Tiny Renaissance Academy Takes on Titans of High School Basketball

boys basketball team has gone 2-2 in it past four games, but the two losses were against two of the top teams in the state.

Renaissance beat Besant Hill and Hope Centre, but lost to Price and La Verne Lutheran.

The Wildcats (19-4) are the No. 1 team in the CIF Southern Section Division 6 rankings and do not shy away from quality basketball programs.

The tiny school has only 50 students, but the 11 players on the basketball team are some of the best in Southern California.

They showed off their skills in a 61-34 rout of Besant Hill in the Oaks Christian Showcase on Saturday night. Renaissance Academy jumped out to 35-5 halftime lead and didn’t let Besant Hill into double figures until the third quarter.

But the win over Besant Hill came on the heels of a 68-55 loss to Price, the No. 4 team in the Southern Section Division 4AA poll, in a Harbor League game.

Renaissance Academy won its first Harbor League game of the season, 71-25, over Hope Centre on Tuesday night.

The next night, the Wildcats faced La Verne Lutheran, the No. 2 team in the Southern Section Division 4AA rankings.

Despite building a 12-point lead early in the game, Renaissance Academy lost, 54-45, at L.A. Valley College.

Vince Devaughn led the Wildcats in scoring with 16 points against La Verne Lutheran. Jessy Cantinol scored 14 points and had 11 rebounds. Troy Fontanilla had seven assists and four points.

Renaissance Academy coach Sid Cooke said his players committed too many turnovers and perhaps were too comfortable playing with a
lead.

“It’s tough,” Cooke said. “Other teams get comfortable and can get away with it. It’s a good learning lesson.”

With two games left to play before the CIF basketball playoffs begin, Cooke said Price and La Verne Lutheran are good tests late in the season. Freshman Kevin Dinges agreed.

“It makes everyone better,” Dinges said. “We know how good people are around here and how good we need to be to beat a team like them.”

Elsewhere Around Town

El Camino Oceanside 56, La Canada 48: La Canada (13-10) lost to El Camino in overtime in the Fairfax State Preview Classic on Saturday. It was the Spartans second loss in their past 10 games.

Maranatha 52, La Canada 33: La Canada lost to Maranatha in the Azusa Pacific University Shootout, its second game and second loss in a row on Saturday.

Temple City 46, La Canada 38: La Canada lost its third game in a row to Temple City in a Rio Hondo League game on Wednesday night. The Spartans are 5-2 and tied for first place with South Pasadena in the Rio Hondo League standings.

La Canada plays South Pasadena on Tuesday night at La Canada High School.

Flintridge Prep 71, Alta Loma 50: Kory Hamane scored 23 points for Flintridge Prep (15-7) in the Azusa Pacific University Shootout on Saturday. Robert Cartwright had 18 points and Jedrick Eugenio scored 11 points for Flintridge Prep, which won its third game in a row.

Flintridge Prep 66, Rio Hondo Prep 36: Flintridge Prep won its fourth game in a row against Rio Hondo Prep in a Prep League game on Tuesday. The Rebels are 6-0 and in first place in the Prep League standings.

Alemany 76, St. Francis 45: St. Francis (9-14) has lost four of its past five games, the only win coming against a Crespi (19-5). Alemany is in first place in the Mission League with a 9-1 record and has won seven games
in a row.

St. Francis is in sixth place in the seven-team Mission League with a 2-7 record. The Golden Knights play Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, the last-place team in the Mission League, tonight at St. Francis High School.