With a playoff berth possible, the St. Monica High boys’ basketball team is getting by without Jonathon Azur, one of its best outside shooters.
Azur suffered a knee injury that has kept him out of recent games and it is unknown if he’ll be able to return this season.
At the start of the week St. Monica had an 11-7 record with eight regular season games remaining.
St. Monica had final exams last week and played only once, losing to Buckley, 58-47, in a non-league game at Pierce College.
Bryce Hamaguchi made seven three-point shots and three free throws for 24 points, but no other Mariner player scored more than seven.
A goal at the start of the season was 12 wins because that’s the number required by the CIF to qualify for an at-large playoff berth in case a team doesn’t finish high enough in its league to earn one of three automatic spots.
St. Monica is close enough that getting one more win seems likely. But a high finish in the league is preferred.
St. Monica lost to Cathedral, 42-33, on January 22. They were scheduled against St. Paul, which is winless in league games, on Wednesday, January 24, however the results were not available at press time. The Mariners will host league power La Salle Friday night.
“Overall I’m very happy but I’m also cautious,” said Coach Tony Depa.
