Pali High Pilot Torino Johnson Is Floor Leader for USA Basketball

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

The last few months have seemed like a whirlwind for Palisades High girls basketball coach Torino Jonson, who was hired over the summer to head the Los Angeles sector of USA Basketball’s Youth Development program.

Johnson is not only hard at work preparing the Dolphins to defend their City Section championship, he’s also organizing pick-up games at the Pali High gym on Saturdays through USA Basketball, a 12-week endeavor called “Open Court LA.”

“It’s not a selection process – anyone between the ages of 6 and 17 can come in and play,” Johnson said. “It’s open gym, open court and if you win, you keep playing. The only thing it will cost them is sweat equity.”

Johnson coaches USA Basketball’s U16 girls team and has implemented many of his peers’ techniques and ideas to grow the game at the youth level. His entire    Pali High varsity team showed up last Saturday to play scrimmage each other and other pickup teams.

“This program is the first of its kind and I’m honored to be able to host it here at Palisades,” Johnson said. “This is only our second week. USA Basketball is about developing players and in order to do that you have to provide a safe environment for kids to be developed.”