Coach’s Message Hits Home With Knights

NORTH HILLS — The pre-game pep talk of L.A. Baptist High basketball Coach Bob Chevalier consisted of circling the number 32 on the locker-room blackboard.

His players got the message.

It took a strong 32 minutes for the Knights to outlast Paraclete, 88-82, in the championship game of the L.A. Baptist tournament Saturday night.

“We [wanted] to prove to ourselves and others what we are about,” Chevalier said. “They we’re bigger, but we’re faster and I thought we could tire them out in a fast game.”

L.A. Baptist (11-1) hit seven of eight free throws in the last 32 seconds.

There were nine lead changes during a tense fourth quarter.

Amir Law scored 21 points and Aaron Davis added 20 for the Knights. Both were selected to the all-tournament team.

In addition, L.A. Baptist got 19 points from Jermaine Sweet, who was named the tournament’s most valuable player.

Sweet hit two free throws with 18 seconds remaining to give L.A. Baptist an 86-80 lead.

Paraclete (6-5) was led by Tony Gaetta with 25 points and Josh Foster with 17 points.

Valencia 62, Carpinteria 56--All-tournament selection Jerrohn Jordan had 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Vikings (10-3), who used a 10-2 run in the final two minutes to win the third-place game.

Jason Richardson had 18 points and eight assists, and Fabian Leon scored 13 for Valencia (6-7).

Poly 82, St. Bonaventure 56--Ellis Richardson scored 28 points and Willie Wilson added 11 for the Parrots (8-5) in the fifth-place game.

Holy Martyrs 54, Frazier Mountain 36--George Najarian scored 16 points and all-tournament selection Vicken Ohanian added 12 for the Armens (6-6) in the seventh-place game.