Charles Rich
GLENDALE -- o7 The following is a preview of today's CIF Southern
Section boys' basketball playoff games involving Crescenta Valley, La
Canada and Flintridge Prep.f7
Marina at Crescenta Valley, 7:30 p.m.: The big news surrounding the
Falcons (20-6) in this Division IAA contest is that starting sophomore
guard Jimmy Goffredo will play following a two-month battle with
mononucleosis. Goffredo missed the last two regular-season games with the
illness and has been hampered by a lower back and hip injury sustained
against Saugus in a nonleague game in early December.
CV Coach Jim Smiley said Goffredo resumed practicing Wednesday and
continued to build his stamina Thursday at practice.
The Falcons finished second in the Pacific League behind Muir and are
the division's third seed. Marina (11-16) finished third in the Sunset
League behind Los Alamitos and Fountain Valley.
The winner of the CV-Marina contest will face Colton or J.W. North in
a second-round game Tuesday. La Canada at Costa Mesa, 7:30 p.m.: The
Spartans (21-6) received a brief scare in Wednesday's 79-68 CIF Southern
Section Division IIIAA first-round win against visiting Covina, while
Costa Mesa (17-9) should be the fresher of the two teams having earned a
first-round bye.
La Canada received a career-high 25 points from sophomore point guard
Billy Hofman against Covina. It might need a similar performance from
Hofman against Costa Mesa, which finished second in the Pacific Coast
League behind University.
The winner of the La Canada-Costa Mesa game will meet Sherman Oaks
Notre Dame or Santa Paula in a quarterfinal game Tuesday.
Pacific Hills at Flintridge Prep, 7:30 p.m.: The Rebels (13-11) figure
to get some tougher competition against Pacific Hills (17-9) in a CIF
Southern Section Division VAA second round game. Flintridge Prep, making
its third consecutive trip to the postseason following a six-year
absence, defeated Santa Barbara Laguna Blanca on Wednesday, 74-39.
Flintridge Prep lost the services of starting forward Tim Mercer, who
injured his left ankle in the first quarter. Coach Garrett Ohara said
Wednesday that Mercer would probably miss tonight's game.
The winner of the Flintridge Prep-Pacific Hills game will face Boys
Republic in a third-round game Tuesday.
