Boys’ basketball: Fairfax shows off talented freshmen in Ethan Anderson, Robert McRae

Defending City Section Division I champion Fairfax won the El Segundo tournament in its season debut last week, and Coach Harvey Kitani wasted little time in seeing how freshman guards Ethan Anderson and Robert McRae would handle varsity basketball.

Anderson led Fairfax in scoring with 18 points in a championship win over Loyola. It is believed that Anderson is the first freshman in Kitani’s 36 years of coaching to lead the Lions in scoring for a game. McRae has become a defensive stopper.

Center Babacar Thiombane was named the tournament MVP. “He has improved so much,” Kitani said.

And the best news of all could be coming on Tuesday, when All-City guard Donald Gipson goes to the doctor and will be hopefully cleared to play. He has been recovering from knee surgery.

Fairfax opens Western League play on Thursday against host Venice before traveling to Hawaii next week for a tournament.

“I think we have good potential because we have the young kids just learning top-flight varsity level play,” Kitani said.

Sophomore point guard Jamal Hartwell has taken over for Lindsey Drew in running the team.

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