Boys’ basketball: Thomas Lapham, Max Hazzard deliver for Loyola
For those wondering how Los Angeles Loyola players would respond after learning that standout point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright would no longer be with the team after withdrawing from school on Friday, the answer was delivered by Thomas Lapham and Max Hazzard.
Lapham, moving into the starting lineup after being the sixth man, scored 20 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter to help the Cubs (23-1, 9-1) clinch at least a tie for the Mission League championship with a 63-51 victory over Crespi. Hazzard, filling the point guard role, had 22 points. Lapham made 12 consecutive free throws in the fourth quarter.
The players didn’t find out about Jackson-Cartwright until after school had let out on Friday.
“Once we found out, we all kind of dropped,” Hazzard said. “We didn’t believe it at first. It’s a tough situation. He’s family.”
Loyola played without Jackson-Cartwright for a month last season while he recovered from an injury, but Hazzard said, “This time is different. He’s not coming back. Everybody has to step up one to 17.”
Crespi (17-9, 5-6), playing without two injured starters, received 21 points from D.J. Ursery and 12 points from De’Anthony Melton.
In another Mission League game, Harvard-Westlake defeated St. Francis, 64-57. Derick Newton scored 26 points. Kyle Leufroy had 23 for St. Francis. Chaminade defeated Notre Dame, 55-35. Jack Williams scored 12 points.
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