BOYS: LEADING THE WAY MCKEE HELPING YOUNG TEAM.Byline: VINCENT VINCENT Vital Information Necessary Centralized (movie, The Black Hole) BONSIGNORE AND RAMONA SHELBURNE Ramona Shelburne is an American sports journalist currently writing for the Los Angeles Daily News. Shelburne was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She attended El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills, California where she was a class valedictorian. Staff Writers Littlerock Littlerock may refer to: Cities, towns, townships etc.
Contraction of is not. isn't is not isn't be about to lie when he talks about the importance of Tuesday's 63-52 Golden League victory over Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley . Sure, it's it's 1. Contraction of it is. 2. Contraction of it has. See Usage Note at its. it's it is or it has it's be ~have early in the season, and it wasn't was·n't Contraction of was not. wasn't was not wasn't be as though a loss would have wiped out the Lobos' (8-11, 2-2) hopes to win the league title. But it sure would have set them back. No, McKee isn't about to sugarcoat sug·ar·coat tr.v. sug·ar·coat·ed, sug·ar·coat·ing, sug·ar·coats 1. To cause to seem more appealing or pleasant: a sentimental treatment that sugercoats a harsh reality. 2. anything. The game against Antelope Valley (9-10, 3-1) was big. Really big. ``Actually it was huge,'' McKee said. ``I mean, if we had lost that game, that would have put us in a huge hole and pretty much given them control. So we needed to come up with a big game and, thankfully thank·ful adj. 1. Aware and appreciative of a benefit; grateful. 2. Expressive of gratitude: a thankful smile. , we did.'' McKee, the Lobos' leading scorer this year, finished with just eight points, but that's fine with the senior forward. The most important thing is the Lobos won. Just as significantly, they got contributions from a number of different players: Sonke Peterson Pe·ter·son , Oscar Emmanuel Born 1925. Canadian jazz pianist. A prolific recording artist noted for his technical skill, he is best known for work produced with his own trio (1953-1965). had 14 points and Germel Coleman added 13. That's a great sign for McKee and Littlerock. The Lobos have been in desperate need of players stepping up, especially in Golden League action. McKee, one of the veterans and a definite leader, needs help if Littlerock is to make a serious run at the league crown. On Tuesday, he got plenty. ``The guys are definitely coming along, they're starting to realize when we play league games we have to be more intense, more focused,'' McKee said. ``It's an adjustment going from preseason to league, and I think everyone has made that adjustment.'' McKee is the Lobos' captain, and part of his responsibility this year was to pull some of his younger teammates up, just as older veterans did for him over the years. It's a role McKee willingly accepted. ``Before the season started, I sat down with (coach Ben Dale), and we talked about what I needed to do as far as leadership and showing some of the younger guys what varsity basketball was all about,'' McKee said. ``And it helps that we've got some guys who played on a successful freshmen team, so they came in with a winning attitude.'' McKee is more than just a leader. His dependable outside shot helps open things up for his teammates, and his ability to pass makes him a two-way threat. ``Actually, I enjoy making the assist just as much as I do scoring,'' McKee said. He's also a solid defender. ``I just try to do what I have to to help us win, that's my main focus,'' McKee said. ``Whatever it takes, I'm willing to do.'' That includes not being afraid to call a must-win a must-win. - Vincent Bonsignore GIRLS: She's shaping up to be a powerful force at center Palmdale's George has worked to become top recruit It's hard to imagine Teiosha George as a rail-thin, out-of-shape freshman who barely could run a couple of laps around the Palmdale gym. So dominant and graceful grace·ful adj. Showing grace of movement, form, or proportion: "Capoeira is a graceful ballet of power and control, artists kicking and jumping in synchronized movement" Alisa Valdes. a player has George become as a 6-foot-4 senior that the image of her gasping for air after basic conditioning drills or being pushed around by taller, stronger players down in the post seems like something that would come from jealous jeal·ous adj. 1. Fearful or wary of being supplanted; apprehensive of losing affection or position. 