The Culver City High School boys’ basketball team is entering the Ocean League on a good note after wins over a pair of Torrance high schools last week on the road.
The Centaurs began Ocean League play, Wednesday against Morningside and face a good Santa Monica team, Friday, 7:30 p.m. at Culver City. Scores for Wednesday night’s game were not available at press time.
Culver City’s next league game will be Wed., Jan. 22 at 7:30 p.m., in Inglewood.
Against the Torrance Tartars on Friday night, visiting Culver City scored an impressive 71-54 for the win.
The Centaurs and Tartars were tied at 31 at halftime before Culver City began its surge by outscoring Torrance 18-6 in the third quarter and 22-17 in the final quarter.
The Centaurs energetic defense boxed Torrance in the third quarter, while excellent passing and fast breaks netted Culver City its 40 points in the second half.
Wes Dixon had 11 rebounds while Chris Edwards had 16 points, six boards, four assists, and five steals. Armani Nicolis contributed six rebounds and five assists. Issac Girley tallied 16 points.
Aaron Edison contributed 11 points and three assists.
Despite only four points, Dixon pulled down 11 rebounds and blocked two shots to help the Centaurs (10-7) pull away and he was named the Maxpreps Player of the Game.
On Wednesday Jan. 8 the Centaurs breezed to a 62-52 victory against the West Torrance Warriors.
Against West Torrance, Culver led by as many as 19 points and coasted to the win.
Culver City came out strong and led 12-2 midway through the first quarter and led by 19 with a minute left in the game. The Centaur subs had problems with the Warriors press which made the final score a lot closer in the 10-point win.
Nicolis had 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Dixon grabbed six rebounds while Edison had six assists and four rebounds. Edwards scored 13 points and made five steals as Girley chipped in 14 points.
“We’re starting to play better,” Culver head coach Adam Eskridge said. “We had good ball movement.”
Last year, Santa Monica won the CIF-Southern Section Division IA and Southern California Regional Division I championships but lost a majority of its top players from the squad, including all-American Jordan Matthews, graduate.
The Vikings, who are 9-7, are faced with rebuilding with a mostly young and inexperienced team this season.
The Centaurs, winners of four games in a row, must beat the Santa Monica Vikings if they expect to take control of the Ocean League. The Vikings have been the team to beat in the Ocean League for the past few years.
Inglewood, last season’s Southern Section Division IAA semifinalist and Southern California Regional Division I quarterfinalist, is also faced with rebuilding a very young squad that includes two sophomores and one freshman starting.
The Centaurs are led by Nicolis, Girley, Dixon and Edison.
Nicolis is averaging 18 points and 9 rebounds per game, Girley is averaging 10 points per game, Dixon is averaging five points and six rebounds per game, and Edison is averaging five points and four assists per game.
For the Centaurs to win the Ocean League they will need to win all of their home games and win at least half of their road games against Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Inglewood, Hawthorne and Morningside.
