Venice falls short in Division III boys’ basketball state final

Venice coach Dave Galley put his arms round sophomore Aidan Donald, consoling him. Two teammates sat dejectedly on the bench with their faces coated by towels. The ending on Friday evening at Golden 1 Heart, a 57-53 defeat to Chico Nice Valley within the CIF Division III state championship boys’ basketball sport, was a bitter disappointment for a group that started to consider it might do something throughout an unbelievable March playoff run.

Not since 2010 had a Los Angeles Unified College District group made it to a state basketball remaining. Venice (21-10) began the sport with a 10-0 lead and was forward 53-50 late within the fourth quarter due to what Galley described as “only a phenomenal effort.” However Nice Valley (32-3) obtained consecutive baskets from Ned Joyce and centered on stopping Venice sophomore Tyler Hunt to return away victorious.

The 6-foot-3 Hunt despatched discover that he would be the high returning participant within the Metropolis Part for 2022-23. He completed with 22 factors and 10 rebounds whereas making eight of 12 photographs. He appeared able to scoring any time he had the ball. In reality, Galley most likely wished Hunt had shot extra as a substitute of passing the ball to teammates. “That’s who he’s. He’s at all times going to seek out the open man,” Galley mentioned.

Hunt mentioned Nice Valley’s protection compelled him late to search for others. “They began closing every little thing off on me,” he mentioned.

Senior guard Oscar Lopez made all of the discuss that capturing in an NBA enviornment is supposedly difficult look silly. He made 5 of 9 from three-point vary and completed with 15 factors.

Noah Thomas led Nice Valley with 24 factors.

Afterward, Galley defined how proud he was of a group that impressed others. Venice reaching the state remaining was for all the colleges in LAUSD that misplaced practices and video games throughout two years of COVID-19 protocols. It was for all of the gamers who caught it out and didn’t switch when gyms have been compelled to shut. It was for all of the coaches who labored whereas receiving meager stipends and making an attempt to keep up packages that confronted one week of adversity after one other.

“For what these guys needed to undergo, testing each different day it appeared, masks mandates, LAUSD protocols … it was robust,” Galley mentioned. “We shut down for per week. These guys persevered by means of all of it.”

Division V

It wasn’t a productive highway journey for Ontario Chaffey (24-13). The Tigers ran right into a group that had expertise taking part in in an enviornment setting, leading to strong capturing from three-point vary (eight threes). San Francisco Stuart Corridor got here away with a 56-45 victory within the Division V remaining.

Brandon Lum (25 factors) and Jackson Jung (17 factors) every made 4 three-pointers for the winners. Tyler Terry led Chaffey with 13 factors.