Norwalk, La Mirada have big wins in boys basketball
Norwalk's Jayden Williams (24) shoots over Bellflower defenders in the opening of the Suburban League boys basketball game on Wednesday. Norwalk defeated Bellflower 51-40. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
NORWALK – The opening game of the Suburban League in boys basketball was nearly four months late in arriving, but when it did Norwalk High School made it count.
The Lancers, behind a game-high 32 points from senior G/F Jayden Williams on senior night, defeated visiting Bellflower, 51-40, Wednesday.
“I’m just glad we have senior night, no matter when it is,” said Williams, of the delayed season. “I know it’s about in the middle of May but it’s another basketball game and I just love playing the game.
“I was always asking coach if there was going to be a season.”
And being the leader of the team, Norwalk coach Brent Campanelli gave Williams a personal call that the season was on.
“He actually called me,” Williams said. “(Coach) said, ‘we’re ready to get back in the gym’. I was excited and ran in to tell my mom and dad. We get to have a season and its game time.”
Williams and the rest of the team were happy to have a season and will finish off with four more league games and one non-league game.
Norwalk evened its record at 2-2 overall and 1-0 in league, while Bellflower falls to 0-3 and 0-1.
Williams was the only player who scored in double figures, but six other players scored for the Lancers, with senior guard Luis Gomez and senior forward Jonathan Bolanos scoring five and four points, respectively.
Norwalk's Jayden Williams brings the ball down court as they play Bellflower in the opening of the Suburban League boys basketball game on Wednesday. Norwalk defeated Bellflower 51-40. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
The first quarter was a low-scoring affair as Norwalk led, 6-5, heading into the second quarter.
That’s when Williams and the Lancers defense geared up, outscoring Bellflower, 16-9, in the quarter.
The Lancers went on an 11-0 run to start the quarter, as Gomez opened with a three-pointer to lead, 9-5. That was followed by another three-pointer by sophomore guard Aytin Reyes.
Williams, perhaps, had the biggest basket of the night as the 6-1 forward took a pass and went up for a thunderous dunk, which got the small, but noisy crowd of only parents excited.
“That was his first dunk in a high school game,” Norwalk coach Brent Campanelli said of the highlight moment by Williams. “I don’t think he was surprised (Wednesday), I was surprised when he did it.”
Williams added the third three-pointer of the run to give the Lancers a 17-5 lead with 4:30 left in the half.
“I was just telling coach in practice the other day that if I got a steal and a fast break, it’s going to be show time,” he said. “I got the ball and once I was in the air, I ended up dunking it. It was just a turning point from there.”
Bellflower outscored the Lancers to end the half, but Williams put an exclamation point on the first half with a long three-pointer in the last few seconds.
Norwalk's Miguel Fernandez (30) shoots over Bellflower defenders in the opening of the Suburban League boys basketball game on Wednesday. Norwalk defeated Bellflower 51-40. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
Bellflower had its best quarter of the game in the third, outscoring Norwalk, 16-12, to trial by only three, 33-30, heading into the final quarter.
Bellflower leading scorer, Jaden Mason (21 points) scored seven in the third quarter for the Buccaneers.
Norwalk started the fourth quarter outscoring Bellflower 11-7 at the 4:50 mark for a 44-37 lead.
Williams, who scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, scored five of the last seven points for the Lancers. Gomez sank the last two points with two free throws for the 11-point victory.
Campanelli, who led his team into the quarterfinals last season in division 4AA, knew how tough it was on his players during the long wait in between games, especially Williams.
“It’s not like the world is going to stop,” said Campanelli, of the events of the last year. “Whether you have a good day or bad day, the sun’s coming up the next day. This sun just took six months to rise.
“A testament to Jaden specifically, we were in touch a lot,” Campanelli added. “He was staying in shape. He never really lost his positivity. He’s very, very positive and he’s been such a leader for us.
“I wanted to make that call to him and share some happiness that the season was going to happen.”
Norwalk continues league play tonight (May 7) at home against Mayfair. Game time is 5 p.m.
La Mirada takes down No. 8 CIF-SS Div. 2A La Serna
And the long three-year road trip continues for the La Mirada boys basketball team.
The latest edition is the 53-46 upset of the Lancers, ranked 8th in CIF-Southern Section, Division 2A Tuesday (May 4).
Trailing by two at the half, 26-24, La Mirada outscored La Serna, 29-20, and won by seven points.
“The guys are learning how to win,” fourth-year La Mirada coach Randy Oronoz said, of the big victory. “They’re pretty excited. Any time you beat an area school, that’s a goal.
“With this win against La Serna, we feel we have a shot to win this year in the division.”
The game started out slow, with La Serna holding a 9-8 lead, but both teams amped it up in the second quarter, as La Mirada doubled its output with 16 points and the Lancers scored 17. La Serna led, 26-24, at the half.
Jalen Cole, a 6-5 senior forward, scored five points in the second quarter. “He’s a senior and three-year varsity player and a phenomenal shooter,” Oronoz said. “He can score multiple three’s a game.”
Heading into the fourth quarter, the game was tied 35-35 and La Mirada players would score crucial points down the stretch for the win.
Cole connected with one of his two 3’s early in the quarter to put the Matadores up by three points. He led all scorers in the game with 21 points (3 3-pointers, 8 of 9 FT).
Cole, 6-7 center George Ochoa and 6-5 junior Aidan Nasser (11 points) would all prove to be crucial players in the final quarter for La Mirada.
“Coles’ 12 points in the fourth quarter helped secure the victory for us,” Oronoz said. “Ochoa had foul trouble most of the game, but still had nine points and contributed to the win.
“Aidan (Nasser) made multiple hustle plays and he gave us a four-point lead with under a minute to play.”
La Serna was led by senior Ruben Nunez with 11 points, while five other Lancers had six points each.
La Mirada (3-5, 0-1) played its second league game the next night, (May 5) and lost to Mayfair, 53-46.
The Matadores, who will play six games in an 11-day stretch, continues Suburban League play tonight (May 7).
No home games in three years for LM
All of the La Mirada players have gone through so much over the last three seasons with no on-campus gym to play in.
It has been under construction since the 2019 season and a fire in late December of last year delayed the opening even further.
“La Mirada’s indoor sports have been so amazing, adapting to the fact they don’t have a home court,” La Mirada Athletic Director Christine Mead said. “It has been three seasons without a gym and our teams continue to work hard, adapt to new locations and succeed.”
Oronoz added to Mead’s observations of the student-athletes at the school.
“One of our staples is not to stray from adversity,” he said. “It’s been three years on the road without a home game. I respect the kids that have stuck around. We even had to get bussed to Excelsior for practice and they’ve walked into gyms they’ve never played in before.
“Players like Cole and senior Isaiah McCormick played in the old gym as young kids and are a little disappointed that they will never get a senior night at home.
“A lot of the kids were excited to play in the new gym.”
Mead thanked local schools and administrators that have aided La Mirada in its hunt for locations for games.
“Thank you to both John Glenn and Norwalk for helping us with gym time,” she said. “This year has been extremely tough with the change in the CIF schedule and the fact that basketball, boys volleyball and wrestling are happening simultaneously.
“I am proud of my coaches and athletes for their flexibility in all of this.”
Oronoz concluded by saying, “Sports sometimes rebuilds character, to preserve and adapt and adjust. It is what it is.”