Prep talk: LAUSD sponsors middle school basketball competition

For years, the Los Angeles Unified School District has teamed up with its Beyond the Bell afterschool program to enable middle schools students to have a variety of sports experiences.

This year, the LAUSD launched a basketball program that mirrors the high school experience with coaches and practices for middle schools that want to participate. It ended on Monday with championship games at one of Intuit Dome’s indoor courts, with Woodland Hills-based Hale Middle School coached by Andrew Schultz defeating Stephen M. White of Carson 27-22 in the boys’ final. Portola of Tarzana won the girls’ final 34-24 over El Sereno Magnet Charter.

The basketball leagues were launched this fall, with coaches getting paid and games being played on Saturdays. Thirty-two teams advanced through regional play to secure playoff spots.

LAUSD sports coordinator Trent Cornelius is hopeful the model can be expanded to soccer in the spring, focusing on skill development, structured training and stronger alignment with high school athletics.

It offers students who can’t afford to play club basketball a free opportunity to compete for their local middle school, where transferring is far less an issue than in high school.

Cornelius said the challenge will be finding additional coaches at the middle school level.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.