SPORTSCOPE : Pasadena, Pomona Teams Reach Sweet 16 in L.A. Games Action

Pasadena and Pomona high schools, expected to have two of the strongest boys’ basketball teams in the San Gabriel Valley next season, have advanced to the final 16 of the 128-team L.A. Games tournament.

Saturday, Pasadena will face Carson at 11 a.m. at Los Angeles Jordan High and Pomona plays Fremont at 11 a.m. at El Camino College in Torrance.

The winners advance to the quarterfinals at 3 p.m. Saturday at the same sites. The semifinals are at 11 a.m. Sunday and the championship game is at 3 p.m. at El Camino.

Both teams were seeded at the start of the event--the largest summer tournament in the U.S. Pasadena was seeded No. 19 and Pomona No. 20.

Pasadena advanced to the final 16 with victories over Pioneer, Channel Islands and Ocean View and Pomona defeated Perris, Leuzinger and St. Bernard.

Pasadena has found success in the tournament despite the fact that it does not have a starter taller than 6-foot-3. The Bulldogs have two starters, 5-10 guard Raymond Maberry and 6-3 forward Kenric Marshall, and five lettermen returning from a team that finished 23-6 last year and reached the CIF Division 5-A semifinals.

“That’s a pretty small lineup but the reason we’re still playing is those five kids really know how to pressure and play defense,” Coach Bill Duwe said.

The Bulldogs also have several talented newcomers including brothers Willie and Treyvone Towns. Willie is a 6-3 senior and Treyvone a 6-3 sophomore. Another standout is 6-0 guard Tyrone Williams.

Despite an impressive showing in the first three rounds of the tournament, Duwe does not want to get carried away with his team’s success.

“I’ve learned that there are no big wins in the summer,” he said. “It’s pleasing to be in the final 16 but it’s summer and we still have a long way to go. Last year we lost in the second round and the year before we lost in the second round and both years we had good seasons. So this doesn’t really tell you a lot. But I think we’ll be a pretty good team in January.”

Pomona is also enjoying its best performance in the L.A. Games in recent years. The most impressive victory for the Red Devils might have been its 65-54 decision over St. Bernard in the third round.

The Red Devils, who finished 20-7 and reached the second round of the 3-AA playoffs last season, return several top players including two-time All-CIF Division III forward Johnny McWilliams.

The 6-6 senior averaged 23.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 3.6 steals last season and 24.2 points and 12.2 rebounds as a sophomore.

Pomona, coached by Ed Taylor, also returns guards Darius McJimpson and Dedrique Taylor--the coach’s son--and forward Ed Comeaux.

In other sports, Muir has advanced to the quarterfinals in boys soccer and water polo and South Pasadena has also reached the quarterfinals in water polo.

Muir will meet Beverly Hills in the soccer quarterfinals at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at El Camino. The semifinals are Saturday and the final Sunday. Muir reached the quarterfinals with a 1-0 victory over Burroughs last week.

In the water polo quarterfinals, Muir faces Harvard at 8 a.m. Sunday and South Pasadena takes on San Gorgonio at 11:30 a.m. at Harvard High in North Hollywood. The semifinals and final are also Sunday.

Ryan Isaka of Hacienda Heights has been named bowler of the year by the San Gabriel Valley Men’s Bowling Assn.

The award is based on all-around bowling skills including sportsmanship. During the last year, Isaka bowled two 300 games and a three-game series of 857 that ranked among the best in the valley.