Gardena survives departure of three seniors, beats King-Drew in OT

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What could have been one of the longest days of the 2007-08 season for the Gardena boys’ basketball team turned into a day the Panthers won’t soon forget.

Before Monday’s game against King-Drew, a crucial contest in the hotly contested Marine League title chase, three Gardena players quit the team. Coach Roosevelt Wilson identified the players as senior guards Charles Horice and Sean Jones, and senior forward Andrew Grant. ‘I guess they felt they weren’t getting enough playing time,’ Wilson said. ‘So, we’re down to nine players.’

Then there was the game. The score was tied at halftime, 41-41. King-Drew moved out to an eight-point lead at 62-54 after three quarters, and still led, 69-62, with just over four minutes left to play. But Gardena rallied to tie the score, then dodged a big bullet when Golden Eagles forward Timothy Thompson missed an open layup with three seconds left. Gardena went on to win in overtime, 80-76.

‘This [win] should give us a big boost, with us now in sole possession of first place,’ Wilson said. ‘This should give us the momentum to finish the season strong. And we don’t play again until Friday, so we’ll have the time to work on some things.’

If the three departed players have a change of heart, it won’t matter to Wilson. ‘There’s no chance they can come back,’ he said.

-- Mike Terry

-- Image from www.lausd.k12.ca.us