Girls’ basketball: View Park wins with a little help from their friends

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The View Park Prep girls’ basketball team wrapped up a second consecutive City Small Schools Division championship Saturday, defeating LACES, 54-43, at the Sports Arena.

It didn’t hurt that Knights Coach Denise Woods had a pretty good idea how to play in the Sports Arena, since she played her college ball there for USC. But Woods called on some ringers to help View Park get ready for Saturday’s game.

‘In practice this week we worked against former college and pro players, some of whom I played with,’ Woods said. ‘There was Jessica Cheeks (USC), Tanisha Johnson (Houston Comets), and Crystal Evans, who played at Crenshaw and is now at UCLA.’

Woods’ ‘invitees’ helped View Park with handling full-court pressure and staying poised against stronger and more experienced players.

‘They really prepared us for that extra pressure, length and everything. Our girls were a little nervous in the beginning but they were able to shake that off.’

-- Mike Terry