Malibu High boys varsity basketball team opened up its 2012-13 season with a win over Jefferson High School at the Saint Monica Tournament 57-51.
The final score did not reflect the Sharks’ dominance through three quarters of the game. Malibu entered the final quarter up 45-29.
The first quarter opened with junior point guard Anthony Kodomichalos leading the Malibu offense which was in sync from tip-off.
Kodomichalos fed junior center Justin Holmes often, as Holmes poured in 15 points in the quarter and freshman Frankie McGovern opening his varsity scoring account with four points.
The Sharks’ efficient offense was matched by their intensity in defense. Senior guard Andrew Yazdani energy kept the Jefferson offense on its heels. Only a couple of mental errors allowed the Democrats to score during the quarter.
The Sharks shot 8 of 17 in the quarter with seven assists and only one turnover racing out to a 19-8 lead.
The second quarter saw the game turn into a scrappy affair with the Democrats coming out with more forceful defense and offense. The Sharks did not help themselves with sloppy defense and too many turnovers.
The quarter saw senior forward Will Rosenthal standing tall and taking a charge, the first for the Sharks this season. The Sharks clawed some of their lead back toward the end of the quarter to enter halftime up 28-19.
The second half opened with the Sharks’ starters asserting their dominance and growing their lead. Kodomichalos continued to control the tempo of the game and Holmes picking up his first double-double of the season.
Vinnie van Patten also opened his varsity scoring with a neat 3-pointer from the wing. Malibu continued its sharp shooting going 8 of 12 in the quarter, building a 16-point advantage.
Coach Tenorio expected to give his starters a break and not have to play them for the rest of the game going into the fourth quarter but Jefferson High had other ideas.
The starters left the game with a lead of 18, but the Jefferson players did not give up pushing Malibu to the end forcing the Sharks starters back onto the floor to close out the game.
Jefferson was on a roll but could not close the gap with the game coming to an end with the Sharks victorious 57-51.
While the returning starters did their job with Holmes finishing with 30 points and 19 rebounds, including nine on the offense end, Kodomichalos with four points, seven rebounds, 12 assists and four steals, and Rosenthal adding six points and eight rebounds. However, the game ball deserves to go to freshman Frankie McGovern who finished the game with nine points and four assists, showing no nerves starting in his first varsity game.
The Sharks are back on the court to face University High at 3:30 p.m. at Saint Monica’s, Wednesday, Nov. 28.
