Captain Elly Tierney hopes to end her Palisades career with a state championship in Sacramento.
Photo: STEVE GALLUZZO
By STEVE GALLUZZO
CTN Contributor
What a difference one month has made for the Palisades High girls basketball team.
After suffering a 36-point defeat to Birmingham in the City Section Open Division playoffs February 12, the Dolphins had nearly three weeks to lick their wounds and prepare for the Southern California Regionals. Turns out, time is just what they needed.
Head coach LeBre Merritt got his players back in the gym, restored their confidence and got them to re-focus. The Birmingham loss is a distant memory and now the Dolphins are headed to Sacramento to try to capture the first state championship in program history.
“Staying true to our identity has been key,” said Merritt, previously an assistant to Adam Levine, who stepped down last March after seven successful seasons in which he won 129 games and three City titles.
Placed in the 16-team Division IV bracket for regionals, the Dolphins have taken advantage, reeling off four victories in a row to raise their record above .500 and earn a chance to join the 1979 girls volleyball squad as the school’s only state champions.
Senior point guard and captain Elly Tierney netted 15 points, junior forward Riley Oku added 13 and Sumaya Levy sank three 3-pointers as the fifth-seeded Dolphins outscored No. 2 Godinez Fundamental 31-17 in the second half of a 54-28 victory March 10 in Santa Ana in the regional finals. Palisades led 23-21 at halftime.
Palisades started its state playoff run seven days earlier with a 61-59 triumph over La Palma Kennedy, followed up with a 42-39 win against Hillcrest in the quarterfinals March 5 and notched a 61-49 road victory over top-seeded Huntington Beach Marina in the semifinals March 7.
“Playing hard, smart and together has been a recipe for our success during this state run,” added Merritt, a Palisades alum who captained the boys’ 2008-09 varsity team under James Paleno. “We have been able to execute our game plans so far. We have to keep it going for the championship.”
LeBre Merritt has the Dolphins on the brink of their first state title in his first season as head coach.
Photo: STEVE GALLUZZO
The Dolphins (16-13) will face Northern California regional champion Faith Christian of Yuba City for the state title Saturday, March 14 at 10 a.m. at Golden 1 Center, home of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. The Lions (33-1) have won 24 straight games since their two-point loss to Chico, the top-rated team in the Northern Section, in December. Faith Christian won the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V title on February 28, its third section crown in four years.
Levine piloted Palisades to the Division II regional championship six years ago, but the COVID-19 outbreak forced the cancelation of the state finals, denying the Dolphins a shot at the ultimate prize. Their only prior trip to the state finals was in 1999 when they lost to San Jose Archbishop Mitty 49-48 in the Division I (then the top division) matchup at Arco Arena.
BOYS LOSE HEARTBREAKER IN BAKERSFIELD
OJ Popoola drives the lane for two of his 20 points in Palisades’ 59-57 loss to Bakersfield Christian.
Photo: STEVE GALLUZZO
Palisades’ boys were hoping to join the girls on the bus ride north and it looked like it might happen as the Dolphins forged an early 10-point lead against host Bakersfield Christian in the Division II regional final.
However, the Eagles (24-1) soared back to take a one-point lead on a layup and free throw by center Taiwo Daramola with 43 seconds left. After a missed shot on Palisades’ ensuing possession, Daramola got the rebound, was fouled intentionally and sank one of two free throws to make it a two-point game with 5.3 seconds remaining.
The Dolphins played for the win and inbound the ball to their best 3-point shooter Jack Levey, but he was quickly double-teamed and got forced towards the sideline with time running out. As he crossed half court Levey let loose a desperation jumper that missed as the buzzer sounded and Palisades’ season ended in a 59-57 defeat.
Guard Phillip Reed Jr. (right) has his shot blocked by Bakersfield Christian center Taiwo Daramola.
Photo: STEVE GALLUZZO
Levey led the eighth-seeded Dolphins (23-12) with 21 points, hitting six 3-pointers and finishing the season as the City Section leader in that category. OJ Popoola had 20 points and twin brother EJ netted seven. Phillip Reed Jr. had six points for Palisades, which led 22-14 after the first quarter, 32-20 at halftime and 47-45 entering the fourth quarter.
Daramola scored in 28 points for Bakersfield Christian, which lost in the Central Section Division I semifinals. In 2020 the Eagles traveled to Palisades in the Division IV regional finals and won 57-43 but two days later the CIF opted to cancel the state finals due to COVID-19.
Despite the heartbreaking end, Palisades’ season was a success. In his second season, Jeff Bryant piloted the program to its first outright league title since 1969 and its first City upper division championship since 1969 while not able to practice or host games on campus until late January due to damage caused by last year’s Palisades Fire.
“This one will hurt—and it should,” Bryant said. “But the brotherhood we’ve formed will stick. This is a great group and with everyone back hopefully we can get this far again next year.”
Jeff Bryant receivers the runner-up plaque from Pacific Palisades High School Athletic Director Rocky Montz after the regional final.
Photo: STEVE GALLUZZO