It’s over now, but the boys basketball season at Crossroads School will be remembered fondly.
Not only did the team easily surpass the previous year’s victory total, it enjoyed some playoff success.
But the boys lost a second round home game to La Canada High Tuesday night, February 20, 74-68, after leading by 11 points going into the fourth quarter.
At that time Adam Mallack, La Canada’s 6-foot-7 forward who has received several Division 1 scholarship offers, took over. Mallack scored 18 points in the fourth quarter to lead the visitors into the playoff semi-finals.
Merrick Ross scored 23 points for Crossroads.
Although the ending was disappointing, Crossroads can be proud of its achievements in Kevin Brown’s first season as coach. The team won four games last season and 17 this season.
Senior star Michael Ojo is graduating, along with starters Chris Allen and James Wineberger. But Ross and 6-foot-7 center Conrad Liebowitz will be the nucleus of next year’s team.
Coach Danielle Minton’s girls’ team similarly improved, going from four wins last season to 12 as it continues in the playofffs following two wins.
In another CIF boys playoff game Malibu lost to Thacher, 46-38. The defeat ended a Malibu season in which the school shared the Frontier League championship with St. Bonaventure and won a playoff game, both firsts in the Sharks’ history.
In the girls’ playoffs Samohi won a second round game from Chaminade, 46-35, Brentwood defeated Summit, 61-52, and New Roads defeated Oxford Academy, 56-39, but then was eliminated by Arrowhead Christian, 46-29.
