Despite losing its last six games, the Culver City boys basketball team made the 32 team 2AA-CIF playoffs. The Centaurs, 11-15 overall and 2-8 in the Ocean league, will travel Thursday for a 7 p.m tipoff against the 14th seeded Westminster Lions (18-8, 10-0 in the Golden West League).
Westminster has a seven game winning streak, having won 11 of its last 13 games.
“I think we have a chance to do well in the playoffs,” senior guard Isaac Girley said, after Culver’s 63-42 loss to Beverly Hills last Friday. “We know what it feels like to lose so we are going to come out hungry for a victory. Everyone will look at us like we will be an easy win, so we have an opportunity to surprise some teams.”
If Girley can continue his hot shooting and Culver City’s other top scorers, Armani Nicolis, Chris Edwards and Wesley Dixon, score in double figures the Centaurs can upset the Lions. Last week, Girley scored 25 points against Hawthorne and 17 against Beverly Hills.
Against Beverly Hills, Culver City played without its second leading scorer, Chris Edwards, who was suspended for one game for comments he made to an official after the Centaurs’ 79-77 loss to Hawthorne on senior night on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at Culver City.
“I think the official overreacted, but I also think Chris will learn from this situation and move on,” Culver City High School varsity coach Adam Eskridge said.
Although Culver City has lost its last six games, three of the losses were by less than four points. Centaur coach Eskridge likes his team’s chances in the playoffs.
“In any situation any team can go a long way in the playoffs,” Eskridge said. “If we get our mojo back there is no reason why we can’t run off some wins and advance deep into the playoffs.”
The Beverly Hills boys basketball team was trying to hold on to a tie for first place last Wednesday on its senior night but the Culver City quintet played a strong defensive first half, holding the Normans to a 25- 25 halftime tie.
During the third quarter, the Centaurs went cold in the swim gym, scoring only six points as Beverly took a 43-31 lead going into the fourth quarter. The Normans (8-2) clicked for 20 in the fourth to pull away.
Wes Dixon was chairman of the boards with seven rebounds. Isaac Girley had five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Armani Nicolis pulled down five rebounds and caused four deflections.
During last Wednesday’s game the Centaurs gave up 25 points to Hawthorne in the first quarter, falling 25-13.
Culver took advantage of Hawthorne’s soft defense and converted steals into layups to pile up 28 points but gave up 24 to the Cougars for a 49-41 Hawthorne lead at halftime. Culver City kept inching closer and closer, and with nine seconds left in the game, a Wes Dixon three pointer tied the score at 77.
Hawthorne called time out, inbounded the ball, dribbled the length of the court, took a contested layup, and drew a foul with one second left in the game. Both free throws were converted, and Hawthorne gave Culver its fifth loss in a row.
“Culver City was competitive in just about every game this season,” assistant Centaur coach David Gordon said. “The Ocean League was deeper than usual, and every team had skilled players.”
The winner of the Centaur- Westminster game will play Tuesday, Feb. 25, 7 p.m. against either Westlake (third seed, first place in Marmonte, 21-7) or Rowland Hacienda (at large).
