First published in the Dec. 15 print issue of the Pasadena Outlook.
The Polytechnic varsity boys’ basketball team defeated Gabrielino High of San Gabriel, 76-69, in its 54th annual Poly Invitational finale on Saturday.
Junior Justin Wang amassed 26 points, including six 3-pointers, while senior Justin Odibo racked up 24 points. Sophomore Justyce Icart sank three 3-pointers and freshman Diego Scholze recorded six points. Senior Nicolas Cardenas and sophomore Jackson Braithwaite each tallied four points while junior Bobby Hall had three points.
The Panthers had their four-game win streak snapped after losing to Mark Keppel, 54-51, in a Poly Invitational game last Friday. Odibo racked up 21 points while Scholze poured in 11 points. Hall sank three 3-pointers, Wang produced seven points and Icart drained a 3-pointer.
Poly defeated San Gabriel, 67-48, in their Poly Invitational opener last Wednesday. Odibo registered a team-high 24 points, Wang poured in 15 points and Icart finished with eight points.
The Panthers previously competed in the Burroughs tournament, finishing with a 3-1 record.
Poly won its third straight tournament game after defeating Pilibos High of Los Angeles, 64-59, on Dec. 3. Odibo racked up 24 points, including three 3-pointers, Wang registered 17 points, including three 3-pointers, and Braithwaite poured in 10 points. Cardenas finished with eight points, including a pair of threes, junior Cole Mallinger tallied four points and Hall had one point.
Poly defeated Valley Academy of Arts & Sciences in Granada Hills, 67-46, in a tournament game on Dec. 2, as Odibo produced 24 points. Wang recorded 11 points with three 3-pointers while sophomore Jack Lentz and Mallinger each scored eight points. Braithwaite registered seven points, Hall finished with six points and Icart tallied five points.
The Panthers picked up their first win of the tournament after edging Marshall High of Los Angeles, 48-46, on Nov. 30. Odibo posted a game-high 21 points while Wang registered 17 points. Mallinger tallied four points, Icart sank a 3-pointer and Hall had two points.
Poly previously narrowly lost to host Burroughs High in Burbank, 71-68, as Odibo amassed a team-high 34 points. Braithwaite poured in 11 points while Wang racked up 10 points. Mallinger finished with six points, Icart tallied four points, Cardenas produced two points and Hall had one point.
The Panthers (7-2 overall) will visit Alhambra for a nonleague game on Friday, Dec. 16, before competing in the Carpinteria tournament which begins on Monday, Dec. 19.
FLINTRIDGE PREP
The Wolves won their third straight game by defeating visiting Palos Verdes Chadwick, 62-51, in their Prep League opener last Thursday, as junior Henry Morrison racked up 21 points. Will Bigby poured in 11 points, senior Andrew Jordan registered nine points and senior Geoffrey Stetson finished with eight points. Senior Chris Fung tallied four points while seniors Theo Kuo and Caleb Bowne each had two points.
Flintridge Prep defeated host Marshall High in Pasadena, 63-41, in a nonleague game last Tuesday. Stetson racked up a team-high 15 points, Morrison poured in 13 points and Kuo registered 10 points. Bowne tallied six points, Fung produced five points, and senior Jack Jones and freshman Owen Willingham each scored four points. Senior Marvin Furuta sank a 3-pointer, Bigby finished with two points and Jordan had one point.
The Wolves previously defeated host St. Bonaventure High in Ventura, 58-52, in a nonleague game. Stetson led the team with 13 points, while Kuo and senior Andrew Jordan each scored nine points. Bowne sank three 3-pointers, while junior Steven Ng registered eight points. Morrison finished with seven points, while Furuta drained a 3-pointer.
Flintridge Prep (8-3 overall, 1-0 in league) will host La Cañada in a nonleague game on Saturday, Dec. 17, at 7 p.m.
ST. FRANCIS
The Golden Knights recently competed in the Burlingame tournament and finished with a 58-31 victory over Hillside High of San Mateo on Saturday.
Junior Chris Kalachian registered 13 points, two rebounds, one steal and one assist, senior Brandin Dantzler racked up 12 points, seven boards, four assists, one block and one steal, and senior captain Jackson Mosley poured in 12 points with four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Junior Greg Gazarian recorded 10 points, three assists, two boards and one steal, senior George Tupy tallied four points, four rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal, and senior Kj Fulgencio posted three points, one steal and one board. Junior Kennedy Mitchell-Egbo had two points, four rebounds, two blocks and two steals, while sophomore Aaron Matthews produced two points and two boards. Sophomores Joe Hickey and Maddox Freeman finished with three and rebounds, respectively, junior Ethan Childs had one block, and senior captain Luke McGrath, junior Jeremiah Su and junior Alessio Calderon each notched one board.
SFHS saw its eight-game win streak end after losing to Priory High of Portola Valley, 60-42, in a tournament game last Thursday.
The Golden Knights routed Half Moon Bay, 72-33, in their tournament opener last Tuesday. Tupy registered 18 points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal, Mosley racked up 16 points, seven assists, five boards and one steal, and Kalachian poured in 13 points with two rebounds, one steal and one assist. Dantzler finished with nine points, nine boards, four steals and three assists while Calderon scored eight points. Mitchell-Egbo tallied four points, two rebounds and one steal, Childs recorded two points, three boards, three assists and one steal and Hickey produced two points and three rebounds. Freeman had three boards and three assists, Fulgencio posted two steals and one assist, and Su had one rebound.
