Participating in team practices during the winter break following its recent Westminster Tournament championship, the Culver City High School boys varsity basketball team (9-3) is anxious to start Ocean League competition Jan. 12 at Morningside High School.
"We've had good turnouts at practice the past two weeks but we have a lot of work to do," said assistant coach Dave Gordon.
Inglewood is the league favorite, and Culver City could end up anywhere from second to fourth place in the Ocean League, according to league prognosticators.
The Centaurs played at Bell Gardens and hosted West Torrance in non-league games earlier this week.
Westminster Tournament Most Valuable Player Darren Johnson hit four free throws to put the game on ice in the championship game over Santa Margarita, 57-50.
Picking up the defensive intensity and unselfish ball distribution in the second half, Culver City held Santa Margarita to eight points in the third quarter to put Culver City up, 40-37, to start the final stanza.
Santa Margarita took an early 11-2 lead, but Culver City cut the deficit to six at halftime.
Rufus Humphrey garnered the most hustle points (rebounds, assists, steals and blocks) for the Centaurs with 34. Aamahd Walker had 25, Gabe Baettig collected 23 and Johnson had 16.
The Centaurs reached the finals by upending Laguna Beach, 68-44, in the semi-final.
James Tolbert hit eight 3-pointers for a game-high 28 points and the Centaur defense suffocated the rebuilding Laguna Beach squad as the game wore on.
Johnson piled on 33 hustle points. Kekoa Mathews had 25.
In the first game of the tourney, Culver City fell behind Irvine, 22-15 after one quarter, and 39-27 at halftime. The Centaurs clamped down on defense in the third quarter and tied the score, 41-41, midway through the fourth quarter.
Irvine hit a 2-pointer at the buzzer to tie the contest at 49-49 and send the game to overtime but Culver City pulled away in overtime to win 73-66.
Humphrey had an amazing 89 hustle points, sparked by 15 rebounds and five blocks. Walker and Baettig earned 38. Horton had 31.
The Centaurs edged Cypress, 58-54, in the second round game, led by Humphrey's 54 hustle points, including 11 rebounds.
