Pali High Hoops Snaps Comets’ Streak

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

When the final buzzer sounded Palisades High basketball coach Donzell Hayes glanced up at the scoreboard and breathed a huge sigh of relief. Not only had his team  stayed in contention for the Western League title, it also exorcised a demon that had haunted the program for nearly three decades.

In fact, the last time the Dolphins had beaten Westchester, Hayes was  a player not a coach. That was back in 1995-96 and Pali High swept the Comets en route to its third straight consecutive league title under then coach James Paleno.

No one at either school could have imagined it would take 27 seasons for Palisades to notch another ‘W’ in the rivalry, so the Dolphins’ 38-32 triumph last Wednesday felt almost surreal. It ended a 51-game league losing streak to the Comets, all but one at the hands of Ed Azzam, who retired last winter as the winningest coach in section history with 932 victories and 15 City crowns over 42 seasons. Longtime assistant DeWitt Cotton, who played for Azzam from 1983-85, took over this year and Westchester barely escaped with a 41-38 overtime win at Palisades on Dec. 10, but that only motivated the Dolphins to turn the tables in the rematch and give Hayes his first win against his nemesis since he donned the blue and white as a senior guard.

“I wanted it more for our players than for me,” said Hayes, who prior to last Wednesday was 0-13 against Westchester in his seven seasons as coach at his alma mater. “It took 26 years of me studying their offense to  finally crack it.”

Fittingly, it was seniors Charlie Moore and Owen Larbalestier who led the charge for Palisades, strong medicine for several painful defeats at the hands of the Comets.

“Playing Fairfax earlier this week helped prepare us,” said Moore, who scored 13 points. “We wanted to show we’re one of the best teams in our league and the City. I’ve played for Coach Hayes for four years now, I’ve seen what it takes to win and that’s defense— from our starting five all the way down to 17. It feel great and I’m happy we did this for Coach.”

Hayes was proud of his team’s defense from the start as Palisades held the host Comets to two points in the first quarter. The Dolphins carried a commandng 30-12 lead to the locker room, but finishing the task would be far from easy. Palisades managed just one basket in the third quarter and Wetchester narrowed its deficit to eight points with eight minutes to go.

“At the start of the second half we were getting in our own way—it wasn’t anything they were doing it was more what we weren’t doing,” said Larbalestier, who had 10 points. “Once we took a deep breath, got a few baskets, slowed the game down and got back to playing defense we were fine. We’ve always played them close in the first half then let it get away from us. This win is a testament to what we’ve worked on the last few years. Their guards are less skilled underneath the basket than they usually are so Coach told us to pressure the ball. We have great chemistry. Us seniors have been playing together a long time and we want to make a big run in City and the state playoffs.”

Guard Zach Haas contributed seven points, including the only 3-pointer by either side, and Drew Kerkorian, Niklas Johansson and Bowdoin Brazell made baskets in a gym that has been a house of horrors since before any of the current Dolphins were born.   

“This is a tough place to play for sure, but we knew we could do  it,” Hayes said. “We prepared well and we didn’t take quick shots. We played seven games without two starters but now we’re healthy.”

Palisades was back on its home court Friday and beat University 64-43 for its third straight win. On Monday, the Dolphins fell to first-place Venice 54-43. Moore led the way with 13 points, Avery Lee had nine and Brazell added eight.