Late-season basketball games with playoff implications are usually hard-fought battles and if they are between cross-town rivals, the excitement reaches a higher level. Spectators were not disappointed Tuesday at Sea Hawk Pavilion on the campus of Redondo Union High School.
The girls from Mira Costa and Redondo matched up in the early contest where the Mustangs pulled off a season sweep of the Sea Hawks with a 66-48 victory.
The win kept Mira Costa (15-9, 5-2), which had lost to West 58-55 on Friday, in the hunt for the Bay League championship. West (18-7, 6-1) defeated Palos Verdes 61-33 in a home game on Tuesday.
Coach Miranda Biteler’s Mustangs entered Tuesday’s showdown ranked No. 13 in CIF Southern Section Division 2AA. West is ranked No. 4 and Redondo No. 6 in Division 2A.
Camille Mills scored a game-high 22 points and had seven steals to lead Mira Costa. Haley Tojo recorded 19 points, including five 3-pointers, and Michelle Lanterman added six points and seven rebounds for the Mustangs.
Redondo (13-10, 4-3) was led by Inara Nyingifa, who scored 12 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Bella Hall who recorded 11 points and eight rebounds, and Micaela Enriquez who added eight points.
In Mira Costa’s battle for first place against West, Mills and Tojo each scored 12 points.
Mira Costa travels to Leuzinger Friday before hosting Peninsula Tuesday and Palos Verdes (No. 12, Div. 3AA) Thursday, Feb. 7.
Last Friday, Redondo knocked off visiting Peninsula 49-43 behind Nyingifa’s 11-point, 14-rebound performance.
The Sea Hawks play at West Friday and Palos Verdes Tuesday and will wrap up Bay League play with a home game against Leuzinger Thursday, Feb. 7. Girls basketball games begin at 6 p.m.
In the nightcap Tuesday, Redondo’s boys team remained unbeaten in league play holding off a resilient Mira Costa squad for a 62-56 win.
The Mustangs stormed back from a 12-point deficit entering to fourth quarter to pull within two points with 1:45 left on the clock, but Ian Fox ran the length of the court to score two of his 13 points and Chris Henderson stole the ball to ice the win for the Sea Hawks.
Redondo was led by Derek Biale (12 points), Cameron High (11 points) and Henderson, who scored nine points
Redondo (15-8, 7-0) is ranked No. 2 in Division 2A while Mira Costa (15-8, 4-3) entered the game with its rival ranked No. 4 in Division 2AA.
Justin Strings led Mira Costa with a 23-point, six-rebound and five-block performance. Cole Feaster added 13 points and recorded seven assists.
Leuzinger (18-5, 6-1) remained in the Bay League title chase holding off Peninsula 44-41 Tuesday. Leuzinger is ranked No. 1 in Division 3AA while Peninsula (10-13, 2-5) entered Tuesday’s game ranked No. 12 in Division 2AA.
On Friday, Redondo defeated visiting Peninsula 57-44. Ian Fox recorded 21 points and eight steals, Darrien Touchstone added nine points and four steals and Leland Green posted nine points and five rebounds for the Sea Hawks.
Redondo plays road games at West (No. 13, Div. 3AA) Friday and Palos Verdes Tuesday before returning to Sea Hawk Pavilion Thursday, Feb. 7 in its critical Bay League finale against Leuzinger.
Mira Costa held off upset-minded West 54-52 Friday. Cole Feaster scored 14 points and Ryan Kaseff had 10 points in the win.
Mira Costa plays at Leuzinger Friday then concludes the Bay League season with home games against Peninsula Tuesday and Palos Verdes Thursday, Feb. 7. Boys Bay League basketball games are scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m.
CIF playoff pairings will be announced Sunday, Feb. 10 and will be available at cifss.org.
