LC Boys’ Varsity Cagers Win La Salle Tournament on Final Second Basket

The Malik brothers proved to be too much for Monterey Park Mark Keppel in the Pasadena La Salle/Temple City Holiday Classic Tournament championship game last Friday night at La Salle High.

Adam Malik passed to his brother Abe who made a layup in the waning seconds of the overtime period to give the Spartans a 64-62 victory over the pesky Aztecs and the tournament title.

It was La Cañada’s fourth win in a row. The Spartans, who improved to 12-2, will not play again until next Wednesday when they will begin Rio Hondo League play with a 7 p.m. game at Monrovia.

For his efforts during the tournament, Abe Malik was named the tournament MVP. His teammate, Rhett Anderson, was also named to the all-tournament team.

Keppel started out with a 21-13 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Spartans closed the gap to 29-28 at the half and went ahead, 42-40, after three quarters. Keppel came back to tie the score, 55-55, at the end of regulation.

Almost all the scoring was accomplished by three players. Abe Malik topped the Spartans with 22 points, including three 3-point baskets. His brother Adam was next with 21 points, including three 3-pointers, and Anderson finished with 19 points. The final two points were scored by Eric Scott.

Adam Malik also had 10 rebounds, two blocked shots and five assists. Anderson had 10 rebounds, two blocked shots, one steal and one assist. Abe Malik came through with seven rebounds and two assists.

Darren Ho added four rebounds and four assists. Scott followed with three rebounds and one assist. Peter Dominguez had two rebounds, one steal and one assist. Garrison Grimes added one rebound and two assists and Jackson Ridd contributed one blocked shot.

In the tournament semifinal contest last Thursday, La Cañada eased by Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 75-69.

The Spartans led 19-18 at the end of the first quarter, 40-34 at the half and 57-46 after three quarters.

Four players did all the scoring. Abe Malik had 28 points, including five 3-pointers. Adam Malik came next with 17 points, including one 3-pointer. Anderson followed with 16 points and Ho had 14 points, including two 3-pointers.

Anderson added six rebounds, one blocked shot, two steals and three assists. Abe Malik came through with six rebounds, one steal and six assists. Adam Malik chipped in four rebounds, one blocked shot, three steals and three assists.

Scott finished with two rebounds and three assists. Ho had one rebound, one steal and three assists. Josh Lelo had one rebound and one steal. Ridd had one rebound and one assist and Grimes had one assist.

In a tournament second round contest on Dec. 28, the Spartans stopped San Gabriel Gabrielino, 68-43.

La Cañada jumped ahead 15-10 at the end of the first quarter, but fell behind 32-30 at the half. However, the Spartans went back into the lead to stay in the third quarter, 47-39.

Anderson had a team-high 21 points. Adam Malik as next with 15 points. Abe Malik added 10 points, including two 3-pointers. Grimes had nine points, including one 3-pointer.

Others were Scott with two 3-pointers, Lelo with five points, including one 3-pointer and Andrew Gauthier with two points.

Anderson led the Spartans with 16 rebounds and also had one blocked shot, one steal and one assist. Adam Malik grabbed nine rebounds and had two blocked shots, one steal and six assists.

Abe Malik pulled down six rebounds and had two steals and five assists. Scott had three rebounds and one assist. Lelo also had three rebounds. Dominguez added two rebounds and Ross Grandolph had two rebounds.

Others were Ho with one rebound and one assist. Gauthier had one blocked shot and two assists. Grimes came through with two steals and Vince Adamson had one steal.

La Cañada started and ended the tournament with an overtime victory as the Spartans outlasted Whittier, 63-55, in a tournament first round overtime game.

Whittier took a 13-11 lead at the end of the first quarter and La Cañada fell further behind, 27-21, at the half. Each team scored 12 points in the third quarter, but the Spartans came roaring back to outscore the Cardinals in the fourth quarter, 20-14, to tie up the contest at 53-53. La Cañada held Whittier to just two points in the overtime period to capture the victory.

Anderson led the Spartans with 24 points. Adam Malik was right behind with 22 points, including one 3-pointer. Abe Malik finished with six points, Lelo had five points, including one 3-pointer, Grimes had four points and Scott added two points.

Anderson had 15 rebounds, five blocked shots, two steals and two assists. Abe Malik chipped in six rebounds, two steals and six assists. Adam Malik came through with four rebounds, one steal and four assists.

Dominguez finished with four rebounds and one steal. Scott contributed three rebounds, four steals and two assists. Grimes had three rebounds, one steal and three assists. Ho had two rebounds. Lelo had one rebound and Christian Nitu added one rebound, one steal and one assist. Ridd added one blocked shot.