Despite 10-1 Record, Taft Isn’t in League of Its Own

With the best boys’ basketball record in the region, you might think Taft High (10-1) is poised to cruise through the West Valley League.

Not hardly.

The West Valley is arguably the most competitive City league in the region and Taft is sure to have its hands full twice a week.

“It’s going to be tough,” Coach Mark Drucker of Taft said. “Our league is so balanced.”

Taft, which has won 10 consecutivegames since losing its opener to Pasadena Marshall, opens league play this week. They play El Camino Real (4-6) today and Granada Hills (8-7) on Friday.

Cleveland (9-6), Granada Hills and Chatsworth (6-8) should challenge Taft for the title, but each team still has obstacles to overcome. There was a coaching change at Cleveland two weeks ago; Granada Hills was without star player Midwin Francis for nine games and Chatsworth continues to be hurt by inconsistency.

Birmingham (5-10), with the worst record among league teams, is far from a pushover. The Patriots gave Grant and Monroe all it could handle in close losses last week.

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Monroe (9-6), playing well despite its lack of height, is the only Valley Mission League team with a winning record.

San Fernando (7-7) and Kennedy (7-8) aren’t far behind.

San Fernando, with 10 seniors, has the most experience with three returning starters.

Under first-year Coach Kevin Kanemura, Kennedy has overachieved with only one returning starter.

Sylmar (4-9) is perhaps the most athletic team in the league, but resembled road kill by playing a difficult schedule in the month of December. The Spartans have played only one home game, an impressive victory over Fremont, 80-70.

Reseda (2-12) and Van Nuys (0-13) are struggling and can expect no breaks in league play.

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The Sunset League has the best winning percentage of all three regional City leagues, having won 57% of its games.

The front-runners are North Hollywood (12-3) and Grant (12-3), which won’t play one another until Jan. 26 and in the season finale on Feb. 11.

But Canoga Park (7-7), with four players averaging 10 points or better, is sure to cause problems for North Hollywood and Grant.

Hollywood (7-7), Verdugo Hills (6-8) and Poly (5-9), all with limited talent, will slug it out for fourth place.

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North Hollywood was provided with the perfect alibi for a poor shooting performance in the first half against Chatsworth on Friday night.

At halftime the Huskies learned the first half was mistakenly played with a girls’ ball. A girls’ game preceded the boys’ game and referees grabbed the girls’ ball which was left on the scorers’ table.

Gus Ruiz of North Hollywood couldn’t have been more relieved to hear the news; one of his first shots was an air ball on a three-point shot. But he wasn’t the only Husky misfiring in the first half.

“We shot so poorly we needed an excuse,” Coach Rob Bloom said.

North Hollywood made only six of 27 shots (22%) in the first half. Ruiz was two for six.

With the mistake rectified in the second half, North Hollywood improved dramatically with 12 of 26 (46%) shooting and pulled out a 50-48 victory on Ruiz’s 18-foot jumper with three seconds left.

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At 6-8, Chatsworth is right where Coach Emad Whitney wants to be. Sort of.

Chatsworth has been exceptional at times, dismal at others. The roller-coaster ride has included victories over Crespi and Granada Hills, and losses to Mojave and Carson.

The Chancellors squandered a 10-point lead in a 50-48 loss to North Hollywood last week, but Whitney wasn’t overly disappointed.

“Overall I’m very pleased with where we are,” Whitney said. “My kids are working hard.”

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Birmingham will be without leading rebounder Aaron Burgin against Chatsworth and El Camino Real this week.

Last week, Burgin injured his back and both ankles. But it was the last injury, a severely sprained left ankle, that will keep Burgin out until at least Jan. 19.