Slumping West L.A. to Meet Conference-Leading Canyons

Hopes are not high that West Los Angeles will end its school-record 14-game losing streak in basketball when it hosts College of the Canyons, the Mountain Valley Conference leader, at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

The game will be at Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Overland Avenue and Culver Boulevard, in Culver City.

In his pep talks, “we don’t talk in terms of wins anymore,” Coach Charles Sands said, adding that the Oilers’ record (5-18, 0-8) is the worst in his 25 years of coaching.

Sands said the team will focus instead on winning its first game in the Mountain Valley tournament which will open next Thursday.

Canyons (19-5, 6-1) beat the Oilers, 78-68, earlier this year. The Cougars are shooting 51.7% from the field and 70.2% from the free throw line for an average of 71.3 points a game. They are limiting opponents to 66.1.

Three Cougar scorers have averages in double figures: forward Don White at 16 points, forward Pete Coeller at 15.3, and guard James Mixon at 11.3. Center Karl Tomkins is leading the team in rebounds (7.4) with White at 6.1. Guard Deron White (no relation) is leading the league and the team with 8.6 assists.

The Oilers are averaging 59.9 points a game while giving up 68.2. They are shooting 44.7% from the floor and 65.1% from the line. Team leaders include center Robert Bloom (13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds), guard Angelo Hudson (12.2 points) and forward Frank Lopez (7.5 points, 9.7 rebounds).

Last week, Sands cut guard Wayne King after he failed to show up for a game against Los Angeles Trade Tech which the Oilers lost, 61-57.