BASKETBALL: Experience pays dividends for Panthers

By Scott Galetti, Staff Writer

It may have been a holiday weekend, but Saturday was big business when it came to Prep League basketball.
The biggest league matchup took place in the cozy confines of the Flintridge Prep gymnasium, where the Rebels hosted Pasadena Poly.
With first place hanging in the balance, the Panthers (14-3, 3-0) handed the Rebels 14-4, 3-1) a 53-44 loss.
Poly extended its winning streak to four games and has won 10 of its last 12.
"We work hard to improve every game, and we're getting guys involved," Poly coach Brad Hall said. "We're a veteran team and that's the key, and we have some seniors that are focused on having the best possible year that we can."
Flintridge Prep had its modest three-game win streak snapped. The Rebels have won four of six since opening the season 10-2.
Justin Worland, a 6-foot-4 sophomore, scored 12 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to pace Poly. Bill Wardlaw collected 11 points and John Harewood added nine.
The Panthers' top scorer A.J. Talt, left the game with an ankle injury early in the second quarter.
Poly still went on a 30-12 run to put the game away.
"When A.J. got hurt, we really defended and rebounded very well," Hall said.
Added Flintridge Prep coach Garrett Ohara: "They had guys that stepped up off the bench. We didn't find too many guys to score."
Edmund Chow led Flintridge Prep with a game-high 15 points while Jonathan Woo had 11.
Rebels leading scorer Aaron Fried was held to just three points.
"Billy Wardlaw played one of the best games of his career and they did a good job of shutting down Aaron," Ohara said.

REBEL GIRLS ROLL ON
Flintridge Prep's girls basketball team (14-5, 6-0) continued its resurgence with a 59-30 win over Poly (12-9, 5-3) on Saturday.
The Rebels remain the lone unbeaten team in league and own a 64-54 win over second-place Chadwick (13-4, 8-1).
Flintridge Prep has won six consecutive games since suffering back-to-back losses at the Canoga Park Tournament.
"We made it through the first half of league unscathed and that gives us an opportunity to defend our league title," Flintridge Prep coach Kenny Fisher said. "We had some scares the first six games, but we made it through."
Having three key players back in the lineup has allowed the Rebels to persevere.
Courtney Robinson (sprained ankle), Megan Musashi (fractured foot) and Deanna Watson (back injury) have returned from early season injuries suffered at the Pasadena Poly tournament.
"Between Megan and Courtney, your talking about 35 to 36 points per game," Fisher said. "When you take that kind of scoring punch out, that's going to hurt."
Robinson and Musashi were back in the lineup when the Rebels downed Maranatha 74-53 on Jan. 8 to begin the streak.
"It's kind of like we're starting over," Fisher said. "While they were out, a lot of younger players had to step up and we got crushed by a couple of good teams at Canoga Park.
"They developed into seasoned ballplayers and I have to find a way to keep them involved."
ALMONT MADNESS
The Almont League has become a free-for-all.
Keppel (11-10, 3-1), Montebello (14-7, 3-1) and Schurr (11-6, 3-1) are deadlocked for first place while Alhambra (12-8, 2-2) is a game off the pace after suffering a 43-40 loss at the hands of the Aztecs on Friday.
The Moors will host Montebello today at 5:15 while the Aztecs will entertain Schurr.
On the girls side, Keppel (13-7, 4-0) will host Schurr (13-6, 3-1) at 7.