Pali High Boys Hoops Holds Off Venice, 76-67

After seeing his team let most of a 12-point lead slip away, Palisades High point guard Will Johnson decided to pass less and shoot more in the fourth quarter Friday against Venice. The Dolphins were glad he did.

Johnson finished with 28 points, including six three-pointers, and added nine rebounds and five assists in a 76-67 triumph that evened Palisades’ league mark at 5-5 heading into the last week of the regular season.

The visiting Gondoliers used an 8-0 run to pull within four points late in the third quarter but the Dolphins answered with 10 of their own, highlighted by Johnson’s three-pointer to beat the shot clock and a floater in the lane.

Joseph Robinson had 22 points and five assists and Michael Fry added 12 points and 12 rebounds and Chris Kurihara made two key jumpers down the stretch for Palisades, which was once again playing without guard Shane Williams and forward Ron Artest III.

“We’ve been motivated since the Hamilton loss,” senior captain Monroe Gorden said. “We want to make the Open Division, so Uni was a statement game. Tonight was all about effort and defending our home court. We can play either way but we like the up-tempo style better and we showed tonight what we can do when we get out and run.”

With George Brown, Shomari Dunham and Tucker Steil pounding the boards the Dolphins made 15 fast-break baskets. Tony Holley scored 20 points and Raheem Brumfield added 18 for Venice (9-19 overall, 2-8 in league), which trailed 33-27 at halftime.

“We used a lot of energy coming back and we just didn’t have enough left at the end,” Venice Coach David Galley said.

The Dolphins travel to LACES on Wednesday and host first-place Fairfax on Senior Night next Friday at 6:30. The City seeding meeting is Feb. 14.

— Steve Galluzzo