fight

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SoCalHoops High School News

Went To A Fight And A
Basketball Game Broke Out--(Jan. 8, 2000)

No there were really no fights in the stands, and not even any pushing and shoving in the parking lot either. This one was actually pretty mild as far as high school games go, and by some standards it would have hardly registered as an event had it occurred in the Moore League, or the San Gabriel Valley League, or in the Suburban League. City Section? Fuggedaboutit. But hey, this was the Mission League, the San Fernando Valley, and so when a fight almost breaks out it's big news, especially when two coaches and some of the players get in each others' faces. This one is just too good to leave for our collective recap of all the other game scores and details and it deserves it's very own article . . or at least it's own compilation of how the local papers treated this game. Bottom line, Chaminade won 67-52 over Crespi. But that was only part of the story. Two papers covered this game, the Daily News' Vincent Bonsignore, and the LA Times' Eric Sondheimer. Here's how they saw the game. First Bonsignore's account:

"In the Heat of the Battle
Chaminade is too tough

By Vincent Bonsignore
Staff Writer, The Daily News

At times it was difficult to decide what was more compelling--the game taking place on the floor or the sideshow along the sidelines. It's always emotinoal when Crespi of Encino and Chaminade of West Hills get together in boys' basketball, but Friday night it reached the boiling point.

First the pertinent facts: Chaminade won the game 67-52 in itsMission League opener. Crespi dropped its second conference game in as many tries, both losses coming on the road. It's a dangerous beginning for the Celts (8-7, 0-2), who must now dig themselves out of a deep hole in a talented league.

Ryan Arceo had 19 points, Scott Borchart had 15 and Tito Hill added 14 for the Eagles (9-4, 1-0). Pat Casella had 23 points to lead the Celts.

But all that takes a back seat to the heated exchange between Crespi coach Dick Dornan and Chaminade coach Jeff Young late in the third quarter, which spilled over after the game when neither backed off.

Young was upset when Casella fouled Borchart underneath the basket, opening a cut on Borchart's head that forced him out of the game until the fourth quarter.

According to Dornan, Young felt the Celts were going after Borchart by design. Dornan and Young argued briefly on the sideline before assistants pulled them away.

"He came after me, right after me," Young said of Dornan. "I'm upset right there, I've got a kid who's opened up with a cut and I've got to protect him right there." Dornan was upset that Young felt the Celts' game plan went over the line.

"I would never have my players do something like that, we are a class team," Dornan said.

The excitement off the court was sometimes more exciting than what happened on it, at least after the second quarter. Chaminade took control in that period, outscoring Crespi 21-8 to open a 34-19 lead at the half. The key was Chaminade's defense of Celts guard Andrew Moore, who finished with 10 points. The Eagles' plan was simple and effective. . . run three or four defenders at Moore and limit his possessions.

"We wanted to limit his touches and I think we did a great job of that," Young said. "Our guys worked hard and kept th eball out o fhis hands." That was one thing the coaches agreed on. "They did a great job, no doubt about it," Dornan said. "They kept running guys at Andrew and I think you can see that it frustrated him, but I'm a little disappointed that our other guys didn't recognize that and work harder to get their own shots."

Borchart, who suffered a concussion in a tournament two weeks ago, returned with seven minutes remaining. "I'm not sure what exactly happened, all I know is I got fouled pretty hard and then when I reached to my head, I wa bleeding," Borchart said. Casella went to the sideline to apologize to Borchart and Youn. "He's a good player and a good kid," Young said. "That was a nice gesture on his part. I know he wouldn't do anything dirty, but it was a hard foul."

And here's Eric Sondheimer's account from the LA Times

They squeezed more than 1,200 spectators into Chaminade High's gymnasium for Friday night's Mission League game against rival Crespi. The game became so emotional that Coaches Dick Dornan of Crespi and Jeff Young of Chaminade briefly argued in the third quarter, with both having to be restrained.

The outcome was never in doubt. Chaminade received 19 points from Ryan Arceo, 15 points from Scott Borchart and 12 points from Tito Hill in cruising to a 67-52 victory over the Celts.

Young remembered his team being upset by Crespi in last year's league opener and vowed not to let the Celts use emotion to duplicate their feat. Strong defense on Crespi's top shooter, Andrew Moore, who made just five of 13 shots, keyed the victory. Pat Casella led Crespi (8-7, 0-2) with 23 points.

The coaches' duel erupted with 2:40 left in the third quarter when Borchart was fouled and suffered a cut on the head. "[Dornan] came right at me," Young said. "I'm not going to back down. I was upset I had a kid hurt." Maybe both coaches were showing off for the Chaminade security guard sitting in the first row, actor Beau Bridges. Chaminade (9-4, 1-0) won't have much time to celebrate. Up next is a Monday showdown with Harvard-Westlake and star guard Russell Lakey.