PHD Team Wins Rec Center 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament

Sometimes our spur of the moment decisions don’t pan out. Other times, however, they can lead to an unexpected championship. 

That’s what happened Saturday night for Palisadians Tucker Steil, Erel Israel and Hero Delano, who did pickup players everywhere proud by winning the Palisades Recreation Center Teen Council’s 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

Dubbed PHD short for Pali Hoop Dreams (Steil’s local club team), the trio signed up on a whim and ended up winning all four of its games, including an 18-16 triumph over Lades (consisting of Will St. John, Alden Cusick and Taylor Stokes) in the finals, when Israel sank the winning 19-foot jumper with 50 seconds left.

Steil plays on Palisades High’s varsity basketball team, Israel plays JV lacrosse for PaliHi and Delano is a student at Santa Monica College.

The teen tournament was organized by PaliHi varsity soccer player David Grinsfelder, who formed his own trio with soccer teammate Kavi Kashani and PaliHi varsity baseball player Brendan Ward. A fourth team consisted of PaliHi tennis players Barron Chavez and Ryan Schindler and Loyola High tennis player Derek Vincent.

The round-robin format pitted the threesomes  against each other in fast and furious halfcourt games 10 minutes in length and when scores were tallied the two teams with the best records, PHD and Lades, met  for the championship in a 15-minute, winner-take-all showdown in the Big Gym.

In the teams’ first matchup, PHD edged Lades, 15-14, and PHD went on to win its other two pool play games, 13-8 and 12-11 (in overtime).

The event was part of the Council’s efforts to provide fun entertainment and sports opportunities for teenagers in the community, serve as a sounding board  for Rec Center events, volunteer at local functions and share new ideas. The President of the Teen Council serves a one-year term on the Pali Rec Center Board as a full voting member.

The Council is hoping to expand the program to middle school students in the future. Applications are being accepted for next year’s Board and the President position.

Those interested should email Rec Center Director Erich Haas at erich.haas@lacity.org or stop by the Rec Center for an application.