Boys’ basketball: Kris Yanku, Taft still have fight left
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Some people seem to have forgotten that Woodland Hills Taft is the two-time defending City Section Division I champions.
Well, Kris Yanku hasn’t. Taft fans carry around an enlarged photo of Yanku showing off his championship ring.
Yanku and the Toreadors aren’t going down without a fight. In their playoff opener on Thursday night, Yanku scored 25 points, had eight rebounds and seven assists in a 75-61 victory over Washington. Taft (13-13) will play top-seeded Westchester on Tuesday. Westchester defeated Fremont, 74-42. Washington received 26 points from sophomore guard T.J. Wilson.
Former Taft Coach Derrick Taylor was in attendance.
‘We’re starting to play well at the right time,’ Yanku said of the 13-13 Toreadors. ‘Everyone is starting to get confident. We’re starting to win games.’
Fairfax will play at Palisades in a Tuesday quarterfinal. Fairfax defeated Dorsey, 71-57. Olisa Nwachie and Reggie Theus Jr. had 18 points apiece. Palisades defeated San Pedro, 88-63. Tyler Hildreth scored 20 points.
No. 2 El Camino Real defeated Canoga Park, 63-20. Julian Richardson scored 16 points. The Conquistadores will host No. 10 Narbonne, which upset Birmingham, 84-71. No. 3 Crenshaw defeated Eagle Rock, 96-50. Andre Edwards scored 28 points. Crenshaw will host University on Tuesday. Breamon Richard scored 28 points in University’s 58-51 overtime win over Cleveland.
-- Eric Sondheimer