Basketball

LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE — Kris Jabourian wanted to learn more about dribbling, so he didn’t bother wasting any time Tuesday morning. The La Crescenta resident walked into the Renaissance Academy gymnasium with a basketball in hand before joining about 35 fellow participants at the week-long eighth annual Hoop Academy conducted by Renaissance Academy basketball Coach Sid Cooke. “I can shoot, but I still want to work on my ball handling and dribbling,” said Jabourian, who will be a freshman at Crescenta Valley High.

GLENDALE — When he stepped onto the Hoover High basketball court in 1994, Henrik Sardarbegian figured he'd enjoy a successful career as a guard for the school's boys' team. However, that dream shattered when Sardarbegian landed hard on the court after he collided with a teammate during a summer practice session. He suffered a severe injury to his right hand and never played a game for the Tornadoes, something that never escaped his mind. Now, he's been given a new role with the program.

BURBANK ? Its star player hit the back of her head on the court, leading to a brief scare late in the second quarter. The Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy basketball team also didn't score any points in the second quarter. Somehow, Flintridge Sacred Heart managed to overcome those two obstacles Monday to record a resounding 48-21 victory against Bishop Conaty-Loretto in an opening-round game of the 10th annual Providence Pioneer Shootout. The Tologs (4-3) will face defending tournament champion Arrowhead Christian in a championship-bracket contest at 6:30 p.m. today.

LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE - For the second time in three seasons, the Flintridge Prep boys' basketball team was left stunned at home at the hands of a tough Santa Clara squad. Just like they did in 2010, the Saints used a blistering defense and an efficient offense to upset the Rebels. Flintridge Prep, also the Prep League champs, trailed for all but two minutes in a 55-48 first-round setback that ended its hopes of repeating as CIF Southern Section Division 5AA champions. "It hurts a lot," said Rebels sophomore guard Robert Cartwright, a member of last year's championship team.

ALTADENA - Ranked No. 1 in the CIF Southern Section Division VI playoffs, the Renaissance Academy basketball team turned Wednesday night's first-round game into a tuneup and a statement. "It's more about getting everybody involved and working on some different things," Renaissance Coach Sid Cooke said after Renaissance registered an 83-15 victory against St. Monica Academy at Alta Loma Park. "We came in focused on what we needed to do and cleaning up some things because we had a tough stretch toward the end of the regular season.

TODAY BOYS' BASKETBALL Grant vs. Glendale at Burbank High, 6 p.m. FRIDAY BOYS' BASKETBALL CV in SCIBCA Tournament at TBA, TBA SATURDAY BOYS' BASKETBALL CV in SCIBCA Tournament at TBA, TBA SUNDAY BOYS' BASKETBALL Crescenta Valley in SCIBCA Tournament at TBA, TBA MONDAY BOYS' BASKETBALL Fairfax vs. St. Francis at TBA, 6 p.m. ...

The Glendale News-Press recently visited the Glendale YMCA?s new Club Y program. We asked kids: What is your favorite activity to do while at Club Y? ? ?To work out. I like using [the machines], because it helps your abs.? AREVIK MOUGHALIAN, 11 Glendale ? ? ? ? ?It would be the dance classes that they have here, and working out and playing games.? DAYANA ASADORYAN, 9 ? ? ? ? ?Basketball. My friends are here, and I can help coach and teach the kids.

Basketball sign ups continue at Y Y-Winner basketball sign ups continue at the Crescenta-Cañada Family YMCA through Jan. 9. The Verdugo Hills Family YMCA has early registration from Dec. 5 through Dec. 27 and late registration Dec. 28 through Jan. 16. The Crescenta-Cañada and Verdugo Hills Family YMCAs will both be running Y-Winners basketball for boys and girls in first through sixth grades this winter. Practice begins Jan. 26 and runs through the 30. The season is from Jan.31 through March 28. For additional information and fees, contact the CCY Youth Sports Coordinator Jesse Hirdler at (818)

BASKETBALL The Crescenta Valley Falcons 13-and under boys’ basketball team won the Great American Bash Basketball Tournament in West Covina from April 10-11. The Falcons started off with a 55-50 win against the Moreno Valley Shockers on April 10. They then picked up a win against Lake Elsinore. On April 11, Crescenta Valley earned a 47-36 victory against the Glendale Panthers in the final. The Falcons, who are coached by Michael Kachingwe, featured players Brett Klein, Anthony Simeonov, Henry Yun, Thulani Katchingwe, Christopher Bouchard, Tadeh Taverdian, Kyle Currie, Kudzai Katchingwe and Keven Connor.

