Boys’ basketball: Alemany is the true underdog
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Encino Crespi fans got a thrill last week in beating rival Sherman Oaks Notre Dame for a third time this season to advance to the Southern Section Division 4A final despite the predictions of a sportswriter that it wouldn’t happen, but don’t expect Mission League rival Alemany to encourage any more predictions about the Celts’ supposed demise.
‘We don’t need any extra reasons for them to get excited,’ Alemany Coach Tray Meeks said.
Alemany is the big underdog for Friday’s 8:30 p.m. championship game at Santa Ana Mater Dei. The Warriors entered the playoffs as the fourth-place team from the Mission League with an 11-16 record. But they have earned the right to play Crespi because they upset No. 1-seeded Oaks Christian along the way.
Sophomore guard Jerico Richardson, a former Crespi player, has aided Alemany, along with sophomore guard Max Guercy and junior guard Jordan Fuller. Alemany lost twice during league play to Crespi, 74-65 and 71-61.
‘The guys just believe in each other, and they thought they could get here,’ Meeks said.
Crespi has been led by junior guard Matt Mounier and senior point guard Blake Stanton. The Celts have improved immensely since the early season under Coach Russell White.
-- Eric Sondheimer