City Section Boys’ Basketball : A Mind-Boggling Mismatch: Cleveland Clobbers Canoga Park, 126-29

Cleveland High Coach Bob Braswell vowed this week that the Cavaliers would show little mercy during the Northwest Valley Conference season. Perhaps his players got carried away in Friday’s conference opener at Canoga Park, however.

Cleveland, the state’s second-ranked team in Division I, walloped the Hunters by the improbable score of 126-29, leading by as many as 100 points before settling for a 97-point victory.

The Cavaliers led, 28-2, after the first quarter, 65-7 at halftime, and showed little letdown after intermission. Cleveland’s 40-point third quarter was its most productive period in school history, and the 126 points set another school mark.

The Cavaliers (11-2) averaged nearly 4 points a minute, and all 13 players in uniform scored. Lucious Harris scored 40 and Adonis Jordan added 37.

Although Cleveland and Canoga Park (2-9) play in the same conference, the teams are grouped in different City Section divisions: Cleveland is a 4-A team and the Hunters are 3-A. That gulf seemed 100 miles wide.

“They’re too fast, too big and too quick,” Hunter assistant Mark Nogy said. Head Coach Joey Nakasone refused comment.

The Cavaÿû$INTK ÿÿliers overwhelmed the Hunters with full-court pressure defense from the opening tip-off, lifting the press in the third quarter.

“He said he wasn’t going to take any prisoners and he stuck by his word,” Nogy said. “It’s hard to take but it’s a free country.”

Braswell admitted he was embarrassed by the final score.

“I guess that’s the best word to use,” he said. “I teach my kids to play one way and you never want to stray from that. I sympathize with Joey and the kids. I don’t want to destroy any kid’s pride.”

Taft 59, San Fernando 50--Guard Tony Middleton scored 15 of his game-high 22 points in the second half to lead Taft (11-1) to victory in the Northwest Valley Conference opener at San Fernando.

Taft point guard Dedan Thomas added 17 points, including 7 of 9 free throws in the second half.

With 5 minutes to play, San Fernando (6-7) trailed, 52-48, but could not get any closer.

A trio of juniors paced San Fernando. Guard Marco Renteria scored 16 points and center Lance Whitaker added 13. Forward Michael Wynn scored 7 points and had a game-high 14 rebounds.

Birmingham 71, Monroe 55--Tyrone Craig scored a game-high 19 points and Jason Wallace added 16 points for the Braves in the Valley Pac 8 Conference opener at Monroe.

Kenyon Wright led Monroe (1-7) with 14 points and Lodis Woodmore added 8 points and 8 rebounds. Larry Sims had 12 points for the Braves (5-6), who outscored Monroe, 20-8, in the final period.

Reseda 71, Poly 59--Coley Kyman scored 20 of his game-high 25 points in the first half and the Regents’ defense stifled Poly’s outside shooters in a Valley Pac 8 Conference opener.

Kyman also had a game-high 16 rebounds and teammate Mike Basowski added 23 points.

Scott Cooper scored 17 points for Poly (5-6) and teammate Juan Estrada added 16.

Sylmar 51, Van Nuys 49--Clarence Pattin scored 16 points and Andre Robinson added 12 points and 9 rebounds as the Spartans held off the Wolves in the Valley Pac 8 Conference opener at Van Nuys.