christian (11-12, 3-2)
Village Christian (2-22, 0-5)
Pacific League:
Muir (16-6 overall, 7-1 in league)
Pasadena (15-6, 7-1)
Crescenta Valley (12-9, 5-3)
Burbank (15-7, 5-4)
Glendale (15-7, 3-6)
Burroughs (12-9, 3-6)
Arcadia (7-10, 3-6)
Hoover (4-17, 0-8)
Rio Hondo League:
Blair (17-6, 5-1)
La Canada (15-9, 5-1)
San Marino (13-9, 4-2)
Monrovia (11-13, 2-4)
South Pasadena (10-13, 2-4)
Temple City (7-16, 0-6)
Prep League:
Poly (17-2 overall, 4-0 in league)
Flintridge Prep (9-10, 3-0)
Chadwick (9-9, 2-3)
Rio Hondo Prep (9-9, 2-4)
