Boys’ basketball: Khaliq Bedart-Ghani rises up for Loyola
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
Everybody knows Los Angeles Loyola is loaded at the guard position, but the key to the Cubs’ success against elite teams will be the play of 6-foot-5 senior Khaliq Bedart-Ghani.
He came through in a big way Friday night in the semifinals of the Fairfax tournament, scoring 18 points while contributing with his rebounding and defensive play in an 82-58 victory over Long Beach Poly.
He’s a straight-A student who plays wing for his travel team, but for the Cubs, he’s their big man in the middle and must play big for them to win.
Loyola had five players reach double figures, led by Parker Cartwright, who scored 19 points.
It sets up a championship game on Saturday at 6 p.m. between the Cubs and Santa Ana Mater Dei. The game will be broadcast Sunday by Time Warner Cable on its Channel 101 at 8 a.m., noon, 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Mater Dei defeated Fairfax, 66-49, with Xavier Johnson scoring 18 points. The game was noteworthy in that NBA coaches Mike Brown, Larry Drew and Reggie Theus were in the stands watching their sons play.
-- Eric Sondheimer