2. a. Resentful or bitter in rivalry; envious: jealous of the success of others. girls' basketball rivals. But those words come directly from George, who has become one of the most highly recruited post players in the area, and Palmdale coach George Corisis. ``I could barely run up and down the floor,'' said George, who said she has orally committed to play basketball at Pepperdine next season. ``I had played basketball before but never really learned the fundamentals. It's taken a lot of hard work and a good coach and good parents to get to where I am today.'' Said Corisis: ``When she was a freshman, you could push her over with your finger. We'd go on conditioning runs and she would get tired after about a half-mile.'' Things started to change for George during her sophomore season when Palmdale's starting center, Tiffany Tiffany, Tiffanie (UK) a semi-longhaired version of the Burmese cat. It has a fine, silky coat in many colors. Sparswood, broke her ankle and George was pressed in to service. She was hardly the dominating presence she is today, but that experience would accelerate her development and set up a breakout junior season last year. ``I think last year she started to realize how good she could be by working hard and that there was life after high school,'' Corisis said. But in the college recruiting game, having a big junior year is actually a bit late. That's why George became a ``winter recruit,'' meaning she has to wait until the February signing period to sign a letter of intent with Pepperdine, the three-time West Coast Conference champion. ``The college recruiters love her footwork and how she runs the floor,'' Corisis said. ``I think she runs the floor better than any 6-foot-4 player in the country, and when you consider she came from zero (as a freshman), that shows how hard she's worked at it.'' Her numbers this season - 15 points and 10 rebounds a game - are good but not gaudy, but Corisis said that's a function of Palmdale's style of offense and the fact George constantly is facing double- and triple-teams. ``She opens up a lot of things for other players because everyone has to focus on her height and her presence in the middle,'' Palmdale point guard McKenna Richardson said. ``She has a big name, everyone knows about her and tries to stop her.'' Even so, George has made a name for herself on a national level by performing well in games against other top post players. Against Bishop Montgomery of Torrance's highly-recruited 6-5 center Noel Quinn this year, George scored 25 points. A preview of success to come at the college level over the next few years? ``I know I need to get in the weight room so I can get stronger,'' George said. ``But I definitely want to play pro one day, and I'm going to do what it takes.'' - Ramona Shelburne LOOK BACK The Palmdale and A.V. girls' teams continued to roll through league, winning both of their games to remain 4-0 in league through Wednesday night and distancing themselves from the rest of the field. True to form, Palmdale was led by Teiosha George, McKenna Richardson and Shanna Demus, who scored 22, 17, and 11 points, respectively, in Palmdale's 68-32 victory over Quartz quartz, one of the commonest of all rock-forming minerals and one of the most important constituents of the earth's crust. Chemically, it is silicon dioxide, SiO2. Hill on Tuesday night. Quartz Hill also had a tough game last Friday, losing to Antelope Valley by 25 points. ``Coach (April Davenport Davenport, city (1990 pop. 95,333), seat of Scott co., E central Iowa, on the Mississippi River; inc. 1836. Bridges connect it with the Illinois cities of Rock Island and Moline; the three communities and neighboring Bettendorf, Iowa, are known as the Quad Cities. ) got mad at us at halftime and challenged us,'' A.V. senior guard Sheena Crenshaw cren·shaw also cran·shaw n. A variety of winter melon (Cucumis melo var. inodorus) having a greenish-yellow rind and sweet, usually salmon-pink flesh. [Origin unknown.] said. ``She said we weren't playing like ourselves. So we came out real hard in the second half.'' Littlerock beat Highland last Friday night but then lost to A.V. on Tuesday, 69-43. Still, the fact the Lobos sit alone in third place is an accomplishment considering they were 5-20 overall and 1-9 in league last season. Finally, Lancaster lost to Palmdale 56-17 on Friday night but recovered to beat Highland 54-48 in overtime Tuesday night for its first league victory of the season. CAPTION(S): 2 photos, 4 boxes Photo: (1 -- color) Littlerock's DelVar McKee is the leading scorer for the Lobos this season, but his main role has been to be a leader on the team, particularly to the underclassmen. Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer (2 -- color) Palmdale's Teiosha George is George I, king of Greece George I, 1845–1913, king of the Hellenes (1863–1913), second son of Christian IX of Denmark. After the deposition (1862) of Otto I, he was elected to succeed on the throne of Greece. averaging 15 points and 10 rebounds a game this season and has orally committed to Pepperdine. Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer Box: (1) TIME OUT (2) COMING UP (3) GAME OF THE WEEK: No. 2 Palmdale vs. Troy of Fullerton at the Ayala Nike Extravaganza ex·trav·a·gan·za n. 1. An elaborate, spectacular entertainment or display: "Washington is an extravaganza of great buildings, greenery, and monuments" Larry Griffin. , Monday, 6 p.m. (4) LOOK BACK (see text) |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion