Hoops Squads Win Big in Playoff Openers

The Palisades High boys and girls basketball teams entered their Los Angeles City Section first-round playoff games as heavy favorites, and each won decisively to move one step closer to the ultimate goal.

On Thursday night, Coach Torino Johnson's girls squad displayed its versatility and depth in an 81-21 trouncing of 16th-seeded Hollywood in the first round of the Division 2 bracket. Every single Dolphins player scored at least one basket and Skai Thompson led the way with 18 points, six rebounds and six steals, Donae Moguel added 14 points, Asia Smith had 10 points and Hannah Akmal had six points and eight steals against the Central League runner-up Sheiks (18-8).

The top-seeded Dolphins (25-5) have won 16 straight since a Dec. 29 loss to Agoura at the Oaks Christian tournament. The defending Division 2 champions will host archrival Venice in the second round at 7 p.m. Tuesday, with the winner taking on No. 4 Roosevelt or No. 5 Granada Hills in the semifinals Friday, Feb. 25.

Palisades routed eighth-seeded Venice twice in Western League play, winning 51-36 at home Jan. 11 and winning 47-21 at Venice Jan. 30. The Gondos beat ninth-seeded North Hollywood 53-42 in the first round.

On Friday, it was the boys' turn to take the floor and Coach James Paleno's team put on an offensive clinic, running 13th-seeded Manual Arts out of the Dolphins' gym, 107-48, in their Division 1 opener.

Cal State Northridge-bound Donovan Johnson came close to tying the school single-game record, pouring in 42 points, while Ryan Ford scored 13, Brenden Otero and Dominick Brown each had 11 and Tyler Hildreth and Tyler Duke each added 10.

Palisades finished in a three-way tie for first in the Western League with Fairfax and Westchester, who were seeded second and third in the 16-team field. The fourth-place finisher, University, was seeded ninth and lost by one point to No. 8 Birmingham in the first round. 

The fourth-seeded Dolphins (17-10) raced to 29-4 first-quarter lead and never looked back. They scored 40 points in the second quarter and took a 48-point lead into halftime. The Toilers (5-17), who were fifth in the Coliseum League, did a little better in the second half but were outscored by 21 over the final 24 minutes. 

Palisades' easy victory set up a marquee quarterfinal matchup against fifth-seeded Crenshaw on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Pali High. The Cougars (23-4) won the Coliseum League and routed No. 12 Sylmar 91-43 in the first round Friday. If the Dolphins prevail they will meet either top-seeded Taft or Birmingham in the semifinals Feb. 25 at Cal State Dominguez Hills.