The Crenshaw Cougars boys and girls basketball teams defeated the Dorsey Dons. Both Cougars’ teams battled on defense to secure their victories.
Crenshaw senior Dalayja Hurt-Floyd scored 34 points in their 105-13 victory over the Donnas. The win currently gives the Cougars a 15-6 overall record. Hurt-Floyd noted how hard work and poise have been key in getting wins.
“We’re very aggressive so teams will probably be scared of that,” Hurt-Floyd said. “That’s what we got to do in order to score points.”
The Cougars forced turnovers and double-teamed the Donnas. They also stayed focused on where the ball was and made good decisions when it came to passing. Crenshaw junior Naomi Whitfield mentioned how their defense and teamwork have been key qualities of the squad.
Related Stories
Doncic Leads Mavs to 119-115 Double OT Win Over Lakers
Caleb Williams Talks Antibullying With Boys and Girls Club Kids
“We do get along and we know who’s our shooter, who to pass it to,” Whitfield said.
Their tough defense led to an abundance of offensive opportunities as they had a 38-4 lead by the end of the first quarter. The Cougars maintained their intensity even as the Donnas made an offensive rally in the second half. Crenshaw is second in the Coliseum League with a 5-1 record.
The Crenshaw boys’ basketball team beat the Dons 66-47, junior Jeremiah Blackmon scored 22 points and senior A.J. Robinson made 13 points.
The Cougars’ defense helped when their shot was off early in the game. The game remained close throughout the first quarter.
“We was letting them speed us up instead of playing at our own pace,” said Dorsey sophomore Mahki Mundy.
The Don’s offense slowed in the second quarter, allowing the Cougars to pull away. By Halftime, Crenshaw was up 24-16.
“I think it’s just high intensity in a rivalry game,” Robinson said. “They’re always gonna give their best in the first quarter but we do what we supposed to do.”
Robinson mentioned how the Cougars pride themselves on defense. When Dorsey went on fast breaks, he would take charges.
“I’ve been taking charges all my life,” Robinson said. “I’ll take the charge from the biggest man, that’s just what I do as part of my game.”
Lack of practice was also a factor for the Dons as both of their gym floors were damaged. Due to this, the team was unable to hold practices for two months.
“Getting our gym back is gonna get us a lot more chemistry, a lot more condition, more discipline, everything,” said Dorsey senior Ryan Tripp.
The Dons earned an 8-13 overall record despite not being able to have practices, they hope to resume practices next week.
“We’ve been managing for these last two months trying to play games and trying to get past through all the challenges that we had,”said Dorsey boys basketball head coach Curtis Shelby. “We’re perhaps in one of the best leagues in Los Angeles right now and it’s tough to compete without that practice.”
