First published in the Dec. 1 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
The La Cañada High School varsity boys’ basketball team won its second game in as many days after routing Sylmar, 77-36, in its seventh annual West Valley Tip-Off Classic finale on Saturday.
Senior Samuel Guerrero scored 17 points, including three 3-pointers, with four assists, three steals, two rebounds and one block. Senior Evan Mulcahey racked up 15 points, including three field goals from behind the arc, with six boards and two blocks, while sophomore Josh Proctor poured in 13 points with six rebounds, three steals and one block.
Junior Spencer Moravec sank three 3-pointers with a pair of assists, junior Matthew Plocher registered eight points, seven boards, six assists and one steal, and junior Anders Petersen finished with seven points, 12 rebounds, four steals, two assists and one block. Junior Jensen Karlich posted five points, two boards and two assists, senior Danny Evans had three points, two assists and one rebound, and senior Finn Cook collected three steals, three boards and one block.
The Spartans returned from their Thanksgiving holiday and defeated Kennedy High of Granada Hills, 61-42, in a tournament game last Friday, as Guerrero amassed 29 points, including six 3-pointers, with three assists, two rebounds and one steal. Mulcahey racked up 13 points, four blocks, four rebounds and one assist, while Plocher poured in 10 points with six rebounds, three assists and one steal. Petersen recorded seven points, four steals, two rebounds, two assists and one block, while Proctor finished with three points, 11 rebounds, one block and one assist. Evans registered three steals, three assists and three rebounds, Moravec tallied two assists and one rebound, and Cook had one rebound.
La Cañada suffered its second straight tournament loss after falling to Calabasas, 65-60, last Tuesday, Nov. 22. Guerrero led with 16 points, including four 3-pointers, two steals, one rebound and one assist, senior Jacob Pastor registered 12 points, two assists, one steal and one rebound, and junior Jack Reynolds racked up 10 points, nine rebounds, three assists and one steal. Petersen produced eight points, five rebounds, three steals, two assists and one block, Plocher scored six points with one steal, and sophomore Josh Pastor finished with five points, three assists and one rebound. Mulcahey posted three points, three rebounds, one block and one steal, senior Jason Brown collected one rebound and one assist, and Proctor had one rebound.
The Spartans previously opened the regular season and West Valley Classic action by losing to Knight High of Palmdale, 77-74, as Guerrero amassed 25 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Jacob Pastor poured in 16 points with two rebounds and one assist, while Reynolds racked up 12 points, eight assists and three rebounds. Mulcahey registered nine points, three assists, one block and one rebound, Josh Pastor finished with eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers, with one steal, one assist and one rebound, and Petersen tallied four points, six rebounds, five assists and one steal. Brown collected one assist and one rebound, while Proctor had a pair of rebounds.
LCHS (2-2 overall) will finish competing in the Burroughs High tournament in Burbank on Saturday, Dec. 3.
ST. FRANCIS
The Golden Knights defeated Bishop Amat High of La Puente, 66-47, in the championship game of the San Gabriel Thanksgiving Feast Tournament’s Orange Division on Saturday. SFHS swept tournament play and won its fifth straight game while improving to 7-1 overall.
Junior Greg Gazarian led the team with 21 points while adding two steals, two rebounds and one assist. Senior captain Jackson Mosley racked up 18 points, four boards, two steals and two assists, while senior captain Luke McGrath recorded 10 points, including three field goals behind the arc. Senior George Tupy finished with nine points, five rebounds and two assists, while senior Brandin Dantzler registered five points, seven boards, three steals and three assists. Sophomore Joe Hickey tallied two points, seven rebounds, one block and one assist, junior Chris Kalachian had two points, two rebounds and one steal, and senior Kj Fulgencio collected two steals and one assist.
The Golden Knights defeated La Serna High of Whittier, 53-37, in a tournament game on Friday, as Tupy led with 16 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Mosley amassed 13 points, nine boards, four steals and four assists, while McGrath racked up 11 points, including three 3-pointers, with four rebounds, one steal and one assist. Hickey registered six points, four boards, three assists and one steal, Fulgencio sank a 3-pointer and added a rebound, and junior Ethan Childs drained a field goal behind the arc. Dantzler finished with one point, nine boards, four assists and one steal, while Kalachian had one assist.
St. Francis dominated Gahr High of Cerritos, 61-32, in a tournament game last Tuesday. Mosley led the team with 18 points, including three 3-pointers, and added two assists, one steal and one rebound, while Tupy racked up 17 points, four boards, two blocks and one steal. McGrath tallied nine points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal, junior Kennedy Mitchell-Egbo registered six points and 10 boards, and Gazarian had six points and two rebounds. Childs sunk a 3-pointer with three boards, three assists and one steal, Fulgencio produced three steals, two points and one rebound, and Kalachian posted four boards and one assist. Sophomore Maddox Freeman had one steal, while junior Alessio Calderon finished with one rebound.
St. Francis will battle Half Moon Bay High in its Burlingame High tournament opener in Palo Alto on Tuesday, Dec. 6.
FLINTRIDGE PREP
The Wolves were edged by Eastside High of Lancaster, 48-47, in their San Gabriel Thanksgiving Feat Tournament finale on Saturday.
Junior Henry Morrison led the team with 13 points while going 7-for-7 from the charity stripe. Senior Andrew Jordan tallied nine points while junior Steven Ng registered eight points, including a pair of field goals behind the arc. Senior Caleb Bowne drained a pair of 3-pointers, senior Geoffrey Stetson scored six points, and junior Will Bigby finished with five points, including one 3-pointer.
Flintridge Prep defeated Quartz Hill, 64-44, to collect its third win of tournament play on Friday, as Jordan racked up a team-high 17 points with four 3-pointers. Senior Chris Fung registered 11 points, while Morrison and Bowne each contributed nine points. Bigby and senior Theo Kuo each added five points, while Ng sunk a 3-pointer.
The Wolves picked up their second straight victory by defeating Salesian High of Los Angeles, 57-44, in a tournament game last Wednesday. Jordan led with 18 points, including four field goals from behind the arc, while Bigby amassed 16 points with three 3-pointers. Ng sank three field goals behind the arc, senior Marvin Furuta and Stetson each scored six points, and Bowne finished with two points.
Flintridge Prep opened the San Gabriel tournament with a victory over Hoover High of Glendale, 60-44, last Monday. Stetson led with 18 points, while Jordan racked up 15 points. Bowne and Fung each registered seven points, while Ng drained a pair of threes. Bigby finished with three points, while Furuta and freshman Owen Willingham each had two points.
The Wolves (5-3 overall) will visit St. Bonaventure High in Ventura for a nonleague game on Saturday, Dec. 3, at 6:30 p.m., before opening Prep League action against visiting Palos Verdes Chadwick on Thursday, Dec. 8, at 6 p.m.
