Calabasas Wins Summer Hoops Tourney

Coming off a 20-win season, boys basketball team looks like it’s going to be strong again.

The Coyotes went 6-0 over three days and defeated high-powered Modesto Christian 59-41 on Sunday to win the To The Rack tournament at Oaks Christian High in Westlake Village.

Spencer Levy scored 26 points in the championship game, and he was named tournament MVP.

“This was very positive. I think we should win the Marmonte League next season,” Levy said. “We did a good job, the starters, the bench, the coaching.”

With so many other top teams in the league – Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley finished tied for first last season, and Calabasas was third – it’s not going to be easy, but coach Jon Palarz likes what he sees.

“I think it was a great performance for our team. We won six games and played well,” Palarz said.

In the championship game, Holden Israel added 15 points, as Calabasas was 2-0 on the day including a semifinal win over Thousand Oaks – perhaps a good omen.

FOOTBALL TEAM IN WORK IN PROGRESS UNDER NEW COACH

Calabasas’ football team is getting busy, too. The Coyotes competed in a seven-on-seven passing tournament for the first time under new coach Christian Pierce on Saturday, and though there were some ups and downs, the coach said the performance was a good starting point.

“We’re trying some things, trying out three quarterbacks, so even though we’re not where I want them to be, I’m more concerned with where they’re going to be,” Pierce said.

The main goal at this early point is improvement, as Calabasas is hoping to improve upon last year’s 3-7 finish that included two Marmonte League wins for the first time since the Coyotes joined the league eight years ago.

Among the most impressive performers Saturday were receivers Caleb Madden and Devin Doyle and linebacker Jordan Pierce, the coach’s son.

“We just need to switch a few things around and do some tweaking,” coach Pierce said. “Our focus right now is not to win seven-on-seven games but to get better and become a better football team.”