Barn Burners for January 12, 2018
Fairfax (11-4) vs Westchester (16-3)
7pm Westchester
It doesn’t get any better than this. Two LA CIF City Section powers going at it in the first of two league games, to see who’s the cream of the crop of the Western League – eventually catapulting themselves as City Section favorites. Fairfax comes in ranked #17 in the city per Maxpreps. They suit up back court running mates slippery when wet Sr.PG Jamal Hartwell and Jr. Boss Hog Combo Guard Ethan Anderson. The two bring swag and battle-tested wounds to the court, giving many defenders fits who just can’t handle their arsenal attack on the court. Coach Steve Baik brings his own cache of weapons to the forefront, drawing up x’s and o’s on the fly, as he looks to capture his first CIF LA City Section title under the Fairfax umbrella this season.
Westchester Comets (#9 State, #42 Nationally) have depth at the guard positions and a front-court players that loves to eat with their mouths full. This may cause issues for the Lions who have a tendency to get into early foul trouble, causing their chemistry to suffer because of a lack of depth. Westchester comes in just as battle-tested as Fairfax, showing up and out during the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic in San Diego. Both teams fared well during Tourney play, with Fairfax losing to Foothills Christian by a score of 74-73, while The Comets got humbled in a 73-49 set back. Ouch! Westchester definitely is a team that learns from its mistakes, under long time head coach Ed Azzam, so look for the Comets to counter any mishaps they may have picked up since holiday tourney play. This is going to come down to execution and mental toughness, as both squads show elite- level play on the hardwood floor during crunch-time. Coaches may have to draw something up more than once for their club to come away with the W, as home court advantage might be the underlying element for success.
The Pick
Fairfax
Bishop Montgomery (15-0) #1 State, #3 National
@ St Bernard (11-5) 7pm
Bishop Montgomery has built itself into a National Power. The Knights were missing key pieces in their recent match-up against Sierra Canyon during the 5th Annual Take Flight Challenge at Cerritos College January 05, 2018. Not only did players (and coaches) use the next man up approach, it was special enough to propel them to victory, on a night when 5 Star Class of 2019 Guard Cassius Stanley made his return (2nd game back), after sitting out because of transfer eligibility issues. St. Bernard gave Etiwanda all it could handle in the Championship game of the Classic @ Damien (Platinum Division), eventually losing by a score of 65-54. They also got upset (65-64) by a revamped Cathedral club Wednesday Jan. 10, 2018. who gained a few pieces. Look for St. Bernard to be on the look out for an unset as they play the role of the spoilers. if Bishop Montgomery has all its bells and whistle, it could spell trouble for St. Bernard
Santa Margarita (13-4)
@ St. John Bosco (14-2) 7pm
St John Bosco comes in after defeating Mater Dei Wednesday night (60-51) sitting pretty as the #7 team in the State, per Maxpreps. Coach Matt Dunn is doing a Coach of the Year job, developing the wherewithal among his players to play at a high level, stepping up and out during big games. Santa Margarita has length, size, and athleticism that may prove too much to over come for the Braves. Let’s look for St. John Bosco to keep their momentum rolling and coming away with the W.
The Pick
St John Bosco
Other Games on tap
Windward @ Venice 5pm
Highland @ Knight 6pm
Santiago @ Centennial 6:15pm
Roosevelt @ Corona 6:15pm
Bonita @ Ayala 630pm
Damien @ Upland 630pm
Charter Oak @ Los Altos 630pm
Millikan @ LB Poly 630p
Mayfair @ Cerritos 630pm
JSerra Catholic @ Mater Dei 7pm
St Francis @ Crespi 7pm
Pacifica Christian @ Capistrano Valley 7pm
St Anthony @ Bellarmine jefferson 7pm
Harvard Westlake @ Loyola 7pm
La Canada @ Blair 7pm
Cantwell Sacred Heart @ Serrra 7pm
Royal @ Oak Park 7pm
Capistrano Valley @ Laguna Hills 7pm
Brentwood @ Crossroads 7pm
Muir @ Burbank 7pm
Pasadena @ Glendale 7pm
Viewpoint @ Campbell Hall 7pm
Esperanza @ Villa Park 7pm
Downey @ Dominguez 7pm
La Salle @ St. Monica 7pm
Wildwood @ Rolling Hills Prep 7pm
Redondo Union @ Inglewood 7pm
Lawndale @ Culver City 7pm
Thousand Oaks @ Calabasas 730pm
El Segundo @ Beverly Hills 730pm
