Sports
Calabasas Is Hoopin' It Up as Boys, Girls Win Playoff Openers
The boys advance to play Cerritos tonight, while the girls play Saturday against Alemany.
The boys and girls basketball teams are both in good shape after winning in the first round of the CIF Southern Section basketball playoffs.
The boys knocked off Diamond Ranch 82-52 on Wednesday to set up a Div. III-A second-round game tonight against visiting Cerritos, while the girls defeated Yucca Valley 63-61 in a Div. III-A matchup on Thursday to qualify for a second-round game Saturday against Alemany of Mission Hills. Both tips are at 7 p.m.
The boys have won five in a row, and the Coyotes are hoping they’re peaking at the right time.
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“We’re playing really well. We’re playing team basketball,” Calabasas center said. “We’re working really hard. Yes, we’ve had some losses this season, but I think those losses have made us stronger and helped us learn to do a better job.”
In the win over Diamond Ranch, Callum Dewar scored 19 points, Justman added 12 and Lenard Gorokhov scored 11.
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“We needed a nice performance, and we got it,” Calabasas coach Jon Palarz said. “We had three players in double figures, plus Jeremy Lierberman had eight assists. Everyone on the team scored at least a point, so it was a fun game.”
Calabasas looks to make it six in a row against Cerritos (16-12), which eliminated Campbell Hall in the first round Wednesday.
“They come out of a good league, the Suburban League, and I’ve had a chance to watch some film on them,” Palarz said. “They’re not real big, but they’ve got a guard who looks like a Div. I college prospect.”
The girls’ win at Yucca Valley was dramatic, as Lauren Tse blocked a shot in the final seconds to save the Coyotes (14-14), as four starters fouled out and the fifth left because of an injury.
Katie Noonan scored 18 points and Jacqueline Goodman chipped in 11.
Calabasas won a coin flip to host Saturday’s second round game against Alemany at 7 p.m.; both teams have 14-14 records.
In Alemany’s 58-41 win Thursday over West Valley, Celinaa Gougis scored 16 points, and Hannah Johnson added 13 points and 10 rebounds.
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