By John Sherrard, Correspondent

WHITTIER – As high school basketball games go, Wednesday’s Whittier-California contest was a classic.

In a packed Cal High gym and with sole possession of first place in the Del Rio League at stake, the host Condors held off Whittier, 60-54, to remain undefeated in league at 4-0 and improve to 15-5 overall.

Whittier fell to 3-1 in league and 11-9 overall.

The teams will meet again at Whittier in early February.

Cal High was led by Matthew Lambrecht, who had a game-high 24 points, including five 3-pointers. The senior guard also had six rebounds and five steals.

Whittier junior guard Guillermo Blas had a team-high 21 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, and six rebounds.

“Whittier-Cal, our `nest,’ the student section and both teams with 3-0 records, lots of intensity and tons of fans with a crazy environment, that really gave us an advantage,” California coach Jason Van Duyne said. “You couldn’t ask for anything more on a Wednesday night.”

California led 52-47 with 36 seconds remaining when senior forward Sergio Cisneros (10 points) went to the free-throw line. He made all four attempts and finished 8 for 8 from the line.

After an early show of nerves in which both teams missed eight shots in the first three minutes, California’s Andrew Garber scored the game’s first basket on a layup with almost three minutes gone in the first quarter.