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Sports

Pali High Girls Hoops Rules Beach

The Dolphins top Esperanza to repeat as tournament champion.

The first goal for the girls basketball team this season was a simple one: to defend its own tournament championship.

The Dolphins can check that one off their list after defeating Anaheim Esperanza 72-60 in the finals of the eighth annual on Saturday night, paced by tournament Most Valuable Player Donae Moguel.

The senior center poured in 27 points and added 14 rebounds, two blocks and one steal as Palisades led by nine points at halftime and kept the visiting Aztecs at bay over the final two quarters to win the title for the second straight season. Last year the Dolphins beat Carson 60-55 in the final to win the title outright for the first time.

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Moguel had plenty of help Saturday. Point guard Ashlie Bruner contributed 20 points, six steals, five assists and one rebound Asia Smith had 10 points, eight rebounds, two steals and two blocks and Skai Thompson had eight points, four rebounds and three steals. Bruner and Thompson also made the All-Tournament squad, along with Kennedy Burke of Sierra Canyon, Kelsy Brockway of Palos Verdes, Florence Turiaf of Marymount, Lauren Richardson of Marlborough, Kandyce Smith of La Salle, Jewelyn Sawyer of Gahr, Shannon Kingery and Cora Chan of El Camino Real, Mariah Durian and Kelly Burns of Esperanza, Lunden Junious of Culver City, and Nicole Tolbert and Lauren Holiday of Campbell Hall.

On Monday, Palisades continued its tournament schedule at the Matt Denning Girls Hoops Classic, hosted by reigning Division I state champion Santa Ana Mater Dei. The Dolphins (5-0) opened pool play with a 71-50 victory over Long Beach St. Anthony, 71-50, in the first round. They played Mater Dei's "B" team Tuesday and take on Fullerton Troy at 7:45 p.m. Thursday.

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Palisades Beach Invitational final-round scores:

15th Place: Sylmar vs. St. Monica (game not played)
13th Place: Westchester 51, Calabasas 45
11th Place: Marlborough 44, Marymount 38
9th Place: Campbell Hall 43, El Camino Real 42
7th Place: La Salle 37, Carson 34
5th Place: Palos Verdes 41, Sierra Canyon 41
Third Place: Culver City 50, Gahr 49
Championship: Palisades 72, Esperanza 60

BOYS BASKETBALL

Palisades opened the season with an eighth-place finish at the last week in Redondo Beach. After blowing out Torrance in their first game the Dolphins dropped the next three to host Redondo Union, Compton and Santa Monica. Palisades overcame a 13-point deficit to take the lead against Redondo in the fourth quarter when senior guard and captain Donovan Johnson, who scored 31 points against Torrance, was injured after being fouled on a dunk attempt and did not return. Palisades lost 55-52 and Johnson didn't play against Compton or Santa Monica. 

Tyler Duke scored 11 points and Tyler Hildreth added 10 in the Dolphins' 52-44 loss to Compton on Friday. Duke led the way with 12 points and Brenden Otero added nine in Saturday's 60-54 loss to Santa Monica in the seventh-place game.

Palisades (1-3) opens the against Corona Centennial on Tuesday night.

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