First-Round Knockout

Precisely 18 seconds into the season junior captain Emma Newman hit a three-point basket from near the top of the key and Palisades High’s girls varsity basketball team was off and running to a 56-22 rout of Santa Monica in Monday’s first round of the 10th annual Palisades Beach Invitational.

Former Dolphins point guard Ashlie Bruner, now at Valley College, was on hand to keep the official stats and she glanced up from the book just in time to see Palisades’ fast break produce another layup. The Dolphins built a 15-0 lead in the first six minutes and allowed a single basket in the first quarter.
Despite a looming quarterfinal matchup with nationally-ranked Windward, the Open Division state runner-up last winter, Palisades did not take the Vikings lightly. The Dolphins’ full-court press forced numerous turnovers, leading to easy transition baskets, as the margin grew to 34-8 by halftime.
Having established an insurmountable lead, the Dolphins did not score in the fourth quarter and yet their balanced scoring pleased Coach Torino Johnson, who is hoping to guide his team to its third City title in four years.
“I’m happy that we made extra passes on offense, we stayed focused on defense and the girls were able to get off to the kind of start that would promote them. The intent to do well was there.”
Forward Bianca King led all scorers with 13 points, Kylie Bethel had 12, Hydeia Duronslet had seven, Chaniya Pickett had six and Newman added five points for the Dolphins, who tied for first place with Marymount and Notre Dame Academy in 2008 and won outright in 2010 and 2011. Senior guard Erina Niwa then represented Palisades in the three-point shooting contest.
“We’ve been practicing since the first day of school and we still have a lot to work on,” King said. “Our goal is the City championship first, then see what we can do in state.”
Once the final buzzer sounded the focus shifted to yesterday’s showdown with Windward and Newman had already devised a winning gameplan.
“We have to execute on offense and defense, play smart and have a fierce spirit,” she said. “They play zone defense and we have to be ready for that.”
Pali Production, the school’s video production team under the direction of teacher and girls tennis coach Sean Passan, is live streaming every game of the tournament, which concludes with the championship game at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.