Coyotes will play for league championship

Special to The Acorn


After two consecutive losses to Simi Valley and Newbury Park, the Calabasas boys’ basketball team came back to beat Agoura, 57-53.


Senior guard Jonny Wilson led CHS in scoring with 16 points and junior forward Steve Saunders had 13.


Junior guard Robert Babadjouni came off the bench for a clutch performance, sinking two three-pointers in the third quarter for six of his seven points.


"Basically it was a do or die situation. There were times when we could have had a let down, but we kept our composure—and the lead," said Babadjouni.


Senior guard Sean McDermott tallied six points, four of which were a result of his perfection at the free-throw line. Senior guard David Hoffman and sophomore point guard Drew Housman each contributed four points. Junior guard Seth Wallengren sank a three-pointer, with senior center Jason Saunders adding two.


"We knew that we had to win this game," Housman said.


Throughout the game, the Coyotes were in foul trouble. Jason Saunders picked up three personals before the end of the first half and one in the third, and Hoffman fouled out with about 2:43 to go in the fourth quarter.


"We were all pumped up. Even though there were a couple bumps in the road, we had our goal in focus," Hoffman said. "We were just being too aggressive."


In late January, Simi Valley—led by Nathan Metcalf—shattered CHS dreams of an undefeated league record. Less than a week later, the Calabasas squad was again humbled—this time on its home court—by the Newbury Park Panthers in a 71-56 defeat, despite Steve Saunders’ 24 points and eight rebounds.


McDermott, who had only nine points the entire game, shot a three-pointer in the third quarter to tie the game at 39 and force Newbury Park to call a time out and regroup. Then he scored two by tipping in a missed Wilson three-point attempt. Wilson did have back-to-back threes in that quarter for six of his eight points, but it wasn’t enough to compensate for the Coyotes’ substandard fourth quarter.


Jason Saunders, with eight points, blocked two shots.


The triumph over the Chargers was a necessity for Calabasas to contend for the Marmonte League championship.


Led by McDermott with 14 points, Calabasas easily defeated the Highlanders of Royal, 61-44, on Monday night.  This was the Coyotes’ last home game and it locked up the Marmonte League East Division title for Calabasas. The Coyotes will face the West Division finalist to decide the Marmonte League Championship.


"We had to keep focused on (the Charger) game instead of looking forward to Friday. We have to take it one step at a time," Jason Saunders said.


Steve Saunders, one of Calabasas’ dominant forces on the inside, sprained his ankle at Agoura and was unable to play at Royal.


"I went up to jump, came back down and I think I landed on somebody’s foot. I don’t know—it hurt really badly," he said.


He’s expected to be back in action for tomorrow’s game at Westlake against the Moorpark Musketeers, which will decide the league championship.





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