Pali High Players Earn Postseason Honors

Now that the high school basketball season is over, players can begin to be rewarded for their contributions to their teams and Palisades has its fair share of deserving athletes on All-League and All-City teams.   

For the girls, senior guard Demonnie Lagway was named Western League Most Valuable Player after leading the Dolphins to their third straight first-place finish and third consecutive trip to the Open Division playoffs. Joining her on the All-League first team are three teammates: junior forward Elise Arnold, senior center Janelly Portillo and senior guard Sydney Meskin. Second team selections included three more Dolphins: junior guard Brooke Shibata, senior wing Sofia Canter and junior forward Taylor Arnold.       

For the boys, senior shooting guard Charlie Moore   was named Western League Co-Outstanding Player alongside Venice sophomore guard Tyler Hunt, who led his team to the Division III state final. Among the All-League first team picks was Palisades senior forward Bowdoin Brazell and making the second team were two more Dolphins—junior guard Avery Lee and senior guard Zach Haas. Honorable mention went to, among others, Pali High senior forwards Bo Niklas Johansson and Owen Larbalestier.

Co-MVP honors went to senior forward Tyler Bey and sophomore guard David Mack from league winner Fairfax.

The CIF Los Angeles Section released its All-City teams Monday and Lagway and Portillo made the Open Division girls list. Birmingham senior guard Janna Holley, who netted 32 points in the Patriots’ semifinal victory over Palisades, is Player of the Year.

Victor Koopongsakorn of Birmingham is Coach of the Year after piloting the Patriots to the title.

For the boys, Moore and Brazell were among 17  players on the Open Division list. Sharing Player of the Year honors with Bey was King/Drew sophomore guard Kalib LaCount, who poured in 35 points in the Golden Eagles’ 53-49 win at Palisades in the City quarterfinals and added 37 in a semifinal upset of top-seeded Taft. The 5-foot-9 LaCount then faced the 6-foot-8 Bey in a David versus Goliath matchup in the finals and scored 33 points, but Bey countered with 22 to lead the top-seeded Lions to a 76-64 win and their ninth City title.

Coach of the Year honors were shared by Fairfax’s Reggie Morris and Venice’s David Galley, who guided the Gondos to the Division III regional crown.