Chuck Benedict A former Glendale resident and basketball player at Glendale (Community) College, Carl Bolt readily talks about his sport and life. His eager recall, like his name, is lightning sharp. Bolt memories are interesting insights, avidly absorbed by his listener. Give him a subject: On facing retirement (he's not there yet): "Life is backwards. You should begin working at age 65, using your lifetime of expanding smarts. That would stimulate you and keep you sharp and you would live longer.

Over the past 13 seasons, Todd Frost saw the Flintridge Prep girls' basketball team become one of the area's top programs. As an assistant for 10 seasons and head coach for the past three, the Rebels enjoyed a terrific stretch in which they won seven Prep League championships in a row from 2002-08, earned a trip to the CIF Southern Section Division IV-A final in 2007 and had a slew of players achieve All-Area, All-CIF and all-league honors....

Emerson Castaneda, Senior, Guard, St. Francis All-CIF Southern Section Division III-A second-team pick drew brunt of defensive attention, but still averaged 19.1 points a game and 16.5 in ultra-competitive Mission League with lethal jump shot. Darrell Dansby, Senior, Forward, La Cañada Was never tallest player on floor at 6-foot-1, but was first to come up with a block. Emerged as Spartans' No. 1 scorer with team-high 11 points and six rebounds a game and defender with 67 blocks - second best mark in a season for La Cañada.

There is a real possibility that no one from the Pasadena Poly girls' basketball program will ever match the entire body of work of graduating senior Michelle Miller. The 17-year-old, who lives within walking distance of the 378 student-campus, took the program to new heights. While it's one thing to win, and the Panthers certainly did that with a 92-18 (.836 winning percentage) record during Miller's reign, it's another matter to get a leg up on some of the greatest names in women's basketball history.

The following are odds and ends from the local sports scene. MAGAKIAN SET FOR RETURN TO CAGE Firmly entrenched in a quest to get back within the confines of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Glendale mixed-martial-arts fighter Sevak Magakian will return to the cage on April 6 and will do so for the second time under the banner of Alberto Crane's National Fight Alliance MMA. The event, which emanates from the Warner Center...

In an effort to curb gang activity at Griffith Manor Park, parks officials are recommending that the city establish a basketball club league there. Often, youth from the northwest area of Glendale tell police officers that there's nothing for them to do, officials said. To prevent idle hands from indulging in criminal activity, the hope is that the basketball league will give youth an activity. “We want to prove to them there is something to do,” said Glendale Police Officer Josh Luna after the Parks, Recreation & Community Services Commission approved the program Monday afternoon.

In making its strongest run at the Pacific League title in years, highlighted by a signature win over eventual champion Pasadena High, the Crescenta Valley boys' basketball team didn't so much rely on one player to get it done as on a balanced cast of versatile contributors. The second-place Falcons' all-league selections, as voted on by the league's eight coaches, reflect that, as four of CV's starting five are represented on the first and second team, with a key reserve getting an honorable mention.

Exhausted from partaking in nine playoff games in less than five weeks, Vince De Guzman reflected on a historical season in which the Renaissance Academy basketball team won the CIF Southern Section Division VI championship. The Wildcats nearly returned to the Division V state final for the first time since 2008, but fell, 58-57, to Village Christian on Saturday in the Southern California regional championship game. Though still disappointed from the outcome, De Guzman received a measure of good news Monday when the CIF Southern Section office unveiled him as the Division VI Player of the Year.

ONTARIO - There were just a few inches that separated the Renaissance Academy boys' basketball team from the CIF State Boys' Division V championship game. The Wildcats looked to their standout guard Vince De Guzman to hit a deep, game-winning three-pointer, but his shot did not fall, as Village Christian got the one-point victory, 58-57, in the Division V Championships Southern California Regional Final at Colony High on the heels of a deep three from its star Bryan Alberts. "It was a good run, [this game]