Boys Basketball: Balance restored in Rio Hondo League

LA CAADA-FLINTRIDGE – Balance was restored Tuesday night.

La Caada High School’s boys basketball team had won five consecutive Rio Hondo League championships prior to last year, when the Spartans were dethroned by Temple City.

There was no denying which team belonged atop the league standings this time as La Caada rolled past Blair, 74-56, on Senior Night to clinch the league title outright.

La Caada (20-5, 8-1) avenged a 44-41 loss earlier in the season and did it with a spectacular third quarter in which the Spartans outscored their counterparts 32-17.

Blair (8-10, 5-4) led 13-12 after the first quarter and 26-25 at the half. The start of the third quarter set the tone for La Canada, which opened on a 9-0 run before Blair coach Shawn Bankhead was forced to call a timeout in an effort to get the Vikings settled.

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Jeff Grigg opened the third quarter with a long 3-pointer. Omar Rady then had a stellar defensive effort. His steal on the ensuing possession led to a Mason Holle layup as the Spartans led 30-26. After a Mike McGlashan layup, Rady was at it again after a steal and layup made it 34-26. Blair trailed 57-45 heading into the fourth quarter.

“I’m pretty sure coach went in there and said they gotta penetrate the gaps more,” Bankhead said. “They did a good job at that, but they just shot the ball very, very, very well. They hardly missed. It was a great team to play against.”

McGlashan finished with a team-high 17 points – all of them in the second half – and Grigg scored 13. Dario Civon came off the bench and gave La Caada a solid 14-point effort. Rady finished with 10 points and three steals, Matt Faber had eight points and Rocky Moore scored six off the bench. Mike Magnuson scored two in the final minute.

“It came at the right time,” La Caada coach Tom Hofman said. “Shooting seems to be contagious. We wanted shot selection because if you take it too quick it leads to transition. We wanted to get it inside and kick it out, and Jeff started it.”

Bankhead, in his first season coaching the Vikings, anticipated a lot of shooting from the Spartans.

“Seemed like every three they shot went in,” he said. “They’re a great offensive team and they run their sets well. The 3-2 zone kind of disturbed them, but it was a good shooting night for them.”

Blair’s Marcus Bagnerise, a 6-foot-7 junior forward, led all scorers with 19 points and seven rebounds.

“He’s a good athlete and did real good going to the basket,” Hoffman said. Marsalis Ellison had 12 points, seven assists and four steals for the Vikings, who are battling Monrovia and Temple City for one of two remaining playoff spots. Blair closes out the season at home against Monrovia.

As for La Caada’s view at the top …

“Feels good,” Hoffman said. “Real good. We worked hard from end of the season last year until now. I’m very proud of these guys and I’m happy for them.”

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