NOTEBOOK : La Canada Sets Sights on Third Consecutive Rio Hondo League Title

The La Canada High boys’ basketball team, which saw one streak end last week, is trying to keep another alive.

Last Friday, the Spartans fell to Pasadena in five overtimes, 82-74, a loss that ended La Canada’s 21-game home winning streak.

“It was the longest game I’ve ever seen,” La Canada Coach Tom Hofman said. “Both teams were just hanging on.”

La Canada (6-3) held a 14-point lead in the final quarter of regulation before Pasadena made its run that sent the contest into the first overtime.

La Canada will compete in the Chino tournament this week and then play Crescenta Valley in its final nonleague game Tuesday.

The Spartans will begin their bid for a third consecutive Rio Hondo League championship next Friday when they visit Monrovia for the league opener. La Canada is 20-0 in league play over the past two seasons.

“We’re probably playing better than I thought we would be at this time,” Hofman said. “I think we’ll be ready to go when we play Monrovia.”

Balanced attack: The Flintridge Prep girls’ basketball team is trying to win its second consecutive Prep League championship with a team that thus far has exhibited balance.

The Rebels (4-1 overall, 2-0 in league play) have lost to only La Canada.

“There’s no one who has been really outstanding in every game,” Flintridge Prep Coach John Ruch said. “It’s nice that we’ve had different people step forward and play good games.”

Point guard Shawna Shearbourn has been a key player for Flintridge Prep with her consistent improvement, but Ruch said that the biggest surprise for the Rebels has been the play of junior Megan McCullough.

“She’s coming off the bench and playing as well as anyone,” Ruch said.

On the rebound: Pater Noster’s record tumbled to 2-9 last Monday when it lost to LaSalle, 72-68.

The defeat, however, exemplified Pater Noster’s improvement this season under second-year Coach Michael Smith, whose Southern Section 2-A Division team faces a schedule full of 3-A and 4-A schools.

It was only two weeks ago that Pater Noster lost to LaSalle by 20 points.

Face the nation: Santiago Alvarez, who gained statewide attention this season for his performance as quarterback of the Franklin High football team, gained national recognition last week.

Alvarez, a senior who threw 52 touchdowns and passed for more than 4,000 yards this season for the City Section Northern Conference-champion Panthers, was pictured in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd” segment.

On the road: The Glendale College basketball team, which has won six games in a row, is competing in the Palomar tournament this week.

The eight-team, double elimination tournament also includes Citrus, Harbor, Fullerton, Mt. San Jacinto, Bakersfield, Riverside and Palomar.

Glendale (10-5) is coming off a championship performance in its own tournament--during which the Vaqueros defeated East Los Angeles, Harbor and Cypress--and last Friday’s 78-71 victory over Antelope Valley.