A few weeks ago, Lawndale High's boys' basketball team topped host North Torrance, 85-83, for the school's first Pioneer League athletic championship in its second stint of existence since the school reopened in 1998 and resumed sports in 2002.
In their first stint from 1959-81, the Cardinals' last league athletic title was in football in 1975.
Lawndale will finally get a banner put in its gymnasium, but the Cardinals would like more; a CIF-Southern Section Division IIAA crown.
The Cardinals, who finished the Pioneer League unbeaten at 10-0, began the road to to their second goal by topping Canyon High from Canyon Country, 73-63, in the first round last Friday at Lawndale.
The Cardinals led throughout virtually the entire game and by as many as 18 points at 52-34 when Nathan McAnally made a three-point basket.
McAnally, who also had six assists, led Lawndale with 21 points. Six-foot-9 sophomore center Chimezie Metu also sparked the Cardinals, who are 19-8 overall, with 20 points, 14 of those in the second half. Metu delighted the crowd with some spectacular slam dunks.
Senior Will Newman also continued his outstanding performance with 15 points.
"I was concerned about Canyon," Lawndale head coach Chris Brownlee said. "They have a real good match-up zone defense. We moved extremely well. We kept them off the boards."
The Cardinals win moved them to the second round at Perris High in Riverside County on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Panthers opened with a 56-46 home win over Redlands in the first round.
Like Lawndale in Metu, Perris also has an outstanding sophomore player in Tristan Hunter.
Last season, the Cardinals finished second, behind champion North Torrance, in Pioneer play and made the CIF-Southern Section Division IIIAAA where they lost to Beverly Hills. They are hoping to go further this year but, if they defeat Perris, could have to face top seeded J.W. North from Riverside in the quarterfinals on Friday.
Other top teams are still in the playoffs, In the Southern Section Division IVAA, top seeded Bishop Montgomery rolled over their first two foes in Whittier Christian, 101-36 last Wednesday, and Twenty-nine Palms, 86-45, on Friday.
Against Twenty-nine Palms, Lamond Murray, Jr. sparked the Knights, who are 28-0 and ranked between third and 12th in the United States by prep sports publications, with a game-high 29 points and eight rebounds. Ognjen Miljkovich added 18 points and Justin Bibbins contributed 15 points and 10 steals.
The Knights move to the quarterfinals where they visit Harvard-Westlake in North Hollywood on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Wolverines defeated Templeton and Laguna Beach in their first two games last week.
In the IIIAA playoffs, top seeded Leuzinger won its first two games over San Juan Capistrano San Juan Hills, 71-54, and Esperanza, 61-47, to advance to Tuesday's quarterfinal at home against Atascadero.
Another top seed, Rolling Hills Prep, also defeated Chino Boys Republic and Riverside Christian in their first two games and move on to visit Capistrano Valley Christian in San Juan Capistrano inthe quarterfinals in Division VA.
Bay League champion Redondo, which is seeded second in Division IIA, got past the first round with a 60-43 home victory over Newbury Park last Friday. The Sea Hawks visit Godinez in Santa Ana in the second round Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Godinez has a very good defensive team and it edged Orange El Modena, 30-28, in the first round last Friday at Godinez.
In the CIF-Los Angeles City Division I playoffs, host and top seeded Westchester eased past Fremont, 74-42, in the first round last Thursday. The Comets move to the quarterfinals at home against defending two-time City-Division I champion Woodland Hills Taft Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Girls: Serra romps into quarterfinals: Serra High's girls' basketball team began the CIF-Southern Section Division IVAA playoffs with easy wins over San Pedro Rolling Hills Prep and Twenty-nine Palms in the first two rounds last Saturday at Serra.
The Lady Cavaliers, who improved to 23-5, were led by Titiana Howard with 14 points and Deandrea Toler with 12 in their easy win over 29 Palms.
Last Thursday at Serra, the Cavaliers crushed Rolling Hills Prep, a Division V power that moved up to the Southern Section Division IVAA, 65-17.
Serra, the division's No. 3 seed that tied for the Del Rey League championship with Playa del Rey St. Bernard after a key 56-45 home win over the Vikings on Feb. 7, plays in the quarterfinals Wednesday at 7 p.m. a St. Anthony in Long Beach.
Two other South Bay teams from the prestigious Del Rey League, St. Bernard and Bishop Montgomery, are also in the quarterfinals.
