Boys’ basketball: Birmingham unleashes 24-0 run to defeat El Camino Real

Anyone who wants to know just how good Birmingham might be when it plays at its best only needed to be in its gym on Friday night for a West Valley League game against El Camino Real.

The Patriots, considered the No. 1 team in the City Section, fell behind by nine points at the outset of the third quarter. Then they unleashed a 24-0 run and never looked back in an 88-73 victory that improved their record to 17-3 overall and 4-0 in league.

The Doutrive brothers, Devante and Devonaire, came alive in the third quarter, combining with Deschon Winston and Mark Boland to leave El Camino Real (15-10, 2-2) with a helpless feeling. A 55-46 lead quickly vanished and turned into a 70-55 deficit.

Winston finished with 26 points. Boland had 22 points, Devante had 19 and Devonaire 15. Troy Biglow scored 28 points for El Camino Real, which lost Nick Heller to a dislocated ankle in the first quarter.

Taft defeated Cleveland, 63-56, behind 29 points from Kihei Clark.

In a battle for first place in the Marine League, Narbonne defeated Washington, 75-64. Antonio Monroe finished with 26 points.

In the Valley Mission League, Van Nuys defeated Canoga Park, 85-44. Tyree Winborn scored 40 points and Anthony Daniels 19.

In the East Valley League, Grant defeated Arleta, 66-46. Avo Danielian had 22 points and Andre Shakhmanyan added 18.

In the Coliseum League, Crenshaw received 21 points from Chris Kendrick and 15 from Aaron Johnson to defeat Hawkins, 82-44. Fremont defeated View Park, 70-56. Jaelen Stringer scored 22 points and Jajuan Johnson added 19. Kiel Rodgers scored 19 for View Park.

In the Western League, Fairfax held off Palisades, 60-53. The game was tied with less than two minutes left. Fairfax (17-1) played its first game without injured guard Ethan Anderson. Jamal Hartwell scored 19 points, Kirk Smith 15 and Robert McRae 12. Downey Dayne led Palisades with 16 points.

University defeated LACES, 72-50. Daisone Hughes scored 17 points and Jude Agbasi had 15.

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