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January 23, 2025
By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on X
The Whitney High girls basketball team is four games away from doing something it has never done as members of the 605 League-win all 10 games without a loss. The Wildcats moved one step closer of that goal by dismantling Cerritos High 51-31 this past Wednesday on the road.
While Whitney never trailed, the game was tied four times within the first six minutes before sophomore Alyssa So’s basket with 1:52 remaining in the stanza gave the ‘Cats a 10-8 lead. Following a free throw from Cerritos sophomore Kalana Nguyen, Whitney (17-7, 6-0) went on a 12-2 run highlighted by consecutive offensive putbacks from senior Rachel Moyher, then a three-point play from senior Haylie Wang. The visitors would end the half on an 8-2 run to lead by 15 at the break.
While Cerritos (8-15, 3-3) tried to make a run in the second half, scoring seven straight points on a three-pointer from junior Cameron Lacorte and baskets from senior Ambar Multani, Whitney regained its 15-point lead by going on an 8-3 run over the final 2:37 of the third quarter. But after Cerritos junior Mady Macaraeg opened the fourth quarter with a basket 17 seconds in, the Wildcats reeled off nine straight points before Macaraeg scored the final points of the game with 1:10 remaining.
Wang led everyone with 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds while Moyher added 13 points and 14 rebounds, four assists and three steals. So had nine points, seven coming in the second half, and junior Tina Namaranian came off the bench to provide eight points, three rebounds and two steals.
Following the game, the Cerritos boys moved into a tie for second place with a resounding 64-32 win over Whitney in a game that was blown wide open in the second half. Both teams struggled to score in the first quarter, which ended with the Dons up 8-6. They scored the final six points of the quarter, then senior Nathan Ju and junior Taylor Huang began the second quarter with consecutive baskets as Cerritos (10-13, 4-2) began to pull away.
Whitney struggled to find its groove in the half as senior Morgan Marks accounted for all but three points before halftime. Any chance of the Wildcats getting back in the game were foined in the first 90 seconds of the second half a three-pointer and a two-pointer from senior Jaden Ribac and a trifecta from senior Jaylen Barsan opened the lead to 28-12. Whitney (11-13, 4-2) was outscored 22-14 in the third quarter, then watched the Dons score the first seven points of the fourth quarter and the last dozen points of the game.
Marks scored 17 points, had eight rebounds and three assists while senior Peter Poitras pitched in with 10 points. Cerritos was led by senior Benson Cho (17 points, eight rebounds) and Barsana (14 points, five rebounds) as the Dons avenged an earlier 61-58 loss to Whitney in the league opener.
Both Cerritos teams will visit Pioneer High on Friday before hosting Artesia High on Tuesday while both Whitney teams will entertain Artesia on Friday and John Glenn High on Tuesday.
In other 605 League action with playoff implications at stake as the second round of league action began this past Wednesday, Artesia’s boys basketball team is in the best shape to get one of the three automatic berths to the CIF-Southern Section playoffs. The Pioneers entered this past Wednesday’s home game with Oxford Academy at 14-6 overall and undefeated in five league games. After facing Whitney, they will face Loyola High on Saturday before their meeting with Cerritos.
Both Artesia soccer teams were in first place with the boys sitting at 12-2-4, 3-0-1 and the girls sporting a 12-2-3, 3-0-1 record. The boys team will host Whitney on Friday, visit Animo Leadership High on Saturday and host Cerritos on Tuesday while the girls have a road game against Cerritos on Tuesday as its only scheduled game for the next week.
The Cerritos boys soccer team was 6-2-3, 2-1-1, good for second place as the Dons will host Pioneer on Friday while the girls (3-9-0, 1-1-0) were in third place as they will visit Pioneer on Friday and is scheduled to host Canyon High on Thursday.
The Glenn boys soccer team was in third place with a record of 10-5-2, 3-2-0 as the Eagles will host last place Oxford Academy on Friday and Whiney on Tuesday.
It must be noted that all 605 League games scheduled for Jan. 10 will probably be made up before the end of the regular season. Those matchups would be Artesia boys at Whitney and Cerritos against Pioneer with the girls hosting the Titans and the boys on the road.
GATEWAY LEAGUE
The hottest team of area schools continues to be the La Mirada High boys basketball squad as the Matadores (19-4, 3-0) will host third place Lynwood High on Friday for their only game in the next seven days.
The Gahr High boys basketball team, which hosted La Mirada this past Wednesday and will visit Marquez High on Saturday in a non-league tilt before travelling to second place Mayfair High on Wednesday. The Gladiators (10-11, 1-2) are tied for third place with Lynwood.
The Gahr girls basketball team (13-7, 2-2) hosted second place Paramount High this past Wednesday and will travel to Venice High on Friday in a non-league contest before going to last place Mayfair on Wednesday.
The La Mirada girls soccer team (7-6-3, 2-1-1) is sitting in second place as it will went to Paramount on Jan. 23 and will host Warren High on Tuesday.
MID-CITIES LEAGUE
The Norwalk High boys basketball team is sitting in third place with a 14-8, 3-2 record as it hosted fifth place Firebaugh High this past Wednesday and will go to second place Downey High on Friday before entertaining league-leading Bellflower High on Wednesday.
The Norwalk boys soccer team began the week tied for first place with Gahr. After visiting fourth place La Mirada on Jan. 23, the Lancers (8-2-3, 5-1-0) will host the Gladiators (12-3-1, 5-1-1) on Tuesday with the league title potentially on the line. Norwalk will also visit Mayfair on Thursday while Gahr entertains Firebaugh on Thursday.
The La Mirada girls basketball team began the week tied for first place with Warren as the Matadores (11-10, 4-1) went to fifth place Bellflower this past Wednesday and will welcome last place Firebaugh on Friday before going to Warren on Wednesday with first place most likely at stake.
In girls soccer action, Gahr (6-7-2, 4-1-1) is in second place with Norwalk in third place at 9-6-2, 3-2-1. Gahr went to Bellflower on Jan. 23 and will host Norwalk on Tuesday while the Lancers hosted league-leading Lynwood on Jan. 23.
OLYMPIC LEAGUE
Both Valley Christian High soccer teams entered the week in first place with the boys (5-8-5, 2-0-3) hosting Maranatha High on Friday and the girls (7-6-1, 4-0-0) going to Maranatha on Friday and entertaining Marlborough High on Tuesday in non-league action.