In second round play last Saturday with both teams at home, St. Bernard rolled over Los Angeles Marlborough, 79-40, and the Knights downed Harvard-Westlake, 57-42.
The Lady Vikings, seeded fourth, are at Oaks Christian in Westlake Village and the Knights host second seed Serra High from San Juan Capistrano Wednesday at 7 p.m.
In the CIF-L.A. City Section Division I playoffs, top seed Narbonne had little trouble with Fremont with a 64-7 rout last Thursday at Narbonne.
Three different Lady Gauchos scored more individual points than the entire Pathfinders.
Latecia Smith led Narbonne with 17 points, 10 rebounds and nine steals. Jade Everage chipped in 16 points and Kiana Angel had 12 points and five rebounds.
The Lady Gauchos host No. 8 Washington in the quarterfinals Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Second seed Carson also won handily over Bravo, 97-20, Thursday at Carson.
The Lady Colts host University on Wednesday. The Wildcats crushed San Pedro, 68-23, in the first round.
In L.A. City-Division II play, top ranked Westchester also had no trouble in disposing L.A. Wilson, 69-16, last Thursday at Westchester.
Freshman Taylor Jackson led the Comets with 15 points, all on three-point baskets.
Westchester hosts Reseda Cleveland in the quarterfinals on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Prep Basketball Playoff Results:
Thursday, Feb. 14:
Boys:
CIF-L.A. City Section: First Round:
Division I: Westchester 74, Fremont 42; Palisades 88, San Pedro 65; Narbonne 84, Birmingham 71.
Division II: Gardena 62, Verdugo Hills 52; Carson 67, Garfield 52.
Girls:
CIF-Southern Section: First Round:
Division IIIAA: North Torrance 64, Cerritos 38.
Division IIIAA: Palos Verdes 65, Firebaugh 10; Corona del Mar 56, Hawthorne 52.
Division IVAA: Serra 65, Rolling Hills Prep 17; St. Bernard 66, Bellermine-Jefferson 37; Bishop Montgomery 78, Templeton 45.
Friday, Feb. 15:
Boys:
CIF-Southern Section: First Round:
Division IAA: Inglewood 72, Fountain Valley 43.
Division IIAA: Lancaster 57, Peninsula 51; Mira Costa 78, Cathedral City 53; Lawndale 73, Canyon Country Canyon 63.
Division IIA: Redondo 60, Newbury Park 43.
Second Round:
Division IIIAAA: West Torrance 64, Hart 55.
Division IIIAA: Leuzinger 61, Esperanza 47.
Division IVAA: Bishop Montgomery 86, Twenty-nine Palms 45; Serra 60, Sierra Canyon 55.
Division VA: Rolling Hills Prep 70, Riverside Christian 37.
Girls:
CIF-L.A. City Section: First Round:
Division I: Narbonne 64, Fremont 7; Carson 97, Bravo 20.
Division II: Westchester 69, L.A. Wilson 16.
Division III: Gardena 66, Franklin 35.
Small Schools: Port of L.A. 68, De la Hoya 14.
Saturday, Feb. 16:
Girls:
CIF-Southern Section: First Round:
Division IIAA; Chino 64, Peninsula 55; Mira Costa 73, San Gabriel 25
Division IIA: West Torrance 71, Arlington 27; Redondo 55, Arroyo 19; Tesoro 50, Inglewood 40.
Second Round:
Division IIIAAA: North Torrance 68, Indio 41; Torrance 54, Rio Mesa 48; Glendora 39, South Torrance 30.
Division IIIAA: Santa Barbara 59, Palos Verdes 56.
Division IVAA: Bishop Montgomery 57, Harvard-Westlake 42; St. Bernard 79, Marlborough 40; Serra 72, Twenty-nine Palms 35.
Snyder's South Bay Top 10:
Boys: 1. Bishop Montgomery (28-0), 2. Westchester (22-5); 3. Serra (22-6); 4. Redondo (19-8); 5. Inglewood (17-9); 6. Leuzinger (21-7); 7. Lawndale (19-8); 8. Mira Costa (19-8); 9. Rolling Hills Prep (19-9); 10. Narbonne (17-11).
Girls: 1. Serra (23-5); 2. St. Bernard (24-7); 3. Bishop Montgomery (21-7); 4. Narbonne (20-8); 5. Culver City (21-5); 6. Carson (20-8); 7. West Torrance (22-7); 8. Mira Costa (19-9); 9. Westchester (21-7); 10. Redondo (17-11).
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