By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
In a team sport like basketball, coaches love it when everyone gets into the game.
That is why Palisades High girls head coach Torino Johnson enjoyed last Friday’s 96-25 rout of Westchester as much as his players, each of whom contributed to the Dolphins’ highest point total of the season.
It was “Basketball Night” at the Pali High gym and the home team put on a show for its fans, racing to a 33-8 lead by the end of the first quarter. Kayla Williams banked in a three-pointer to put the Dolphins up 7-0 and another forced a timeout with Palisades ahead 18-4 with barely four minutes gone.
Chelsey Gipson’s block from behind led to another long-range bucket – this one by Kayla Merrill-Gillett – to stretch the lead to 27. A three-pointer by Leonna Logan and a steal and layup by Merrill-Gillett made it 44-10 early in the second quarter. The Dolphins were up 61-16 at halftime and a running clock was used in the last two quarters. A pair of Caytlnn Gorden free throws made it 80-20 and from then until the final buzzer the starters cheered from the bench with each made basket.
Photo: Steve Galluzzo
Senior reserve guard Hannah Akahoshi hit back-to-back three-pointers in the fourth quarter and sophomore guard Rachel Phillips added a three-pointer of her own with the clock ticking under one minute.
“It’s exciting because we’re all so close and we root for each other,” said Akahoshi, who had eight points. “Yesterday I was working on my threes in practice so it was nice to make a couple. The energy’s definitely up when the crowd gets into it.”
Merrill-Gillett led the way with 23 points and four steals and Gipson had 13 points, seven assists and seven steals. Williams scored 11 points, Sammy Spanier had 10, Chaniya Pickett had eight and Liz Newman added six in the 71-point blowout – the Dolphins’ largest margin of victory this year.
Two nights earlier, the Dolphins’ defense shined brightest in a 68-9 home victory over Hamilton. Williams had 18 points and four steals and Merrill-Gillett added nine points and seven assists as Palisades opened a 45-7 lead at halftime.
On Monday, the Dolphins extended their Western League winning streak to 25 games with a 78-42 victory at University.
Palisades (17-8 overall, 8-0 in league) played Venice yesterday and hosts Hamilton Monday before a trip to second-place Fairfax next Wednesday.
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