HIGH SCHOOL basketball results (Shutterstock).
The Los Amigos High boys basketball team stayed one step ahead of the rest of the pack with a 61-44 win over Loara on Friday night in Garden Grove League action.
With the win at their home gym, the Lobos are 7-1 in league and 17-7 overall, leading Santiago (6-2, 13-13) by one game. The Cavaliers kept up the pressure with a 72-56 win over La Quinta.
Rancho Alamitos (5-3, 16-10) strengthened its grip on third place and a CIF-SS playoff spot with a 61-46 win over Bolsa Grande.
Pacifica’s 53-36 loss to Tustin in Empire League play kept the Mariners (3-5, 16-10) in fourth place, two games behind the third place Tillers (5-3, 16-10).
In the Wave League, Marina remained in second place with a 57-55 win over Laguna Beach at home. The Vikings (3-1, 19-7) will have one more shot at first place Corona del Mar (3-0, 20-5) on Feb. 1.
Huntington Beach (0-3, 14-11) remained in last place after losing to the Sea Kings 74-64.
It was the Argonauts’ second straight win.
On Wednesday, Rancho Alamitos defeated Los Amigos 60-59 in a Garden Grove League boys basketball game that tightened the race going into the stretch run.
Henry Phan and Luis Rico scored 22 and 21 points for the Vaqueros, Rico hitting on seven three-pointers. Rancho’s win was its third-straight, including victories over the first place Los Amigos Lobos and the second place Santiago Cavaliers.
After the dust settled on Wednesday, Los Amigos remained in first at 6-1, followed by Santiago at 5-2, Rancho and Loara at 4-3. That means that four teams can dream of the playoffs, if not a league title.
The key game? Los Amigos at Santiago next Thursday.
In a San Joaquin League girls game on Thursday, Orangewood Academy of Garden Grove bested Fairmont Prep of Anaheim 63-41 to clinch no worse than a tie for the league title.
Vivian Grenald scored 16 points for Orangewood and grabbed 11 rebounds. Maria Mejia scored 15 points and had eight caroms. The Spartans had to overcome an early 12-point deficit to get the victory.