NOTEBOOK : La Canada Gets Shot in the Arm From Lord

The La Canada boys’ basketball team continues to roll behind the play of junior guard Jeff Lord, whose 47-point performance against Blair last week established a single-game school record.

Lord’s outburst eclipsed the record of 43 set by Walt Bakly in 1984.

Lord’s previous season-high was 32. He is averaging 22 points for the Spartans, who entered this week’s play 14-5 overall, 4-1 in the Rio Hondo League and ranked third in the Southern Section 3-A Division.

La Canada, the two-time defending Rio Hondo League champion, also is getting solid play from junior point guard Jason Berns and senior center Louie Nieto, who is averaging 15 points and nine rebounds.

The Spartans begin the second round of league play Friday night against Monrovia.

The best is yet to come: La Canada has had some fine basketball teams over the last three seasons, but next season’s team could be the best in school history.

That is the opinion of La Canada Coach Tom Hofman, who loses only Nieto from this season’s squad.

Waiting in the wings--with a very large wingspan--is 6-foot-10 freshman Richard Mandeville.

Mandeville is playing about 12 minutes a game for the Spartan varsity and averaging four points and four rebounds.

“He has surprisingly good coordination for his size and growth,” Hofman said of Mandeville. “He’s got great hands and a good shooting touch.

“He’s a little cumbersome right now, but he’s improving. Any freshman, whether they’re 5-10 or 6-10, has to work on footwork.”

Add La Canada: Four former La Canada High athletes will be inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame during ceremonies at Friday night’s game against Monrovia.

The inductees include: Gaye McNeil, a 1976 graduate who played volleyball, basketball and softball; Kristen McQueen (class of 1983, swimming); John Paton (1981, football); and Sean Stewart (1984, tennis).

The quartet joins 18 charter members who were inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame last year.

On the right track: Coaches usually aren’t thrilled when one of their players does something to embarrass them, but Crescenta Valley’s John Goffredo doesn’t mind laughing at himself as long as the result is a playoff berth.

A postseason appearance is likely if senior forward Mike Johnson continues performing the way he did through the first half of the Falcons’ Pacific League schedule.

Johnson was team’s sixth man before league play started, but Goffredo--attempting to shake up his team after sub-par performances in holiday tournaments--made him a starter for the league opener against Muir.

Johnson has responded by averaging 15 points for a Crescenta Valley team that entered this week’s play 12-6 overall and 4-1 in the Pacific League. The Falcons’ only loss came against league-leading Pasadena (5-0).

“He’s making me look like a fool because I never started him before,” said Goffredo, whose team plays host to Hoover on Friday.

Rebuilding: Glendale’s boys’ basketball team began the second round of Pacific League play this week 7-11 overall and 1-4.

The Dynamiters were in a three-way tie for fourth-place with Hoover and Arcadia and things figured to get worse before they got better.

Glendale played host to unbeaten Pasadena on Tuesday and travels to Muir on Friday.

“We’re definitely a long shot when you talk about the playoffs,” Glendale Coach Bob Davidson said.

Answering the bell: Pepe Reilly of Glendale will compete in the United States Amateur Boxing Federation regional championships Feb. 17-18 in Las Vegas.

If Reilly wins the regional title, he will advance to the national championships Feb. 26 in Colorado Springs, Colo.