Palisades Can’t Handle Crenshaw Press, 79-73

Crenshaw High School and its Bermuda Triangle-like full-court press claimed another victim Wednesday, making a five-point deficit disappear in about a minute and forcing Palisades into 28 turn-overs. First, Crenshaw turned a 28-23 deficit with 5:22 remaining in the second quarter into a seven-point lead by halftime. Then, the top-ranked Cougars outscored No. 3 Palisades, 22-14, in the third quarter to go up by 15 en route to a 79-73 victory in a Central League game at Crenshaw.

“That’s the first time we have had trouble with the press this year,” Palisades Coach Jerry Marvin said. “It was really bad.”

Bad for the Dolphins, but typical defense for the Cougars.

Palisades seemed to be able to handle it early in the game, moving the ball up court with quick passes to take an 8-3 advantage after two minutes and then trading baskets with Crenshaw. The Dolphins led after the first quarter, 21-18, and 26-21 and 28-23 in the second.

“And the way we were shooting,” Crenshaw Coach Willie West said, “we were lucky only to be down by that many points.”

But once Crenshaw took the lead by scoring 16 of the next 18 points, Palisades self-destructed. The final margin of six points was much closer than the game itself during the second half, when Stephen Thompson, hitting his jump shot with consistency, scored 19 of his game-high 33 points and Ronald Caldwell got 11 of his 19. In fact, the Cougar lead was 15 with 2 1/2 minutes to play.

That the press gave Palisades so much trouble, and that Thompson, the City scoring champion last season, got his points isn’t what bothered Marvin. What did was the fact that the Dolphins, even with 6-10 Derek Strong and 6-7 1/2 Victor Malbrough, lost the battle on the boards by three.

“I didn’t think Strong did a good job at all,” Marvin said. “They knocked him all over the place. They outrebounded us badly, and that never should have happened.”

Moreover, Malbrough scored only nine of his 23 points in the second half and two in the fourth quarter. Strong led Palisades with 24.

All of which sent Palisades, The Times’ No. 2 team last week, to its second straight loss in the toughest league in the City. The Dolphins are 13-3 overall and 2-2 in league. Crenshaw climbed to 12-2 and 4-0.

Friday, Crenshaw will play at Fremont, The Times’ fifth-ranked team, and Palisades travels to play No. 9 Dorsey.

Defensive lineman Stacey Elliot of Long Beach Poly, quarterback Bobby San Jose of Long Beach Wilson and linebacker Nate Morris of Gardena have given verbal commitments to attend UCLA in the fall.