St. Francis defeated Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton in overtime, 56-52, between tournament games last Wednesday. Mosley amassed 25 points, four rebounds and one steal while McGrath poured in 12 points with four boards, two assists and one steal. Tupy registered nine points and eight rebounds, Fulgencio tallied five points, two boards and two assists, and Dantzler finished with three points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Hickey recorded two points and one board while Childs and Kalachian each had one rebound.
The Golden Knights (11-2 overall) will visit La Cañada on Friday, Dec. 16, at 6:30 p.m.
MARANATHA – PHOTO GALLERY
The Minutemen recently hosted the 20th annual Rose City Classic, ending tournament play with a pair of losses to visiting King/Drew High of Los Angeles, 60-57, on Dec. 3, and Oak Park, 65-64, on Dec. 2.
Maranatha defeated Santa Fe High of Mexico, 66-48, in a tournament game. Senior captain Terrence Hampton registered a double-double with 15 points, 11 rebounds and six assists while senior Alec Smith racked up 18 points, six boards and three assists. Junior Daniel Nwabudike recorded nine points, 10 rebounds, one block and one steal while sophomore Jahmir Hampton finished with six points, four boards, one steal and one assist. Sophomore Nick Khatchikian tallied four points, five rebounds, two blocks, two steals and two assists, sophomore Chris Smith posted four points and five boards, and junior Noah Kim produced two points, one steal and one assist. Junior Maddox Kiyohara collected two assists while sophomore Reese Song had one assist.
The Minutemen previously opened tournament action by defeating Cleveland High of Reseda, 68-46, as Terrence Hampton racked up a double-double with 16 points, 12 rebounds and one assist. Alec Smith registered 15 points, six boards and one assist, Khatchikian poured in 12 points with six steals, and junior Zain Mahmood recorded 11 points, five rebounds and one assist. Jahmir Hampton posted five points and three boards, Nwabudike finished with four points, eight rebounds and one steal, and Kiyohara produced three points and one steal. Kim tallied two points, two boards and one steal, Song had one rebound and one assist, and Chris Smith collected two boards.
Maranatha (5-3 overall) will compete in the Tarkanian Classic which begins Monday, Dec. 19.
LA SALLE
The Lancers defeated Animo Venice High of Los Angeles, 64-55, in a nonleague game last Friday, as Ryan Hajjar racked up 21 points, seven rebounds, four steals, three blocks and three assists. Omar Gonzalez registered 18 points, including three 3-pointers, four assists, three steals and three boards while Dingkun Chen poured in 18 points with six rebounds, two assists and one steal. Emmitt Claiborne recorded five points, 10 boards, three assists and two steals while Isaiah Carrillo tallied two points, four rebounds and one steal. Gio Guardado finished with seven boards, one block and one steal, Anthony Gibbs posted four rebounds and one steal, and John Khalaf had one board.
La Salle lost to visiting Palm Desert, 54-50, in a nonleague game last Tuesday, as Hajjar amassed 27 points, including five 3-pointers, five rebounds, two assists and one steal. Gonzalez poured in 10 points with three boards and two assists while Chen registered eight points, seven rebounds and one block. Claiborne tallied five points, two boards, two steals and one assist, Gibbs recorded five rebounds and two steals, and Athan Darlas and Guardado each had one board.
The Lancers lost to Ontario Christian, 81-46, in their San Dimas tournament finale on Dec. 3. Hajjar racked up 18 points, three rebounds, two steals and one assist while Claiborne poured in 15 points with two boards. Gonzalez registered six points, two steals, one assist and one rebound, Chen tallied four points, three steals, one board and one assist, and Darlas scored two points. Guardado had one point, Gibbs finished with four rebounds and one assist, and Carrillo posted three boards.
La Salle lost to Alta Loma, 67-53, in a tournament game. Hajjar racked up 14 points, five rebounds, two steals and one assist, Gonzalez poured in 11 points and one steal, and Chen registered 10 points, four boards and three assists. Gibbs finished with seven points, eight rebounds and one steal, while Claiborne recorded six points, three boards, three steals and one assist. Guardado tallied five points, one steal and one rebound while Carrillo had one steal.
The Lancers defeated South Hills High of West Covina, 66-63, in a tournament game. Hajjar amassed 25 points, four boards, one block, one steal and one assist, Chen racked up 16 points, eight steals, three rebounds and three assists, and Gonzalez poured in 10 points with seven assists, three boards and one block. Claiborne registered eight points, eight rebounds, two assists and one steal while Gibbs tallied seven points and two boards. Carrillo recorded two rebounds and one assist while Joel Solomon had one board.
La Salle was previously edged by Diamond Ranch High of Pomona in a tournament game, 62-61, as Hajjar amassed 32 points, four rebounds, two steals and two assists. Claiborne racked up 14 points, five boards, three assists and one steal, Gonzalez registered five points, four assists and two rebounds, and Carrillo finished with four points and one assist. Guardado sank a 3-pointer with one board, Gibbs tallied two points, two rebounds and one steal, and Jonah Thaxton produced one point, seven boards, three steals and two assists.
The Lancers (4-6 overall) will visit Van Nuys for a nonleague game on Tuesday, Dec. 20, at 5 p.m.
