No Holiday Treats for Dolphins

School is out until Monday but Palisades High teams have been busy playing tournaments over the Winter Break, particularly the Dolphins’ boys and girls basketball squads. Coach James Paleno has his greenest squad ever and the team’s lack of experience has shown itself so far this season. Hopes were high when Palisades reached the finals of the ‘Coaches Vs. Cancer’ at Campbell Hall on December 6 and took fifth place at the Beverly Hills Classic the following week. Since then the youthful Dolphins have faltered, losing four times in two tournaments. One setback was a 74-71 loss to University at the San Fernando Valley Invitational. The Wildcats should battle Palisades for third place in the Western League behind perennial favorites Westchester and Fairfax. Both of the Dolphins’ losses at last week’s Santa Barbara Tournament were by five points to regional powers–Clovis West from Fresno and Curtis of University Place, Washington. Aaron Fitts leads the team in scoring, averaging 12.2 points per game, followed by Deron Williams (11.5) and Garrett Nevels (11.4). Sam Stapleton leads in assists with 5.3 per game, Fitts has a team-high 108 rebounds and 11 blocks and Williams has collected a team-best 25 steals. Quirky scheduling has Palisades (11-6) playing three league games next week, starting with Monday’s opener at Venice (tip-off at 4 p.m.), a team the Dolphins beat 55-43 in San Fernando on Dec. 22. Palisades hosts a rematch with University on Wednesday and travels to LACES on Friday. Meanwhile, Torino Johnson’s girls’ squad holds a similar record (11-5) through tournament action, winning five straight games to capture the Cleveland Snow Ball Invitational in December, then going 1-2 at last week’s Nike Classic in Arizona. Unlike the boys, however, Palisades’ girls will return from vacation in the midst of league play. The Dolphins lost their Western League opener to reigning champion Fairfax by 10 points on December 16 but beat Westchester by forfeit two days later when the visiting Comets failed to show up. Center Dominique Scott leads the offense, averaging 15.4 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. Palisades returns to its home court on Monday when it hosts Venice at 4 p.m., then travels to University on Wednesday and hosts LACES on Friday. Both of Palisades’ soccer teams have had two weeks to rest but Kim Smith’s girls’ squad (3-2-3) resumes play today against Kennedy at the Grant Tournament in Van Nuys. Katie van Daalen Wetters is the points leader with nine (three goals, three assists) while goalie Kristin Bailey has three shutouts. The Dolphins have outscored their first three Western League opponents 15-0 and look to continue their domination Monday against University at Stadium by the Sea (kick-off at 7 p.m.) Palisades’ varsity boys, under first-year coach Dave Suarez, are off to a 2-2-1 start (2-0-1 in the Western League) and travels to University for a first-place showdown Monday afternoon.