Sports

PLAYOFF PROMISES

Although the Culver City boys’ basketball team is out of Ocean League title contention, it would like nothing better than to spoil Beverly Hills’ season. The area’s biggest rivalry resumes at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Beverly Hills High.

“This is a pivotal game,” Centaur Coach Jeff Perry said.

Said Norman Coach Jason Newman: “We’re a playoff-caliber team, but we will have to earn it against Culver City.”

In the last meeting, Jan. 20, Beverly Hills missed a shot at the buzzer and lost, 75-73, at Culver City.

Entering Wednesday’s games, the Normans had a 12-11 record and were 6-6 in Ocean League play. Beverly Hills beat Morningside, 61-49, Jan. 27, but lost to Centennial, 68-64, Monday.

“That hurt us in terms of making the playoffs,” Newman said.

The Normans are led by 6-foot-5 forward Frank Brown, who is one of the area’s best outside shooters, 5-8 junior point guard Charlie Johnson and 5-11 guard Luis Turcios. Johnson averages eight assists and four steals a game in league play and Turcios, a returning all-league player, averages 13 points and 5.5 assists.

Culver City’s Wayne Dooley, a 6-5 forward, is a dominating inside player and leads the Centaurs in scoring with an 18-point average.

Culver City was 14-9 and 8-4 entering Wednesday’s game against Mira Costa.

SECOND SEASON

Delphic League rivals Brentwood and Crossroads met Friday night and the Eagles completed a season sweep with a 90-72 victory.

Brentwood, the top-seeded team from the Delphic League, and Crossroads are expected to be among the top four seeded teams in Division V-AA when the Southern Section playoffs begin next week.

Crossroads, which has either won or shared the league title the past four seasons, finished second.

“This is the first time we have swept them in a long time,” Brentwood Coach Bob Ingram said. “I don’t remember the last time a team won the league title outright aside from Crossroads.”

Although Delphic League teams have dominated their respective divisions in past playoffs, they will have a tougher time this season, Ingram said.

“I don’t think the league was too competitive this season,” Ingram said. “Campbell Hall lost a good portion of its team to graduation, Faith Baptist had a down year, and Pacific Hills is young.”

Last season, the Eagles lost to eventual champion Campbell Hall in the semifinals.

Ingram, as always, is cautiously optimistic.

“We need time to get ready for the second season so we’re taking Friday and Saturday off,” Ingram said. “It’s a good time to rest and get over our illnesses and injuries.”

NOBLE WIN

Murphy won the Santa Fe League title for the first time since 1992 Monday with a 77-43 victory over Salesian.

Murphy is led by Pierre Elize, a 6-2 senior swingman who is averaging 18 points and eight rebounds a game.

“Pierre is not only our best scorer, but also our best defender,” Coach Andrew Hunter said. “He contains their ball-handlers, he plays good pressure defense and he closes off passing lanes.”

CLEAN SWEEP

The top-ranked UCLA men’s volleyball team won its fifth consecutive match in straight sets with a 15-4, 15-4, 15-10 win over Pepperdine in the 18th annual Kilgour Cup on Friday at Pauley Pavilion.

The Bruins improved to 5-0 and 2-0 in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play. The Waves are 4-3 and 1-3 in MPSF play.

UCLA senior All-American Jeff Nygaard had a game-high 18 kills and freshman reserve Tom Stillwell had nine kills, five digs and three blocks.

The Bruins play at Cal State Northridge on Friday night after visiting UC Santa Barbara on Wednesday.

Senior outside hitter Lee Bradford had a team-high 15 kills to lead the Waves, who suffered their third consecutive loss.

The Waves play Brigham Young in MPSF matches Friday and Saturday night in Provo, Utah.

On Tuesday night, the Waves defeated Loyola Marymount, 15-7, 15-8, 16-14, in a MPSF match.

GYMNASTICS

United States Olympians Peter Vidmar and Kim Zmeskal will be among the featured performers in the UCLA/Gilda Marx Gymnastics Invitational Saturday at Pauley Pavilion.

Zmeskal, a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic team and 1991 World Champion, will give a special performance.

Vidmar, a 1984 Olmypic gold medal winner, will compete with national team members Chainey Umphrey, Scott Keswick and 1991 United States all-around champion Chris Waller for the UCLA men’s alumni team.

UCLA will field a United States Gymnastic Federation club team because the school discontinued the men’s program from NCAA competition after last season. Men’s teams from Brigham Young University and UC Santa Barbara and a club team from Arizona State will also compete.

Arizona State, California, Cal State Fullerton and UCLA have entered women’s teams.

RECRUITING UPDATE

Although Brentwood’s Teddy Miller, a 6-5 forward who is averaging better than 20 points and 10 rebounds a game, has not been actively recruited by Division I schools, he may have found his college niche.

According to Coach Bob Ingram, Miller is close to signing with Yale.

“It’s not 100%, but it looks like a sure thing that he will attend Yale,” Ingram said. “He’s been telling recruiters that he’s going to the East Coast since the beginning of the season.”

Miller’s grade-point average is better than a 3.0 and he has been involved in the school’s theater arts program.

Several area football players also signed binding letters last week.

Westchester running back Kaaron Conwright signed with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, becoming the fourth Comet to receive a scholarship. Receiver Louis Henderson, who will visit Cal Poly SLO this weekend, could become the fifth. He is also considering Hawaii.

Culver City defensive back Jahmal Wright signed with Kansas.

Centaur running back Aki Wilson is considering an offer from Nevada Las Vegas. Centaur quarterback Damon Williams and receiver Jasiri Rodell have already signed with the Rebels.

If offered, Beverly Hills quarterback Chris Wallace will accept a scholarship to Weber State. Norman receiver Larry Vavra and defensive back Andre Gill signed with Pomona-Pitzer.

St. Monica Coach Norm Lacy continues to send out film hoping four of his players will receive scholarships. So far only lineman Adrian Klemm, who will attend Hawaii, has signed. Tight end Carlos Casillas turned down football scholarships from San Jose State and Fresno State because of his interest in playing collegiate baseball. Mariner linebacker Steve Bailey, quarterback Steven Pulley and receivers Jason Jones and Dwight Carter are thought to have potential to play in college.

At the community college level, 11 players from Santa Monica College and four players from West Los Angeles will continue their careers at four-year schools.

The Santa Monica list includes: quarterback Jorge Blanco (University of San Diego), defensive end Luke Davis (Northern Illinois), kicker Felipe Escartin (Pomona-Pitzer), offensive tackle Ed Flanagan (Missouri), linebacker Lomi Fuailefau (Utah State), cornerback Andrew Kinnebrew (Alabama State), linebacker Kedrick Levy (South Arkansas State), defensive end Stacy Maxwell (Central State of Ohio), center Steve Medina (Chico State), defensive back Kelvin Moore (Iowa State) and quarterback Frank Nishimura (Columbia).

Oiler receiver Chris Miller signed with USC. Other West L.A. players who have signed include running back Ron Peebles (Langston University of Alabama), linebacker Wade White (Northern Illinois) and lineman Terrell Williams (East Carolina State).