HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK

Johnathan Thompson’s 40 points for Palmdale on Friday in a 93-85 Golden League victory over Highland were four points shy of the school record, which has stood since 1967.

Yet, it easily ranks as Thompson’s career high.

Considering all Thompson has overcome this season, it was a career performance in more ways than one.

Thompson, a quarterback in the fall, has nursed a broken collarbone since being injured in November in the league championship game against Littlerock.

Thompson, a 6-foot senior guard, re-broke the bone during the Jasper tournament in Canada in December. While on the mend, Thompson, most valuable player for the junior varsity last season, has slowly worked his way back.

Averaging only eight points a game, Thompson’s average shot to 15. Against Highland, Thompson had 12 points in the first quarter and made 14 of 19 free throws in the game.

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Like Christen Roper’s left hand, the Nordhoff girls’ basketball team is feeling a lot better.

Roper, the Rangers’ 6-foot-5 center, missed the first eight games after breaking her hand in a pickup basketball game in November.

Not surprisingly, the Rangers got off to a slow start and were 4-12 when Frontier League play began.

Nordhoff has won its first four league games and is atop the standings.

Roper, who has signed with Hawaii, is averaging 16.2 points, 10.6 rebounds and 4.8 blocked shots.

“I sat on the bench, talked to the girls and took stats,” Roper said of her hiatus. “That was my job for four weeks. I knew I could help them, but I wasn’t able to. It was very frustrating.”

The Rangers are in solid position for the second round of league play.

“This gives the girls and me the self-confidence to keep going,” Roper said. “It’s a great way to end my four years here.”

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Staff writer Vince Kowalick and correspondent Mike Bresnahan contributed to this notebook.