St. Monica, Crescenta Valley boys’ basketball players earn All-CIF accolades
A historic season for the St. Monica Academy boys’ basketball team and a superb individual effort from Crescenta Valley High senior Arman Pezeshkian did not go unnoticed by the CIF Southern Section office.
On Monday, the Crusaders’ duo of Peter Ford and Charlie Boles, along with the Falcons’ top scorer, were named All-CIF Southern Section first-team selections.
Pezeshkian was a scoring machine and led the area with 25.3 points per game, along with 4.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists., Pezeshkian, who was also named an All-Pacific League first-team selection, was honored on the All-CIF Division II-A team.
“Arman found a way to make himself and his teammates better,” Crescenta Valley coach Shawn Zargarian said. “Arman took it to another level this year and represented our team so well. He’s truly a great player.”
Pezeshkian broke the school record with 102 three-pointers this past season, which topped Adam Jacobsen’s previous mark of 99.
If there was a signature game for Pezeshkian it likely took place Jan. 3 when the senior turned in a stellar 39-point effort in Crescenta Valley’s 65-60 upset victory over Pasadena, the eventual league champ and Division I runner-up.
The Falcons finished a 16-13 campaign in February in which they placed third in league, picked up a postseason win and advanced to the second round of the playoffs.
No area boys’ basketball team was more successful in the postseason than St. Monica Academy.
The Crusaders went undefeated in International League play (6-0), finished 21-6 overall, reached the semifinals of the Division V-A playoffs for the first time and earned a first-ever berth to the CIF State playoffs.
Those efforts were spearheaded by Ford and Boles, who were named to the Division V-A first team.
Ford, a 6-foot-4 center, averaged 18.6 points and nine rebounds per game in the postseason for the Crusaders.
“Peter is a great shooter, first and foremost,” St. Monica Academy coach Peter Grimm said. “His ability to shoot the three-ball allows him to be a great penetrator. Because you have to get out on him and guard and get in his face, that gives him an opportunity to get around people and get to the basket. He’s the best pure shooter that we’ve ever had at the school.”
A junior forward, Boles averaged 12 points and six rebounds during the postseason.
“Charlie is an absolute workhorse and he has more energy, especially during games, than three players combined,” Grimm said. “He pretty much played every minute of every game unless he was hurt or in foul trouble. He always guarded the other team’s best player and he’s a great defensive and offensive rebounder and was a throw-back player.”
