Venice serves notice with 63-61 basketball win over Westchester in Western League

Venice basketball coach David Galley talks to his team.

Columnist

Jan. 19, 2022 8:35 PM PT

It’s considered a wide-open competition for the City Section basketball championship, and you can add Venice to the list of contenders. The Gondoliers improved to 4-0 in the Western League on Wednesday with a rare 63-61 victory over 15-time champion Westchester.

In fact, coach Dave Galley said the last time the Gondoliers beat Westchester in basketball had to be more than 30 years ago. It was his first win over the Comets since taking over the program in 2008.

Sophomore Tyler Hunt had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Devyn Johnson added 19 points and Oscar Lopez 14. Hunt has become one of the best players in the City.

“He’s a heck of a player,” Galley said.

Venice has already won City titles in girls’ volleyball and football, so who knows about basketball.

King/Drew 56, Crenshaw 47: In a battle for first place in the Coliseum League, Kalib LaCount scored 26 points to lead King/Drew.

Van Nuys 54, San Fernando 47: The Wolves won their Valley Mission League opener.

Kennedy 71, Sylmar 36: Lawrence Caudillo had 14 points.

Gardena 53, Narbonne 49: The Gauchos suffered their first defeat in Marine League play.

Birmingham 69, Chatsworth 65: Kory Blunt scored 21 points, Tyson Jackson 17 and Brooklyn Caldwell 16 in the West Valley League game.

Heritage Christian 64, La Serna 43: Pierre Geneste had 18 points and 14 rebounds.

Oak Park 80, Royal 41: Isaiah Sherrard finished with 22 points and 15 rebounds for 16-4 Oak Park.

Simi Valley 71, Camarillo 51: The Pioneers won the Coastal Canyon League game.

Eastvale Roosevelt 54, Norco 29: Trevor Manning scored 17 points for Roosevelt.

St. John Bosco 70, Servite 43: The Braves won the Trinity League game. Jack Turner scored 21 points.

Santa Margarita 69, Orange Lutheran 60: The Eagles improved to 15-1 overall and 4-1 in the Trinity League. Rockwell Reynolds scored 26 points.

Mater Dei 48, JSerra 47: The Monarchs stayed unbeaten in the Trinity League. Scotty Belnap had 14 points for 18-2 Mater Dei.

Harvard-Westlake 56, St. Francis 45: Brady Dunlap scored 15 points for Harvard-Westlake. Buckley DeJardin led St. Francis with 15 points.

Bishop Alemany 62, Crespi 58: Nico Ponce scored 17 points for the Warriors.

St. Bernard 50, St. Anthony 48: The Saints (10-4, 2-1) dropped their first Del Rey League game. Elijah Price had 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Bishop Montgomery 68, Gardena Serra 59: The Knights came back from not playing for almost a month to win the Del Rey League game. It was victory No. 750 for coach Doug Mitchell. Jalen Vazquez scored 17 points. Jeremy Dent-Smith had 19 for Serra.

Girls’ basketball

Palisades 37, LACES 35: The Dolphins won the battle for first place in the Western League.

El Camino Real 46, Taft 36: Grace Margot scored 19 points and made five threes for ECR.

Camarillo 71, Simi Valley 18: Gabriela Jaquez scored 39 points for 20-0 Camarillo.

Boys’ soccer

Birmingham 5, Taft 0: Returning from a COVID-19 pause, the Patriots won their West Valley League game. Simao Gama had two goals for the 13-1-1 Patriots.

Servite 4, St. John Bosco 0: The Friars stayed unbeaten in the Trinity League.