Boys’ basketball: Youthful ECR is building a resume
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Sophomore Julian Richardson made six three-pointers and finished with 30 points to help Woodland Hills El Camino Real defeat West Hills Chaminade, 71-44, in a neighborhood rivalry game on Monday night.
The big news about the Conquistadores (6-3) is that they are building an impressive resume. They suffered close defeats to Los Angeles Loyola and Santa Monica, defeated Palisades and came back with an impressive performance against the Eagles.
Richardson and another sophomore, Maleke Haynes, combined for 10 three-pointers. Haynes had 22 points. Another sophomore, 6-foot-8 Jack Williams of Chaminade, had 18 points.
El Camino Real is the favorite to win the City Section Division II championship. The Conquistadores also may finally offer a challenge to Taft in the West Valley League. They have lots of three-point shooters, but Richardson is the best. He’s the son of former UCLA and NBA star Pooh Richardson.
Crucial to the Conquistadores’ development will be the play of 6-5 Michael Thomas, who’s the only player with size on the team. If the three-pointers aren’t dropping, Thomas will have to bail out the young guards.
But for now, there’s reason for excitement at El Camino Real, which has never won a basketball title.
-- Eric Sondheimer