Boys’ Basketball : Hoback Makes Late Shot to Lift L. A. Baptist, 55-53

L. A. Baptist won its fifth consecutive game Tuesday night, but it wasn’t easy as the Knights had to hold off stubborn Village Christian, 55-53, in an Alpha League game at home.

James Hoback’s three-point play with a minute remaining broke a 50-50 deadlock and led L. A. Baptist (12-3, 4-0 in league play) to the victory. Hoback, who scored a team-high 21 points on 9-of-17 shooting, scored on a two-point shot and converted the free throw to give the Knights a three-point lead.

After Village Christian missed a shot, Mike Wise was fouled and converted both free throws to give the Knights an insurmountable five-point lead. Wise scored 19 points, including 8 of 8 free throws.

Village Christian (5-10, 1-3 in league play) stayed close by hitting 9 of 20 three-point shots. The Crusaders only made 9 of 30 shots, however, from inside the three-point line.

Scott Danielson scored a game-high 22 points for Village Christian and teammate Russell Henzie added 13.

“Village deserved to win and we didn’t,” L. A. Baptist Coach Maury Neville said. “They played very well. They hustled and they made their three-point shots.

“At times we didn’t play with a lot of heart or enthusiasm.”

Canyon 60, Palmdale 55--Canyon snapped an 11-game losing streak and climbed out of the Golden League cellar with a come-from-behind win at home. Canyon (2-12, 1-3 in league play), trailed, 43-40, after three quarters, but Chris Schmitt, who scored nine points, hit a three-point shot from the corner to give the Cowboys a 50-47 lead. Mike Garner, who scored 11 points, made a jump shot and a free throw with 3:21 left to extend Canyon’s lead to 53-47.

Canyon, however, needed to hold off a late Palmdale charge. John Fernandez scored Palmdale’s last six points to bring the Falcons (3-10, 0-4) to within 58-55 with 35 seconds left.

Garner made two free throws with 10 seconds to play to secure the win. Canyon outrebounded Palmdale, 34-31.

Chaminade 56, Pater Noster 47--Steve Hurdle came off the bench to score a game-high 16 points and lead Chaminade to a Santa Fe League win at Pater Noster. Hurdle scored 10 points in the second half, eight in the third quarter. Chaminade made only 22 of 63 shots overall. Hurdle, however, made 8 of 13. Chaminade trailed, 11-9, after one quarter, but Hurdle entered the game in the first minute of the second quarter and scored six points to give the Eagles a 25-22 halftime lead.

Pater Noster (1-11, 1-5) was led by Jeff D’Evrico with 15 points.

St. John Bosco 60, Crespi 50--Crespi fell behind early in the first quarter and never recovered in the Del Rey League game at Crespi. John Davis led Crespi with 13 points and Matt Turner added 11 as the Celts dropped to 10-9, 2-4 in league play.

Burroughs 79, San Gabriel 35--Sophomore guard Eddie Hill scored 21 points at Burroughs to lead the Indians to their first Foothill League win since 1986, breaking a 15-game league losing streak.

Forward Marcelino Casal added 18 points and junior center Tom Clemons, playing in his first varsity game, scored 12 points.

Burroughs improved to 7-10 overall, 1-3 in league play. San Gabriel is 3-13, 0-4.

Harvard 76, St. Genevieve 67--Scott Wood, who averages six points a game, scored all of his game-high 19 points in the second half to spur a 50-point second-half for Harvard (6-6, 4-2) in the Santa Fe League game at St. Genevieve.

St. Genevieve (6-8, 2-4) held a 31-26 halftime lead before Wood became unstoppable, hitting 8-of-9 shots in the second half, as the Sarences went on an 8-2 scoring spree in the first two minutes of the second half.

Dan Rothenerg added 15 points and Charles Patton and Rick Osterlow had 14 each for Harvard. St. Genevieve was led Ruben Aguirre with 13 points.

Montclair Prep 73, Western Christian 50--Craig Handschu, a junior, scored a game-high 25 points, including 7 of 8 free throws, as Montclair Prep (9-6, 3-1 in league play) coasted to an Alpha League win at home. Handschu scored nine points in the first quarter and made two three-point shots. Senior center David Sanger scored 12 points, had 13 rebounds and 8 blocked shots. Tom James came off the bench to score eight points in the final four minutes.

Oakwood 77, First Lutheran 30--Junior forward Mitchell Butler scored 31 points and had 14 rebounds in a Liberty League game at Oakwood (13-1, 5-0).

Holy Martyrs 72, Southwestern 42--The Armens outscored Southwestern, 32-4, in the second quarter to take a 41-18 lead at halftime in the Liberty League game at Southwestern. Viken Tchorbajian had a game-high 23 points. Teammate Armen Abrahamian added 18 points, 15 rebounds and 6 assists for Holy Martyrs (9-4, 4-0 in league).

Highland Hall 87, Golda Meir 40--Sophomore Bob Ramirez registered a triple double (15 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds) and Craig Ernst added 18 points and 12 rebounds to lead visiting Highland Hall (6-7, 2-3).

Grace Community 101, West L.A. Baptist 55--Junior guard Scott Lechuga scored a school-record 42 points, breaking his own mark of 35 set last season, as the Hawks rolled in a Westside League game at West L. A. Baptist.

The 5-11 Lechuga made 13-of-31 field-goal attempts, including three three-pointers, and 13 of 17 free throws. He also grabbed 13 rebounds. Anthony Serra contributed 26 points and 13 rebounds.

Compiled by Tim Brown, Vince Kowalick, Scot Butwell and John Ortega.