Sports

FAMILIAR FACES

When Westchester agreed to play in the Las Vegas Holiday Prep Classic, Coach Ed Azzam expected the Comets to play some of the best teams from across the nation. Instead, Westchester played teams from its own back yard.

Westchester beat Crossroads, 85-79, in overtime in the second round and lost to Inglewood, 66-57, in the third round. Had they beaten Inglewood, the Comets would have played Compton Dominguez.

“I don’t see the point in going to Las Vegas if we’re going to play Crossroads and Inglewood,” Azzam said. “We can do that in a tournament here.”

Azzam would have preferred to play eventual tournament champion Oak Hill Academy of Mouth of Wilson, Va., even if it was a first-round game.

After losing to Inglewood, the Comets did play three games against non-Southern California schools. Two were decided in the final seconds. Danny Walker made a three-point shot to give the Comets a 77-76 win over Mt. Zion of Durham, N.C., and Jason Hart made a three-point shot to beat Green Valley of Henderson, Nev., 66-64.

The Comets beat Day of Greensboro, N.C., 81-68, to finish fifth.

RISING COMET II

Although the boys’ basketball team has traditionally been a power, the Westchester girls are quietly gaining recognition in the City Section.

The Comets improved to 3-4 with a 62-18 victory over L.A. Wilson on Tuesday in the Birmingham tournament.

Tiffany Lewis, a 6-foot junior center, led the team with 16 points. She is averaging 15 points and 10 rebounds a game.

Lewis is also an outstanding volleyball player and was named to the All-Western League team.

According to Coach Ann-Marie Powledge, Lewis is an honor student and has the talent to earn a basketball or volleyball scholarship.

STAT WATCH

Several Westside prep football players had offensive performances that ranked among the best in the state.

According to Cal-Hi Sports magazine, Westchester tight end Tony Griffin, who caught 15 scoring passes, finished in a tie for third in touchdown receptions. Culver City receiver Jasiri Rodell finished fifth with 13 touchdown receptions and 24th in receptions with 55 for 1,380 yards.

Beverly Hills quarterback Chris Wallace passed for 2,284 yards to finish 16th in the state.

FOOTBALL AWARDS II

Culver City receiver Jasiri Rodell was selected to the Cal-Hi Sports all-state team.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound senior was one of three receivers selected to the first-team offense.

Daylon McCutcheon of Bishop Amat was named the state player of the year.

Other local players honored were St. Monica quarterback Steven Pulley and defensive back Jason Jones, who were selected to the medium schools all-star team.

RAVE REVIEW

Rarely does a player from a losing team earn the most valuable player award in a basketball tournament, but Israel Plaza of Fairfax accomplished that feat during the Matador Shootout in Bullhead, Ariz.

Although the Lions lost to Mountain View of Mesa, Ariz., 53-50, in the championship game, Plaza, who averaged 18 points a game in the tournament, was named MVP.

“I thought it was a pretty classy thing for the tournament directors to do,” Fairfax Coach Harvey Kitani said.

PLAYER COACH

When he was a player last season, Danny Brummel helped guide his Pacific Hills teammates through the offense. Now, Brummel is doing his coaching from the sidelines.

Brummel, a two-time All-Southern Section Division V player, is the Bruins’ junior varsity coach.

“Danny wanted to take a year off and gain a different perspective of the game,” Pacific Hills varsity Coach John Bobich said. “I think he’s a really, really good coach. I think the experience will only help him when he goes back to playing.”

As a senior forward, Brummel led the Bruins to the Southern Section Division V-A title and to the State Division V finals. He turned down offers to play at Cal State Dominguez Hills, Redlands and other community college programs.

The Bruins varsity is 8-2 entering this week’s games. Last week, Pacific Hills lost to Pacific, 52-41, in the championship game of the Aquinas tournament. One of the standout players is John Murray, the first freshman to be a full-time starter at the school. Murray is averaging eight points and seven rebounds a game.

WHITE CHRISTMAS

When the Palisades girls’ basketball team took the court Monday against La Salle of Pasadena in the Birmingham tournament, the Dolphins were missing standout center Lisa Shakiban.

The 6-foot-2 Shakiban, who is averaging eight points and 10 rebounds a game, was snowed in at Big Bear after spending the weekend skiing.

“I don’t like my players skiing during the season,” said Palisades Coach Joi Tanita, whose team managed to beat La Salle, 79-26.

Shakiban returned for Tuesday’s game against North Hollywood and scored three points in a 69-59 loss.

CRYING FOUL

St. Bernard Coach Lori Pawinski grew tired of hearing whistle sounds Dec. 20 during the Vikings Santa Barbara tournament game against Morro Bay.

Morro Bay handed St. Bernard its second consecutive loss, 48-46.

“You can’t win when you have 29 fouls,” Pawinski said.

The Vikings (9-2) lost to Long Beach Poly, 54-45, on Dec. 6. They won four games in a row before losing a rematch, 46-38, against the Jackrabbits on Tuesday in the second round of the Gahr tournament.

RECRUITING NEWS

Former Beverly Hills standout Greg Holmes received a partial scholarship to play baseball at Nevada. Holmes played center field last season at Harbor College, where he batted .328 with eight doubles, three triples, two home runs, 18 runs batted in and 20 stolen bases.

Holmes was a running back and defensive back for the Norman football team and played center field before he graduated in 1991.

He played one season at Santa Monica College before the school dropped its baseball program.

* Former Westchester standout Jason Sanders is looking to transfer after quitting the San Diego State basketball team last month. According to Westchester Coach Ed Azzam, Sanders would like to play locally, but is not getting any offers.

“People think he can’t play at UCLA or high Pacific 10 schools, but I think he’s good enough to help some programs out,” Azzam said.

Sanders said he would like to play for former San Diego State Coach Tony Fuller at Pepperdine, but the Waves already have a surplus of guards.