People often say, “Save the best for last,” and that’s what is happening for four of the Culver City high school winter sports teams as they head into the final week of league play. Boys’ basketball, girls’ basketball, boys soccer and girls soccer all have an opportunity to win Ocean league championships if the ball bounces their way.
The boys’ basketball team is 17-4 overall and 3-1 in the Ocean league. They played Beverly Hills last Wednesday, January 23 and they face Santa Monica at home on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Their final game of the regular season will take place on Saturday at Leuzinger at 2 p.m. Inglewood is the leader of the Ocean league at 5-0 and 21-6 followed by Leuzinger with a record of 3-0 and 18-5.
If Culver City wins their next three games this week and Inglewood loses two games, then the Centaurs can move into first place. If Inglewood wins it’s remaining games and Culver City wins their three games then the Centaurs will take second place.
The girls’ basketball team is 11-8 overall and they are in third place in the Ocean league with a record of 3-1. Lawndale is in first place at 4-0 and Santa Monica is in second place at 3-1. If the Lady Centaurs win their three games this week and Lawndale loses two games, they will capture first place. They play Santa Monica at home on Friday at 6 p.m. and they travel to Leuzinger for their final league game on Saturday at 12 p.m.
The girls’ soccer team is 5-5 overall and 5-0 in the Ocean league. If they win their games this week, they will be league champions, but they have to beat 5-0 Santa Monica at Santa Monica on Friday at 3:30 p.m.
The boys’ soccer team is 9-5 overall and 3-0 in the Ocean league. That record is good enough for second place in the Ocean league behind 6-0 Santa Monica. They battle Santa Monica at Culver City on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
In one of the most exciting Ocean league boys’ basketball games of the year was played last Friday night at Inglewood when the Centaurs were beaten 80-74. “We went out there and fought a good fight,” said Mark Fourte after the game. “We knew that they would be very competitive. Both teams played well. They were persistent but so were we. We just have to stay strong and take advantage of our chemistry. A lot of teams can’t run with us, so we just have to keep playing hard.”
With the Ocean league tournament and the CIF playoffs just around the corner Culver City’s boys head basketball coach Ray Singleton is hoping his team can continue to play at an elite level. “We are starting to jell at the right time. The players have that look in the eyes that they are ready to play when they step out on the court.”
Singleton continued to say, “I like the fact that the players and coaches are putting something together that people want to see. That is very gratifying to me. I am just grateful to be a part of this Culver City basketball team.”
