Continuing to dominate their opposition, the Palisades High girls basketball team routed Granada Hills last Friday, 58-39, and will play for the City Division II championships against sixth-seeded South East High School tomorrow at 6 p.m. at the Roybal Learning Center. After finishing 10-2 in league play and defeating Maywood 102-30 and North Hollywood 62-40 to open the playoffs, it is no surprise to find the Pali girls are exceptional athletes who strive to play as a cohesive unit. ’This year we concentrated on working together as a team,’ said co-captain Nicole Flyer. Senior guard Kseniya Schevchuk added, ‘We collaborate and work well together. Each of us has our individual talents, but our strength is when we combine them.’ Junior point guard Ashlie Bruner led all PaliHi scorers against Granada Hills with 22 points, post Asia Smith nabbed 28 rebounds and Kylie Mizushima sank three 3-point baskets en route to the victory. The result came as no surprise to Pali coach Torino Johnson. ’I knew that both teams would come ready to play and we were prepared,’ he said. ‘We wanted to stop Xava Grooms and Nicole kept her in check.’ Grooms was held to one field goal and only eight points, and fouled out in the fourth quarter. Leading just 15-13 after one quarter, the Dolphins moved ahead 27-16 at halftime and then 40 to 18 after three quarters. ‘We outworked them and our defense kicked in the second and third quarter,’ Johnson said. In addition to player teamwork, Johnson credits assistants Mingo Brown III, Sheldon Crowley and Leilani Estavan as vital to the team’s success. Despite its successful record against strong non-league foes (the Dolphins beat Carson, which plays Narbonne in the Division I championship game), PaliHi was placed in Division II before the 2010 season began. And now, the top-seeded Dolphins are playing for a title.
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