For the first time since their win over Hawthorne a month ago, the Culver City High School boys basketball team played four strong quarters, and they were rewarded. Their 68-47 blowout win over Westminster last Thursday in Orange County, in the first round of the CIF Division 2AA playoffs, proved they can prevail when they string together four impressive quarters.
This evening at 7, the Centaurs will aim for two straight when facing a good Westlake team (22-7 and 13-1 in the Marmonte League) from Westlake Village. Coaches maintain that records are not so important in the playoffs. The team that’s hot advances, they say.
That theory will be tested tonight. Culver City is 12-15. They only won two Ocean League games in 10 tries. “We knew Westminster probably took us lightly because of our record,” said Centaur senior Chris Edwards. “Our hard schedule made us humble and hungry. Hopefully we can shock another team.”
Using a balanced scoring attack to beat Westminster, Isaac Girley scored 16 points, Armani Nicolis scored 15, Edwards had 12 and Jordan Williams added nine.
Sophomore Kyle Johnson filled in for injured starter Wesley Dixon. He came off the bench to give the Centaurs depth in the front court. Dixon injured his ankle in practice last Tuesday but he hopes to be back for tonight’s game. “Kyle is one of our best athletes from the junior varsity team,” said Coach Adam Eskridge. “He is starting to play smart basketball.”
Culver City has relied on their big three scorers all season, and they delivered again against Westmister.
“I told Chris, Armani and Isaac that we will go as far as they will take us,” said Eskridge. “I also told them take they can’t do it by themselves. They must rely on their teammates if we expect to win games.”
Although Culver City scored 68 points against Westminster, defense won the game. “We had a mindset to stop their two top scorers who have been averaging 50 points,” Nicolis said. “I was concentrating on stopping their top scorer (Tyler Burch). That was the hardest I have ever played defense in my life.”
Burch, a 6-6 junior who averages 28 points, was held to 21 by Culver City.
An obviously disappointed Burch acknowledged that “we played a bad first half. Culver City played good defense. They were quick , and they played us tough.”
After a good week of practices, Eskridge said that “the players we brought up from the junior varsity energized our team.”
Sometimes losing can make or break a team. “The players hated the way the regular season ended,” said Eskridge. “They wanted to show everyone that they are a good team.”
Girley may have told best, “We were tired of losing,” he said.
Mr. Finley may be contacted at sfinley50@aol.com
