Lee’s Halfcourt Heave Stuns Venice

Palisades High Boys Basketball Secures First City Open Division Playoff Berth; Girls Seeded No. 3

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Two years ago Donzell Hayes coached Palisades High to the City Division I boys basketball championship, the program’s first section crown since 1969. Yet, his most satisfying victory as pilot of his alma mater came last Wednesday night at Venice, where Avery Lee  intercepted an inbounds pass near midcourt, whirled and threw up a  prayer from 42 feet away that banked off the backboard and in at the buzzer, giving the Dolphins a 55-52 overtime victory and handing the host Gondos their first loss all season to a City opponent.

The win all but sealed Palisades’ first Open Division playoff berth, which was made “official” Saturday when the seedings were released. Palisades is No. 4 in the eight-team field and hosts No. 5 King Drew, the Coliseum League winner, in the quarterfinals Friday night at 6. It will be a rematch of a  tournament game December 1 in which the Dolphins prevailed 41-36 despite missing starters Charlie Moore and Bo Nicklas Johansson.

While Palisades players poured off the bench to congratulate Lee on his herculean heave, the referees huddled for a lengthy discussion at the scorer’s table before ruling the shot good and the game over. A video clip posted later on Twitter appeared to show Lee did not release the ball in time and the shot should not have counted, but Palisades (10-8) will take the win. To his credit, Venice coach David Galley did not blame officiating.   

“On the play right before that, my guys didn’t communicate and  left one of their best shooters wide open for a three-pointer,” he said. “That’s on us.”

Bowdoin Brazell’s corner triple tied the game with six seconds left and set up the frantic finish.

Brazell finished with 18 points,  including a tomahawk dunk, Zach Haas scored 13 and Moore added 10 for Palisades (10-8), which led after each of the first three quarters. Tyler Hunt had 20 points for Venice but fouled out in overtime. The Gondos had two chances to score at the end of regulation but a jump shot was long and a putback  rolled off the rim as time expired.

Venice lost to Fairfax two nights later in a game to decide the Western League title and it earned the Lions the No. 2 seed  behind Taft.

The Pali High girls did not need  last-second heroics to punch their tickets to the Open Division. After  claiming their third straight league title the defending champions are seeded third behind Granada Hills and Birmingham and host No. 6 Eagle Rock in the quarterfinals at  4 tomorrow. Palisades has won 10 straight City postseason games.