WINTER SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS : Gary Allows Pierce to Hammer Out Tennis Win Over Saddleback

Pierce tennis Coach Paul Xanthos may want to find a doubles partner named “Hammer” for his star Nelson Gary. The two would make a punishing combination.

Why “Hammer?”

“Because I’m going to have to change Nelson’s name to ‘Nails,’ ” Xanthos said after Pierce beat Saddleback, 6-3, on Thursday in a nonconference match at Saddleback. “He hit the ball so hard, so well, that it was unbelievable.”

Gary, a sophomore, built six straight wins, lost one, and then came back with six more wins to beat Mike Boice, 6-0, 6-1.

Pierce won despite the absence of one of its best players, Mike Rosenthal.

“This was a good win considering that Mike couldn’t play,” Xanthos said. “Saddleback is one of the better programs and we should see them again in the playoffs.”

Pierce’s John Freeman, who was sent home Tuesday from practice because of the flu, defeated Grant Hein, 7-6, 6-3.

Pierce’s Alex Olaya, of Mexico City, beat Mike Brown, 6-4, 6-4, and Pierce’s Robert Grundy, of New Zealand, defeated Russ Decker, 6-2, 7-6.

In doubles, Gary and Grundy beat Boice and Hein, 6-4, 7-6.

“We looked good most of the time,” Xanthos said. “There were some things I didn’t like but that’s why you have these pre-league matches.”

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Canyons 87, Allan Hancock 84--Butch Mettinger came off the bench to score 22 points, and Canyons came from 17 points down in the second half to pull out the Western State Conference victory. Mettinger, who sank five of eight three-point attempts, got 20 of his points in the second half. Ron Stapp added 18 points and 11 rebounds for Canyons (14-13, 3-6). Kevin Honaker had 13 points and Anthony Hines, the state’s leading rebounder, had 20 rebounds and 10 points for Canyons. Hancock (13-10, 6-3), which scored just six points in the final eight minutes, was led by Warren Hawthorne’s 24 points.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The Master’s 65, Cal Lutheran 60--Shelmarie Tatum scored 24 points and had 16 rebounds to lead The Master’s to a NAIA District III victory. Michelle Carter scored 22 points for Master’s (6-15, 3-11), and Michelle Spink added 13 points and 9 rebounds. Cal Lutheran (7-15 overall) was led by Kim Peppi (16 points) and Gloria Phillipps (15 points and 9 rebounds).

Moorpark 63, Santa Monica 57--Despite her team’s lowly 26-of-65 shooting, Karina Hardman scored 34 points, had 9 rebounds and 11 assists for Moorpark (15-9, 7-1) in a Western State Conference game.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Brentwood 59, Campbell Hall 41--Despite 13 points and 8 rebounds from Tim Sutton, Campbell Hall (11-6, 7-4) lost the Delphic League game. Ty Leatherman had 12 points and Tim Jensen had 8 rebounds for Campbell Hall.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Louisville 68, Notre Dame 26--Lynn Flanagan and Tina Kohler each scored 20 points, and Barbara Terhar had 11 as Louisville (17-2, 8-0) continued its roll through the San Fernando Valley League. Louisville All-American Andrea Knapp did not play because she has chicken pox. Knapp is not expected to play tonight against Mater Dei and is doubtful for Monday’s game against Alemany.

Alemany 76, St. Genevieve 29--Jenny Beubis scored 21 points in just three quarters to lead Alemany to the San Fernando Valley League win. Sylvia Castaneda added 14 points for Alemany (18-4, 7-1), and Carol Schoenmann had 11. Elizabeth Morelos led St. Genevieve (7-12, 0-8) with 10 points, 15 rebounds, and 6 steals.

Alemany’s Jennifer Kroll, a three-year starter, was ejected for the first time in her three-year high school career after scoring just two points in the first four minutes of the game. She was called for a flargrant foul.

Chaminade 30, Bell-Jeff 28--Forward Anna Suarez scored 10 points and had 15 rebounds to lead Chaminade in the San Fernando Valley League game. Center Trisha Christian added 11 rebounds and 9 blocked shots for Chaminade (12-6, 4-4). Carlyn Couch led Bell-Jeff (2-6 in league) with 11 points.

Montclair Prep 41, La Verne Lutheran 39--Charis Kubrin and Lori Oleesky each had 13 points for Montclair Prep in an Alpha League game. Pam Hanssen had 8 points and 15 rebounds for Montclair Prep (6-11, 3-9). La Verne Lutheran is 4-7, 6-13.

L.A. Lutheran 53, Maranatha 37--Peri Booth had 16 points and Maricela Lopez had 16 points and 17 rebounds for Lutheran (8-11, 6-6) in an Alpha League game. Lutheran’s April Otte had six points, nine rebounds and seven steals. Maranatha is 9-3 in Alpha League.

Bishop Diego 30, Oak Park 29--Paula Fraley had 9 points and Wendy Wootton had 8 for Oak Park (12-6, 8-4 in Tri-Valley League).

Corvallis 54, Immaculate Heart 27--Lisa Senette scored 22 points and had 7 rebounds for Corvallis in a Sunshine League game. Ingrid Hillebrand had seven rebounds for Corvallis (8-10, 4-5). Immaculate Heart is 0-9, 0-8.

GIRLS SOCCER

Chaminade 6, Marlborough 2--Cris Casazza scored three first-half goals to lead Chaminade. Amy Miller added two goals for Chaminade (12-1-3, 9-0-1), ranked No. 10 in the Southern Section 2-A Division, and Carol Bentley had the other. Marlborough is 4-8-2, 4-7-1 in the Sunshine League.

Alemany 2, Hart 0--Shannon Lambert and Kelly Cook scored goals as Alemany (13-6-5, 4-2-1) recorded its 11th shutout.

BOYS WRESTLING

Harvard 33, Calabasas 31--Todd Selby pinned John Flynn in 2:51 of the final match to give Harvard (5-4 overall) the Frontier League victory. Vic Johnson of Calabasas had pinned Jeff Goldberg in the 175-pound bout to put the Coyotes ahead, 31-27, just prior to Selby’s 191-pound match.

In other matches, Jamie Familo of Calabasas ran his season record to 21-0 with an 18-2 technical pin over Will Silva in the 134-pound division, and Chris Wong of Harvard pinned Jason Bahaglia in 3:42 to win the 140-pound class. Both teams are 2-3 in league.

MEN’S GOLF

Ventura 393, Pierce 415--Ron DelBarrio shot a four-over-par 75 and Mike Godinez fired a 77, but it wasn’t enough to keep Pierce (1-1) from losing the nonconference match at Braemar Country Club. Mark Singer led Ventura (1-0) with a 77.