Boys’ basketball: Palisades in position to win league title
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Palisades hasn’t won a league basketball championship since 1997, and the Dolphins gave themselves a chance to take the Western League title after a 64-57 victory over host Fairfax.
Palisades (14-9, 8-1) leads Westchester (17-5, 7-1) and Fairfax (16-9, 8-2). Palisades plays Westchester on Monday night at Palisades.
Leading the way was All-City guard Donovan Johnson, who looked as if he was participating in a Gatorade commercial because he kept drinking the stuff on the bench. He said he consumed four bottles before the night was over after struggling with an illness. All he did was score 28 points coming off the bench.
‘When he plays within himself, there’s nobody who can stop him,’ Coach James Paleno said
Palisades led by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter. Tyler Duke supported Johnson with 12 points. Fairfax was 0 for 13 shooting in the first quarter. Landon Drew finished with 22 points.
University defeated LACES, 61-59, on a Breamon Richard shot at the buzzer. Victor Nwaba had 21 points.
In the Coliseum League, Crenshaw defeated View Park, 58-54, in overtime.
In the West Valley League, Julian Richardson scored 25 points in El Camino Real’s 62-53 win over Cleveland. Taft defeated Granada Hills, 69-51. Steven Jones had 14 points.
In the Valley Mission League, Kennedy is 16-8 and 8-1 after a 65-47 win over San Fernando. Danny Jiron scored 15 points.
-- Eric Sondheimer