It might have seemed like a bold statement when Palisades High girls’ basketball coach Torino Johnson said before the season that his team’s goal was to make noise in the state tournament, especially since it lost in the first round of the City Section playoffs last season. Following the Dolphins’ 60-55 triumph over reigning City champion Carson, however, that scenario seems not so far-fetched. For in avenging last year’s seven-point loss in the finals, Palisades won its own tournament outright for the first time and served notice that it is ready to challenge for the section title. The Dolphins were fourth the first two years, fifth in 2006, third in 2007 and finished in a three-way tie for first with Marymount and Notre Dame Academy in 2008 before their runner-up showing 12 months ago. This year, the championship is theirs alone. Victory was not gained without tense moments, though. Palisades led 32-28 at halftime and 49-36 after three quarters, but Carson battled back to briefly take the lead in the fourth quarter thanks to point guard Chante Miles, who had 20 points, five assists, five rebounds and two steals. Point guard Ashlie Bruner was selected Most Valuable Player and was joined on the All-Tournament team by fellow Dolphins Donae Moguel, Nicole Flyer, Asia Smith and Skai Thompson. Palisades won all four of its games in the Gold Division. The tournament featured all three of last year’s City champions–Division I winner Carson, Division II winner El Camino Real and Small Schools winner LACES, which lost by one point to Carson in last Thursday’s semifinals. Palisades survived a late rally to hold off ECR, 46-38, in the other semifinal before using its balanced attack to turn the tables on the Colts. Undersized but resilient, the Conquistadores played even until the final two minutes, when Bruner and Moguel took over. Each finished with 15 points. Bruner was marvelous in the final, filling up the stat sheet with 21 points, six rebounds, three assists and one steal. Moguel made her presence felt in the post with 16 points, nine rebounds, three steals and three blocks and Flyer added 14 points, five rebounds and two blocks. In the first round last Tuesday, Palisades (4-0) used its pressure defense and up-tempo style to wear down Marymount on its way to a 56-25 victory. The next night the Dolphins started fast and opened a 71-2 halftime over Dorsey’outscoring the overmatched Dons 44-0 in the second quarter–before resting all of their starters in the second half of a 79-17 romp. Marymount won the Bronze Division with a 42-28 victory over Dorsey and Cantwell Sacred Heart Academy beat Camarillo, 43-36, to take first place in the Silver Division. In the end, though, the Dolphins’ seventh annual hoops tournament belonged to the host school. Johnson and his team had little time to savor their tournament victory. The Dolphins were back on the court Monday night against Southern Section powerhouse Santa Ana Mater Dei in the first round of the Matt Dennin Hoops Classic. Next Saturday, Palisades hits the road again for the Nike Tournament of Champions.
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