Centaurs Beat Beverly Hills in Overtime

No matter what the teams' records are going into a rivalry game, the final score is usually much closer than might be expected, especially in the case of Beverly Hills and Culver City high schools.

That was certainly the case for the Centaurs' boys varsity basketball team on Wednesday night, as it oulasted the visiting Normans 87-81 in overtime behind Aamahd Walker's 33 points, four steals and four blocks. Keilan Horton added 30 points, making 11 of 12 free throw attempts.

The Centaurs (11-10, 2-3) trailed by three points after the first quarter but outscored the Normans 23-12 in the second to take a 41-33 lead into halftime. However, Beverly Hills narrowed its deficit to five points going into the fourth quarter and the game was tied 72-72 at the end of regulation.

Justin Montgomery was the only other player in double figures for Culver City, scoring 12 points, and Salvador De Leon Ramirez had four steals.

The Centaurs' win moved them into a three-way tie for third place with Beverly Hills and Morningside. Santa Monica is in first at 5-0 and defending champion Inglewood is one game behind at 4-1.

Culver City's next two games are on the road--at Morningside on Friday and at Santa Monica on Feb. 1--before returning home Fe. 3 against Inglewood.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Culver City stayed undefeated in Ocean League play by routing archrival Beverly Hills 74-52 at home Wednesday night. The Centaurs (14-7, 5-0) have won five of their last six games, the lone loss being in a nonleague game against Redondo Union at the Santa Monica Challenge.

The Centaurs begin the second round of league Friday at Morningside--a team they beat 61-15 at home Jan. 11. They travel to Santa Monica on Feb. 1 for a rematch with the Vikings, who lost the first meeting 69-60. 

BOYS SOCCER

Culver City played to a 1-1 draw against archrival Beverly Hills on Wednesday as Ernie Reynoso scored the Centaurs' only goal off an assist from Andy Castillo to tie the game in the second half.

Zach Amillo made seven saves for Culver City (3-8-5 overall, 1-3-1 in the Ocean League), which remains in fifth place.

GIRLS SOCCER

In a rematch of last year's league finale, in which Culver City knocked off Beverly Hills 2-1 in overtime to deny the Normans the league championship, Beverly Hills won 1-0 on a goal by Tiffany Moore in the 14th minute to remain atop the Ocean League standings.

Culver City (9-7-1, 3-2) slipped into third place and travels to Morningside on Friday. Santa Monica dealt the Centaurs a 4-2 loss in the first round of league and the teams meet again Feb. 1 at Culver City.

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