Birmingham Gets Caught a Bit Short by Royal

David Redmond and the 15 points and 10 rebounds he typically provides Birmingham High were sorely needed Tuesday against Royal in the first round of the Westlake tournament.

But Redmond, a 6-foot-6 junior forward who helped the Braves to the City Section 3-A Division final last season, sat high in the stands, watching his teammates with mixed emotions as they fell, 52-43, at Westlake High.

“I wish I could play so bad,” Redmond said. “But, you know, I don’t eat, sleep and drink basketball like some guys. So, it’s not bothering me too much.”

Redmond quit the team 10 days ago “out of frustration,” he said. After long talks with Coach Al Bennett and his youth coach and mentor, Gilbert Arenas, Redmond is back on the roster, but not in uniform.

“David needs to fulfill certain obligations to work his way back on the team,” said Bennett, adding that the soonest Redmond would play is probably Jan. 10 in a Northwest Valley Conference opener against Cleveland.

Without Redmond, Birmingham (4-3) trailed Royal the entire game and had difficulty containing 6-5 forward Ryan Nielsen, who had 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Royal (8-2) was sluggish offensively but made 10 of 13 free throws and played good defense down the stretch.

“Mentally, we were not strong at all,” Royal Coach Larry Wiksell said. “We’re not going to win a whole lot playing like that.”

Royal guard Marques Pena, who is averaging 21 points a game, scored only seven.

With Redmond, Birmingham could again be a factor in the playoffs. Three sophomores played well against Royal, including Ellis Richardson, a 6-4 forward who scored 22 points, and Emanuel Evans, a 6-2, 225-pound forward who added 14.

“Our young guys are getting better,” said Bennett, who added that Raymond Kizzee, a 6-3 junior who contributed last season is academically ineligible but could return in February.

As for Redmond, whatever frustration caused him to leave the team is heightened by not playing.

“Nobody knows why I quit except [Arenas],” he said. “Everyone at school gets things twisted. People say it’s because I thought Ellis was getting the ball too much. That’s not it. They say me and coach had a problem. That’s not it, either.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to get back out there. If I have to run extra after practice, no problem. I play for fun, and it’s no fun sitting here watching.”

In other first-round games:

Saugus 70, Cleveland 63--The Centurions (5-3) made 14 of 17 free throws in the fourth quarter to hold off Cleveland (2-5).

Michael Shelby scored 16 points for Saugus, which took an 18-8 first-quarter lead and didn’t trail.

Junior Brignac scored 20 points for the Cavaliers.

Rialto 85, Ventura 58--Rialto’s full-court pressure kept the ball from 6-foot-6 Cougar forwards Charles Dixon and Donte Lincoln.

Ventura (1-3) fell behind, 25-10, after one quarter. Dixon scored 16 points. Rialto is 7-3.

Westlake 67, San Marcos 53--Utilizing crisp play from its guards, Westlake (4-2) led throughout the game. Steve Aylsworth scored 18 points, Jason Gaines had 15 and Jake Stewart added 14.

Only sophomore guard Sonny Oden (12 points) scored in double figures for San Marcos (2-2).

Jeremiah Nesbitt, a 6-8 center, had eight points and nine rebounds for Westlake.

The Warriors play Saugus in a semifinal Thursday following Royal and Rialto in the other semifinal that starts at 6:30 p.m.