By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on X
Just about every season, there’s a different component to the boys basketball city rivalry between Cerritos High and Gahr High. The last two games have ended in overtime wins by Gahr, seeking its fourth straight win over the Dons, which would mark the program’s second longest winning streak since 1999.
The Gladiators didn’t have to worry about their streak being snapped as senior Ethan Carey drained a three-pointer 52 seconds into the game and the hosts never trailed in a 63-39 victory. By the midway point of the third quarter, Gahr had a 33-point lead and was on the verge of the biggest win by either team in the history of the rivalry in the past 26 seasons, including tournament games. But Gahr’s 39-point win in a Dec. 6, 2014 tournament game stands as the most lopsided win. The Gladiators also defeated Cerritos by 36 points in their normal meeting on Dec. 7, 2012.
“I talked to the guys before the game and said, ‘hey, we’ve owned the city three years in a row; let’s keep it rolling’,” said Gahr head coach Marcus Girley. “I think today there was a difference between some of the games in the past…the energy defensively, our length and our size kind of complicated their game plan. Our kids bought in early, and I think that kind of took a little air out of their sails and we kind of coasted.”
“They just came to play; they played really well,” said Cerritos head coach Jonathan Watanabe. “They shot the ball really well today and we should have done a better job on the defensive end of getting back and boxing out. But it is what it is.”
Cerritos did not score until nearly two minutes into the game when senior Benson Cho’s basket made it 5-2. The score would be 12-8 following a three-pointer from senior Nathan Ju before Gahr (6-5) began to pull away. A steal from junior Austin Woon, who dished the ball to senior Uchenna Okoli began a 9-0 run that covered the final 3:31 of the opening quarter. Then with the score 25-13 in the second quarter, the Gladiators outscored the Dons 10-0 over a span of 2:16 to put the game away.
Cerritos (4-8) was true on seven field goals in the first half, three coming on perimeter shots and another coming on a three-point play. It would not hit consecutive baskets until late in the third quarter, but even with a 44-18 halftime lead, Girley wasn’t about to let his team celebrate just yet.
“The message has been this season is a journey, and I’ve sent them a few videos,” said Girley of his halftime speech to his team. “On your journey, you’re going to fail; you’re going to succeed, you’re going to fall and you’re going to get back up. Even when you reach the top, it starts back all over again. By halftime, hey, we’re not up the mountain yet, brother. There’s a long season to go, so let’s come out [in the second half], still be hungry and understand Cerritos is going to come out in the first five minutes and give us everything they’ve got.”
Meanwhile, it was a different message for Watanabe, who told his team to play harder, get back on defense and box out. The Dons had seven rebounds in the first half, partly because Gahr was 17 of 31 from the field.
“We talked about taking away the easy shots and we gave up all easy shots in the first half,” said Watanabe. “It’s hard when you’re outsized by that much and you’re giving them easy ones. It’s difficult to win the game like that.”
The beginning of the second half was more of the same with Cerritos scoring one basket in the first four and a half minutes while a three-pointer from freshman Bryce Titus with 4:17 left in the stanza made it 53-20. Cerritos responded by going on an 8-1 run the rest of the quarter as senior Demetrius Washington hit a trifecta, followed by a free throw and Cho scored on an offensive putback as the black and gold scored in succession for the first time.
“That’s what you do; you just keep competing,” said Watanabe. “You’re trying to get better. In the preseason, it doesn’t matter what your record is. We had the team two years ago go 1-10 and that same group of guys ended up winning a CIF championship [last year]. It takes time, so we have a brand new group of guys, and it takes time for them to learn to adjust to these games. Gahr came out and played well.”
Gahr would score the first six points of the fourth quarter before the Dons concluded the final 3:28 of the game on an 11-3 run, highlighted by a four-point play from junior Aaron Shin. Cho led the team with 11 points and six rebounds while senior Jaylen Barsana added half a dozen points. Nine players scored a basket as Cerritos had its starting lineup of Barsana, Cho, Ju, Washington and senior Jaden Ribac together for the first time since Dec. 6. Watanabe has used that starting lineup six times in the first 11 games.
“There are no excuses,” said Watanabe. “It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been out. It might affect you offensively, but it shouldn’t affect you defensively. We just got outplayed tonight.”
For Gahr, sophomore Joshua Pearson led the way with 18 points, freshman Xavier Brown had a pair of three-pointers each in both quarters of the first half to finish with 12 points and Okoli added 11 points. It’s the fourth game this season at least three players scored in double figures.
“Xavier is a scorer,” said Girley. “He had been struggling the past few games and I [said] to both my freshmen, ‘you have to let it come to you’. You can’t seek out points; the basketball gods won’t bless you. In this game, I thought he just played out the actions and took what the defense gave him in the first half.
“We’re still developing leadership,” he later said. “Sometimes on the court when [there are a] few bad possessions, sometimes we don’t have that guy to get everybody together and rally the troops. Anytime we’re talking and we’re running our actions, we’re a tough team to beat.”
Since 1999, Gahr now owns a 20-13 series advantage which includes a 5-2 lead in tournament games. The two had co-hosted a tournament at the beginning of December and faced either in the championship game of that event six times. Gahr now has defeated the Dons eight times in 13 meetings at Gahr since Dec. 8, 2000.
Cerritos will head down to Rancho Penasquitos to participate in the Mt. Carmel Tournament, a staple with the Cerritos program every season, and will open bracket play against Eastlake High on Thursday afternoon.
“We’re looking forward to it,” said Watanabe. “We have seven seniors, three juniors, six sophomores, and so part of the thing is we need to travel so these guys become one family. They’re very tightknit within the group, but as a whole…we need those five days in San Diego to kind of hang out and really become a family.”
Gahr will stay in the Southland, but will be in The Classic at Damien, which has been around since 1981. The Gladiators are situated in the Silver Division and will open that bracket against Valencia High on Thursday afternoon at San Dimas High.
“There are no easy games,” said Girley. “But I love the competition, and our kids have responded to big games and the big scenes. We’ll be ready.”
