Tag Archives: basketball
Basketball: Pacific Hills’ Namon Wright offered by San Diego State
Pacific Hills’ guard Namon Wright has been offered a scholarship by San Diego State, the senior announced on his twitter page.
Wright helped lead the Bruins to the Division IV State title last month and has had a visit by new UCLA head coach Steve Alford.
-Ed Gonzalez
Follow Ed on Twitter at @LASportsJournal
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Boys Basketball: A second half without Mathews was too much for Santa Monica to overcome in state title game
Sacramento – When Santa Monica’s leading scorer Jordan Mathews landed awkwardly on his back in the midway through the first quarter, it was a terrible sign of things to come.
With the senior guard injured and spending most of the game on the bench, the Vikings struggled offensively in a 73-57 loss to Pleasant Grove in the CIF Boys Basketball Division I State Championship Game.
Mathews hit his tailbone on the ground after being fouled on a three-point attempt and the affect was immediate as he missed two of the his three free throw attempts.
“I came down and got up too quick. Felt if I got up too quick then it would go away. I hurt right above my butt and it expanded down to my leg and I could not run,” said Mathews about the fall.
The Vikings held an early 10-9 lead after a put back by Mathews, but it would be that last time that Santa Monica would hold an advantage as Mathews was severely slowed down by the injury.
Boys Basketball: Its been a long time, but Santa Monica is back in the state finals
Santa Monica’s Jordan Mathews reacts after hitting a three-pointer in Santa Monica’s victory over Palisades in the state quarterfinals. The Vikings will attempt to win their first state title against Pleasant Grove tonight. / Photo: Michael Yanow
Its been a long time since Santa Monica last played for a state title.
How long you might ask?
Let’s just say the city has experienced a couple of major events during that time such as the Great Depression, the building of the Santa Monica Freeway, and even rent control.
Needless to say a lot has changed in 85 years when the Vikings lost a 26-12 contest to Stockton back in 1928.
Do not expect to see that low of a scoring game, but Santa Monica has understood during their playoff run that they have a chance to make history.
“Our goal is not to lose, were not going to allow that to happen as a team, said senior Jordan Mathews after rallying back in a quarterfinal victory over Palisades, “We want to put up a gold banner in here. ”
That reference to the gold banner is how the schools honor their state champions teams. Currently only two blue banners from 1928 and 1987 hang in North Gym acknowleding the two sectional titles.
Boys Basketball: Mathews clutch shot has Santa Monica playing for a state title
The Santa Monicai bench explodes after Jordan Mathews hits the game-winning three against Loyola during the Socal Division I Regional Finals in Ontario on Saturday / Photo by Paul Alvarez Jr.
Every kid dreams about hitting the game-winning shot that sends their team to the championship game.
Saturday at Citizens Business Bank Arena, Santa Monica’s Jordan Matthews did just that.
There was only two seconds left on the clock when Matthews’ jumper sunk the hopes of a Loyola comeback in Santa Monica’s 53-50 victory in the Southern California Division I Regional Finals.
Like many others moments, Matthews put the team on his back when it counted the most.
“Big-time players make big-time shots, and we wanted the ball in Jordan’s hands,” Santa Monica Coach James Hecht said.
With the game tied at 50 and just under 30 seconds left, everyone knew who the ball was going to. Mathews waited patiently to run time off the clock, then dribbled past a screen and stepped back to knock down the clutch three-point shot.
Former westside players Stover and Osborne contributing to LMU’s miracle run in the WCC tournament
Former westside high school players Nick Stover (left) and Alex Osborne (right) are helping LMU in the miracle run at the West Coast Conference tournament. / Photos courtesy of LMU Athletics
None of this seems to matter to Loyola Marymount mens’ basketball team in their surprising showing in the West Coast Conference tournament this week in Las Vegas.
A couple of former westside high school players are contributing to the Lions miracle run out in the desert as they battle for an NCAA berth.
Windward School guard Nick Stover scored 11 points yesterday and his fellow teammate from Pacific Hills junior forward Alex Osborne grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds in a 60-58 win over Santa Clara. This comes after LMU (11-22) had already posted upset victories over Portland and San Francisco.
The duo will need more of that kind of play as they are set to take on Gonzaga (29-2), the No. 1 team in the nation, tonight in the WCC tournament semifinals.
Stover, a freshman forward, is scoring 3.5 points per game on the year, while Osborne is averaging 5.2 points and just under five rebounds a game.
Tip-off is at 6 p.m. on ESPN2.
Video: Did Westchester benefit from a bad call or was it offensive interference?
After writing about Westchester’s 60-58 victory over Bullard on the benefit of a bad call that waived the game-tying basket, many Comet fans at the game responded that it was offensive interference and would not have counted anyway.
Was the ball above the rim when it was tipped in?
What does the video say?
It’s close, but we will let you make the call.
Who says high school sports is not interesting.
Video courtesy of Fresno’s KSEE-TV.
Girls Basketball: Palisades upsets Carson in State Play-In Game
Bianca King had 16 points along with seven rebounds and Kylie Bethel added 13 points as Palisades defeated No. 2 seed Carson 51-46 in the LA City Division I State Play-In Game.
The Dolphins, seeded sixth, will qualify for the state playoffs if the winner of the City Championship game between Fairfax and Narbonne is picked to play in the Open Division.
Haley Hutt grabbed 10 rebounds and Kylie Mizushima had seven assists for Palisades (15-20).
Freshman Hydeia Duroselt finished with eight points and five rebounds.
