L.A. Baptist Flattens Granada Hills, 77-58

For most of the way, L.A. Baptist High hardly resembled an undefeated basketball team.

It wasn’t until early in the fourth quarter that the Knights (6-0) finally pulled away for a 77-58 victory over Granada Hills in the first round of the Valencia tournament Tuesday night at Valencia.

Seniors Aaron Davis, Jermaine Sweet and Amir Law combined for 19 of L.A. Baptist’s 26 points in the final period.

Davis finished with 27 points, Sweet added 21 and Law scored 15.

Leon Pimky scored 15 points for Granada Hills (2-4).

Canyon 65, Calabasas 61--Steve Eernisse scored three of his 33 points in the closing seconds to help the Cowboys (4-1) rally to defeat the Coyotes (6-2) in a first-round game in the Valencia tournament.

Eernisse’s layup with 35 seconds remaining gave Canyon a 62-61 lead, and he added a free throw with five seconds left.

The Cowboys trailed, 50-45, after three quarters, but rallied behind Eernisse and Jimmy Cox, who hit two three-point baskets in the fourth quarter and finished with 10 points.

Ryan Coleman scored 27 points for Calabasas and Jason Miller added 17.

Ventura 66, Quartz Hill 46--Christian Gallagher scored 16 points and Justin Gilmore had 12 to spark the Cougars (3-2) in the Valencia tournament.

Gilmore scored nine points in the second quarter when the Cougars outscored Quartz Hill, 20-6, to take a 35-15 halftime lead.

Crespi 86, St. Genevieve 61--Rob Turner scored 34 points on 16-of-21 shooting for the Celts (2-2) in the Valencia tournament.

Turner, a 6-foot-3 senior forward, also had 24 rebounds, three shy of the school record.

St. Francis 87, Fortune (Canada) 52--Anthony Johnson made 15 of 18 shots and had 30 points and nine rebounds while playing only three quarters for the Golden Knights in the La Canada tournament.

Anton Cunningham added 23 points for St. Francis (5-1).

Coach John Jordan pulled his front line at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

Jon Williamson scored 18 points for the Falcons (7-6).

Vancouver Tech 55, Alemany 53--Mike Rosen scored 24 points for the Talismen (11-3) in the La Canada tournament.

Neil Cheta hit two free throws with 20 seconds left to give Vancouver Tech a 55-51 lead.

Jesus Castillon had 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Indians (1-7).

Taft 67, Banning 56--Amir Bar-Netzer collected 24 points and 14 rebounds and the Toreadors stretched their winning streak to six games at Taft (6-2).

Bradyn Fisher had 16 points and 10 rebounds for Taft (6-2).

Palmdale 81, Barstow 75--Kevin Miller scored four of the Falcons’ nine points in overtime at Palmdale.

Markus Carr scored 29 points for the Falcons (6-3), Miller added 23 and Kerry Yates had 21.

Moorpark 68, Hoover 65--Keith Donahue and Kalani Ferreria each scored 14 points for the Musketeers in the La Canada tournament.

Andy Russel scored 26 points for Hoover (3-3).

Santa Clara 73, St. Joseph’s 54--Peter Lee and Nick Jones each scored 17 points for the Saints at Santa Clara (2-0).

Shalhevet 66, Highland Hall 51--Taman Van Scoy scored 45 points for the Hawks (0-5).