GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Kennedy Gets Better of Rematch, Ties Rancho Alamitos for League Lead

Kennedy avenged an earlier loss and moved into a first-place tie in the Garden Grove League with a 79-71 victory over Rancho Alamitos Wednesday in Garden Grove.

Kennedy (7-1, 10-6) lost to Rancho Alamitos (7-1, 13-4) in the opening league game of the season Jan. 3.

“This was big for us,” said Kennedy Coach John Mayberry. “We’re 7-0 as far as we’re concerned. It was just determination and the will to win.”

Guard Jim Barker, who scored 33 in the first game, led Kennedy with a game-high 28 points. Jermaine Galloway scored 20 and Rod Rosales added 16 for the Fighting Irish. David Green paced Rancho Alamitos with 27.

Kennedy won with solid execution late, but Mayberry said he had doubts early when the Fighting Irish trailed, 13-6.

“I thought we were in trouble, trouble early,” he said.

Kennedy rallied, though, behind Barker’s 18 first-half points and the game was tied, 40-40, at halftime.

Rancho Alamitos trailed by only three with about five minutes to play, but the Fighting Irish scored seven straight points for a 71-61 lead. Rosales started the rally with a three-pointer and finished it off an assist to Galloway.