HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Palmdale Exploits Depleted Antelope Valley to Post 51-43 Win

The Antelope Valley High basketball team, becoming increasingly threadbare in manpower as the season wears on, was outmanned and outmuscled on Friday night at Palmdale, and dropped its Golden League finale, 51-43.

Palmdale (15-10, 7-3 in league play), which clinched a tie for second place with Canyon, spent the game in the paint, capitalizing on the Antelopes’ lack of depth.

Three players--center Chris DeGlopper (16 points, seven rebounds), forward Jason Grimes (14 points, 11 rebounds) and guard John Johnson (10 points, 10 rebounds)--penetrated Antelope Valley’s defense effectively.

With forward Jabbar Briggs ruled academically ineligible earlier this week and four reserves who served nearly a season-long suspension from school for an on-campus incident in December now academically ineligible as well, the Antelopes (20-5, 8-2) were short on horsepower to begin with.

Adding to the problem, center John Pletsch scored no points and fouled out in the fourth quarter. Guard B. J. Petersen did not score until sinking a three-point shot in the final minute. And only four players scored.

Left to carry the load for the Antelopes were forward Chris Walters, who scored 15 points, and guard Bobby Paiz, who scored a game-high 17 points, including five three-point baskets.

A rather ominous season-ending performance, Antelope Valley Coach Skip Adams conceded.

“I’m not really sure, but we gotta do something,” Adams said. “But I’m going to try and not get overly concerned because we had a bad shooting night.”

The Antelopes made only 17 of 54 (31.2%) shots from the field and missed their first seven before Walters made a driving layup with 2:30 to play in the first quarter.

By that time, Palmdale led, 10-0, and never trailed thereafter. The Antelopes made just two of 13 shots in the first quarter and only seven of 26 in the half.

Walters, who made two three-pointers, did not score in the fourth quarter. Johnson, who proudly announced that the win was his first over Antelope Valley in his three-year career, shadowed Walters effectively.

“Everybody talks about how great Chris Walters is,” Johnson said. “I feel I did a pretty good job.”