Toilers still need to figure out their French connection

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Manual Arts had a 74-69 lead over San Pedro with 40 seconds to play today ... and wound up losing, 79-78, on a three-pointer at the buzzer by Pirates forward Richard Lopez. That had to feel depressingly similar to the loss to Dorsey on Dec. 7, when the Toliers (12-8) led by five points with 30 seconds to play and lost, 61-60.

My specific interest in this Huntington Park Invitational pool-play contest between Manual Arts and San Pedro was watching the three players from France who have transferred to Manual Arts -- Allan Saint-Gelais, Antonin Galaya and William Daubin.

Saint-Gelais, a 6-7 senior, and Galaya, a 6-5 junior, each had 20 points tonight. They are scorers who love to shoot and are reluctant to pass. Both can block shots but neither are shutdown defenders. Saint-Gelais, at least on this night, too often tried for the spectacular play when the routine would have been fine.

Daubin, who came off the bench, is not the scorer the other two are, but the 5-11 senior guard, who had seven points, seemed more content to do the little things, like passing and running the offense.

All three, I imagine, are still meshing with their new teammates. The Toilers could be a team to watch by playoff time, if they can figure out how to get out of their own way.

-- Mike Terry