Rebounders

Just believe. That is the rallying cry of the Palisades High boys basketball team, which is silencing all doubters with a remarkable turnaround that has put the City on notice: here come the Dolphins! After dropping 11 of its first 12 games and struggling to find an identity, the squad has revealed its character by winning eight of nine to vault into the thick of the Western League race and is the hottest squad. Since losing 11 of their first 12 games the Dolphins have won seven of eight and, remarkably, are playing their way into contention for the City Open Division playoffs under interim coach LeBre Merritt.

“I told the guys that opponents are going to look at our record and underestimate us so it’s our job to make them pay,” said Merritt, who was
an assistant for the girls team before stepping in to coach the boys one
game into the season. “We embraced the underdog role and are playing
with a chip on our shoulder.”

The Dolphins will not be overlooked anymore after Friday’s 48-44 upset at Western League frontrunner Westchester—only their second win in 56 league meetings with the Comets since 1997. “I’m not thinking about the playoffs or seedings or any of that,” said Merritt, the point guard and captain of Palisades’ varsity in 2008-09. “Our goal from Day 1 was to win league and it’s still the goal. My message all along has been this: if we don’t believe in ourselves why should anyone else believe in us?”

A cloud of suspicion hung over the program when nine high-profile players transferred to the school in a span of six weeks over the summer but by the time the season started all but three had either been denied eligibility or left campus. Another senior quit the team five weeks in. Juniors Muhammed Butler from IMG Academy and Eli Levi from Santa
Monica suited up for the first game while the other remaining transfer Devin Carey from Loyola, has a broke finger and has yet to see action. Previous coach Donzell Hayes and his staff were asked to step away from the program a day before the season opener November 13 and Athletic Director Rocky Montz served as acting coach in a 49-point defeat to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame. Blowout losses to Southern Section powerhouses Harvard-Westlake and Corona Centennial followed.

Merritt opted to pull his team out of the Maranatha Tournament, forfeiting a game but giving the Dolphins a much-needed week of practice to regroup and build chemistry.