More amd more in recent years I’ve been hearing from followers of Santa Monica High sports who now live in other parts of the country.
With 3,000 or more graduates each year. former students scatter out of the Westside and in many cases to other states.
One reader said she’s now employed in San Francisco, another in New York. The Mirror is sometimes mailed by parents or friends but most readers follow on smmirror.com
The latest email came last week from former Samohi basketball player Brian Johnson, now a U.S. Probation Officer, Western District of Washington.
“I was a member of those great 1980s Samohi teams coached by Cliff Hunter,” wrote Johnson. “I’m happy to see the tradition of Samohi hoops continues and happy for coverage on the website.”
The current Samohi team is attracting attention. The Vikings have won 13 of their last 14 games after defeating second place Inglewood and Beverly Hills last week. Samohi is 8-0 in the Ocean League and heading to the CIF playoffs again.
At Inglewood it was a 75-52 Samohi romp as Soloman Singer scored 20 points and James Montgomery 19. Samohi then defeated Beverly Hills, 64-44.
With 12 seniors on the roster Samohi has an experienced team that has a chance to do well in the upcoming CIF playoffs. Last season, when the Vikings had an intimidating 6-6 all-league center in Kunno Shofu, the team reached the semi-finals.
This Samohi team doesn’t have a big center but has perfected a withering full-court press. With four starters about 6-foot-4, opponents have a hard time getting the ball upcourt.
The regular season was scheduled to conclude on Tuesday, February 9, when Samohi hosts Culver City and on Thursday when the visiting team will be Hawthorne.
Santa Monica, which is 18-6 overall and ranked 37th in the state, will try to become 10-0 in league games and complete an undefeated home schedule.
Next weekend playoff pairings will be announced. MITCH CHORTKOFF
Mirror Sports Editorsports@smmirror.com
