By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
If there’s one concept the Palisades High boys basketball team is embracing this season, it’s togetherness. The Dolphins pride themselves on balanced scoring and every win seems to produce a different hero.
Monday night was Daniel Emein’s turn to shine as he scored a team-high 21 points, including five three-pointers, as Palisades won its Western League opener 73-59 and dealt University its first defeat.
The host Dolphins avenged a four-point loss in the championship game of the Jim Nakabara Classic on December 9 and improved to 8-6 overall.
“It was a must win, not only because they beat us earlier in the season but to get off to a good start in league,” said Emein, a senior guard who hit five three-pointers. “I like to catch and shoot and they were leaving me open so I took advantage. I’m not afraid to shoot in pressure situations when we need a basket.”
Palisades made 11 three-point shots and sank 14 of 16 free throws to end the Wildcats’ winning streak. Sophomore point guard Nick Kerkorian contributed 19 points, senior forward Zack Lynch had 12 points and senior guard Chris Kurihara drained three long-range jumpers on his way to 11 points.
Emein drove the lane and scored on a finger roll to break a 47-47 tie at the third-quarter buzzer, then swished back-to-back three-pointers from the top of the key to give Palisades a 57-49 lead with 3:21 left in the fourth quarter.
Back-to-back layups by Kerkorian pumped up the home crowd and stretched the lead to 61-51 with 1:44 left and University’s attempt to lengthen the game by fouling backfired when the Dolphins made nine of their last 10 shots from the charity stripe to widen the lead.
University head coach Steve Ackerman referred to his squad’s 13-0 record as “fool’s gold” and admitted he had to abandon the pregame strategy after the Wildcats fell behind 10-0 in the first three minutes.
“It was a combination of things,” Ackerman said. “Palisades executed a great game plan and deserved to win. We also sabotaged ourselves getting off to a poor start and not making plays down the stretch.”
Michael Spencer and Diego Malczynski each made a basket and grabbed vital offensive rebounds to give Palisades extra possessions.
Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
“Now that everyone’s healthy, we’re unstoppable,” Emein said.
The Dolphins wrapped up nonleague action last Wednesday with a 63-50 victory over Morningside in Inglewood. The intersectional triumph pushed Palisades’ record back above .500 and bolstered its confidence heading to league play.
As would be the case against University, the Dolphins prevailed because of their accuracy from beyond the arc and at the free throw line, making nine three-pointrs and converting 12 of 13 foul shots. The host Monarchs, meanwhile, were only six of 15 at the charity stripe.
Lynch led the charge with 19 points, includng four three-pointers, while Downey and Emein both had 13 and Kerkorian added 11 for the Dolphins, who outscored Morningside in every quarter. Palisades led 14-12 after the first quarter, 30-24 at halftime and stretched the lead to 48-36 through three quarters.
Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
Anthony Spencer contributed three points while Malczynski and Kurihara each made one basket to round out the Dolphins’ scoring.
“It was huge to get that win before playing Uni,” Coach Donzell Hayes said. “It makes a difference having everyone healthy and ready to go because it’s important for all the guys to learn from being on the court together, beyond just practice.
Palisades traveled to Venice yesterday to take on the archrival Gondoliers, who split two league contests with the Dolphins last season (each team winning on its home floor. Palisades resumes league play next Wednesday at LACES.
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