Dolphins Surge to League Lead

Pali High Girls Basketball Extends Winning Streak, Moves into Sole Possession of First Place

Thirteen proved to be a lucky number for the Palisades High girls basketball team Monday night. The host Dolphins routed Hamilton 88-17 for their 13th win in a row to stay in first place in the Western League race with four games left.

Having returned from China in time to work with the team in practice a few days before, assistant coach Metta World Peace liked what he saw from the bench as point guard Chelsey Gipson hit four three-pointers in the first half and Rita Herbstman added two more to stretch the Yankees’ defense and open the lane for forward Bianca King  and guards Chaniya Pickett and Kayla Merrill-Gillett.

“China was wild, those people love basketball,” said World Peace, who stuck around to watch his son Ron Artest III play in the boys game. “When [head coach] Torino Johnson asked if I wanted to help out I said I would if he made me a coach. I wanted it to be official. This is very fulfilling. I’ve always wanted to do this and I’m happy to be coaching at Palisades. The girls are having a great season.”

Gipson finished with 29 points and four assists, Merrill-Gillett scored 20 points, Pickett had 11, Herbstman had nine, King had seven, and Sammy Spanier and Ariana Haghani each added six for the Dolphins, who improved to 16-10 overall and 8-0 in league. Palisades led 74-14 at halftime.

“He’s great,” King said of World Peace, who averaged 19 points, six rebounds and 2.3 steals in 15 games this season for the Sichuan Blue Whales of the Chinese Basketball Association and helped the Los Angeles Lakers win their last NBA championship in 2010. “He mainly  helps us with our defense – our feet, our positioning and our spacing. We’re all working together and that’s why we’re winning.”

Monday’s result came on the heels of two key home victories last week against Fairfax and Westchester. Fairfax beat Palisades three times on the way to winning its first City Section Division I title last year, but the Dolphins are intent on returning the favor this season. After crushing the Lions in the finals of the Fairfax Tournament in December, the Dolphins dealt their league rivals another decisive defeat last Wednesday.

Gipson scored 21 points, King had 15 and Merrill-Gillett added 14 in a 67-51 triumph that put Palisades alone atop the league standings.

This time, Fairfax led 18-13 after the first quarter, but Spanier’s jumper in the lane gave the Dolphins a 26-25 lead at halftime. They broke the game open early in the third quarter with a 14-3 run, sparked by King’s work on the glass. She finished with 17 rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks while guarding City Player of the Year Marguerite Effa, who had 35 points.

“It was a big game to show them the last time wasn’t a fluke,” Merrill-Gillett said. “We’re trying to take it one game at a time and  play with the same intensity no matter who the opponent is.”

Two nights later, the Dolphins took care of Westchester 66-42 for their 12th straight win, outscoring the Comets 29-8 in the second quarter.

King played one of her most complete games of the season with 22 points, 20 rebounds, seven blocks, six steals and three assists. Merrill-Gillett chipped in 19 points and seven steals and Spanier had 17 points, four assists and three steals. Ariana Haghani and Julia Ide also scored.

Palisades hosted University on Wednesday and travels to Venice on Friday before wrapping up  league play next week against LACES and Fairfax.