Calabasas Hoops on a Roll Heading Into Tough Oaks Christian Tourney

You can’t argue with perfection, but 10-0 record in boys basketball is going to be put to the test this week.

Coming off tournament championships at Campbell Hall in North Hollywood and Palm Springs, the Coyotes play in the highly competitive Oaks Christian tournament, beginning at 7:30 tonight, against the host Lions. If Calabasas can survive this invitational, the Coyotes, ranked No. 20 in California by Maxpreps, could really be on to something.

Besides Oaks Christian, a defending Southern Section Division IV finalist, the tournament features several of the state’s top programs, including Etiwanda, Sacramento, Corona Centennial, Colony, Santa Monica and others.

“Our whole team is looking forward to the high level of competition,” forward Josh Cohan said. “We know we have to beat the best to be the best.”

If Calabasas wins tonight, the Coyotes play Wednesday against the Compton Centennial-Palisades winner. The four-day tournament continues through Friday.

“This is certainly the top local tournament this week,” Calabasas coach Jon Palarz said. “As far as enjoying being 10-0, I don’t know if ‘enjoying’ is the right word. We’re playing one game at a time, and there are 15 left to go. That may sound like ‘coach speak,’ but we’re trying not to think too much about our record and to just focus on the game ahead of us.

“We might be the only team in the tournament that’s undefeated, but the others are pretty strong," Palarz said. "Most of the teams are pretty good. I mean, Palisades is one of the few that does not have a winning record, but they’ve been in every game by two or three points.”

Two keys for Calabasas has been balanced scoring and tenacious defense. It seems every night there’s a different standout that scores 20 or more, and the Coyotes have held all but two opponents to fewer than 50 points.

“We do have a lot of balance, a lot of different players who do well in different games,” Palarz said.

Plus, the team bonded well in Palm Springs, staying at a hotel and enjoying meals together, he said.

Jeremy Lieberman, a sophomore who is the nephew of former All-City guard Zach Lieberman, was the MVP of the Palm Springs tournament after scoring 24 points in the championship game against the hosts. Levy was the MVP of the Campbell Hall tournament.

“Jeremy is playing better and better,” Palarz said. “He plays with real energy, and he has poise. He does not get rattled. He’s a very capable player.”

Calabasas is on a roll, and Levy can feel the momentum building.

“We’re pumped. We can’t wait to start the Oaks Christian tournament,” Levy said. “If we keep emphasizing defense and doing things the right way, we should be fine. ... We have great coaching and great teamwork, and the bonding on this team is incredible.”

VIEWPOINT LOOKS TO SNAP BACK

After an 11-day break, boys basketball team is busy again. Just as Calabasas leaves the desert, Viewpoint is heading there, as the Patriots play in Palm Desert tonight, opening against Shadow Hills. Tipoff is at 5:30 p.m.

The big news is the return of standout Jonny Paul. He has been sidelined since injuring his foot late in the season opener after scoring 33 points in 24 minutes, and the 6-foot-1 junior figures to make a major impact for a team that has lost its past two games.

Paul has been gone for nearly four weeks, and Viewpoint misses him, coach J.J. Prince said.

“We get him back, which is great,” Prince said. “It should make a big difference because now we’re playing with a full deck, and that changes the whole dynamic of the team and puts everything in order, including our substitution pattern, and that’s significant for us.”

Prince said the team is looking forward to hitting the road together and staying in a hotel for the rest of the week: “It’s a fantastic opportunity to enjoy some quality time together without interruption—no school, no this, no that. It’s a great opportunity.”

GIRL POWER

Calabasas’ girls basketball team is 4-7 after losing Monday to Harvard-Westlake in the first round of the West Coast Holiday Classic. The Coyotes continue tournament action at 4:30 p.m. against Glendale. Jaclyn Goodman, a junior, is averaging 12.3 points.

Viewpoint’s girls basketball team, coached by Nikko Fournier, has lost three in a row after a 2-0 start. The Patriots are on winter break before resuming today against Vincent Memorial in the Tri-City tournament.