Pali High Girls Basketball Stays Hot

Twelve straight victories will keep coach smiling, but girls basketball pilot Torino Johnson remains stoic about his team's impressive winning streak. That's because for all his Dolphins have accomplished thus far this season, they still haven't reached their ultimate goal.

Despite a stellar 21-5 record and a perfect 10-0 mark in Western League play, anything short of a second consecutive Los Angeles City Section Division II championship will be a disappointment for Palisades. In fact, Johnson believes the program's first state title is also attainable.

Led by All-City point guard Leilani Estavan, now one of Johnson's assistant coaches, the Dolphins reached the Division I state finals in 1999, losing by one point to Archbishop Mitty from San Jose. With three games remaining this season, Palisades is looking to carry its momentum over to the playoffs.

Sandwiched between its final two league contests (on Wednesday and Friday) is an intersectional matchup at home Thursday against Orange Lutheran, which lost to eventual champion Santa Maria St. Joseph a year ago in the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Division III tournament. The Lancers (16-10) figure to be the last stiff test before the Dolphins open the postseason. 

Palisades plays at University on Wednesday (tip-off at 5:30 p.m.) and at home against Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies at 7 p.m. Friday. On Friday, the Dolphins routed visiting L.A. Hamilton 78-39, with center Donae Moguel scoring 26 points and pulling down 15 rebounds, guard Skai Thompson adding 13 points and point guard Ashlie Bruner finishing with 11 points, 10 assists and seven steals. Moguel is averaging 17.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.

The Dolphins haven't lost since Dec. 29 when Agoura beat them 56-41 in the third round of the Oaks Christian Tournament.

Boys Basketball

Flying high after last week's 64-57 win at Fairfax, Palisades was in the driver's seat in the Western League heading into Monday's home game against reigning champion Westchester. A win would've moved the Dolphins into sole possession of first place with one game remaining and given them the inside track towards their first league crown since 1997.

However, the Comets showed why they're still one of the top programs in the City Section, building a 21-18 halftime lead while keeping Palisades' top scorer Donovan Johnson in check until the fourth quarter of a 55-45 victory. Johnson scored nine of his 20 points in the final eight minutes, but it was too little, too late against Westchester (19-5, 9-1), which fell to Woodland Hills Taft in the City Section Division I finals last year.

Palisades (15-10, 9-2) must first take care of visiting L.A. University in its league finale on Wednesday, then hope Westchester loses at Hamilton on Wednesday or at Fairfax on Friday, creating a three-way tie for first place. The Dolphins prevailed in their first meeting with the Wildcats, winning 65-51 on Jan. 23 at University.