The Iowa Caucus, the real start of the 2020 presidential primaries, is next week. Who’s favored to win? Sadly, as I write this, the smart money says it’s the candidate who’s promised Americans the most “free” stuff.
Six months ago, my staff and I tallied the candidates’ promises. All wanted to give away trillions — or more accurately, wanted government to tax you and spend your money on the candidates’ schemes.
At that point, Senator Kamala Harris led. Fortunately, her promises did not bring her sustained support, and she dropped out.
Unfortunately, now the other candidates are making even more promises.
So, it’s time for a new contest.
We divide the promises into four categories:
Education
Joe Biden would make community college free, cut student loans in half, increase Pell Grants and modernize schools.
Added to his previous campaign promises, he’d increase federal spending by $157 billion per year.
Elizabeth Warren would spend much more. She wants government to “provide universal child care for every baby in this country age 0 to 5, universal pre-K for every child, raise the wages of every childcare worker and preschool teacher in America, provide for universal tuition-free college, put $50 billion into historically black colleges and universities… and cancel student loan debt for 95% of the people.”
She’d outspend Biden — but not Bernie Sanders.
Sanders would forgive all student loans — even for the rich. He also demands that government give everyone child care and pre-K.
Mayor Pete Buttigieg also promises free child care, more pay for teachers, more career education, free college and Pell Grants, plus the refinancing of student debt.
Good try, Pete, but Sanders “wins” in the education category, with nearly $300 billion in promises.
Climate
All the Democrats pretend they will do something useful about climate change. Biden would spend $170 billion per year, Buttigieg $150 billion to $200 billion and Warren $300 billion. Sanders “wins” this category, too, by promising more than $1 trillion.
Health Care
Even the “moderate,” Biden, now wants to “build out Obamacare” and to cover people here illegally.
So does Buttigieg — but he’d spend twice as much on it.
Warren complains the Buttigieg plan “costs so much less” than her plan. She’d spend $2 trillion a year.
Sanders is again the biggest spender. He’d spend $3 trillion of your money on his “Medicare for All” plan.
Welfare
In this category, Biden, to his credit, plans no new spending.
But Buttigieg has been cranking out lots of new promises, like $45 billion for “affordable housing” and $27 billion to expand Social Security payments beyond what people paid in.
Warren would also spend more on “affordable housing” and give kids more food stamps.
Sanders “wins” again. He promises to guarantee everyone a job, provide “housing for all” and give more people food stamps.
Miscellaneous
Then there’s spending that doesn’t neatly fit into major categories, like Biden’s plans for new foreign aid for Central America, Sanders’ high-speed internet, Buttigieg’s expanding national service programs like the Peace Corps and Warren’s plan to force government to buy only American-made products.
Finally, we found a spending category that Sanders doesn’t win. With $130 billion in new plans, Biden wins the “miscellaneous” round.
And what about that incumbent Republican?
Donald Trump once talked about “cutting waste,” but government spending rose more than half a trillion dollars during his first three years.
Now Trump wants $267 billion in new spending for things like infrastructure and “access to high-quality, affordable childcare.”
At least Trump wants to spend less than the Democrats.Biden and Buttigieg would double Trump’s increase. Warren would quadruple it. She’d increase spending by almost $3 trillion.But Bernie Sanders blows them all out of the water, with nearly $5 trillion in proposed new spending!
“I’m not denying we’re going to spend a lot of money,” he admits.
He’ll probably win in Iowa next week. Whoever wins… taxpayers lose.
John Stossel is the author of “No They Can’t! Why Government Fails — But Individuals Succeed.”
With limited English, 10-year-old James Kim broke the ice at lunch with his new classmates talking about Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, and how they took the Los Angeles Lakers to the championships in 2001.
Now living in Long Beach, cheering for Bryant was how Anne Milo Shanahan still connected with cousins back home in the Philippines.
Laker fans gather in front of a mural of Kobe Bryant on the 1300 block of Lebanon Street across from the LA Convention center in Los Angeles Monday, January 27, 2020. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 28: Fans leave condolence message on boards to pay their respects to Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, 13, at a memorial set up outside of Staples Center on January 28, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. Kobe his daughter Gianna, were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash on January 26 in Calabasas, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 28: Fans gather to pay their respects to Kobe Bryant at LA Live on January 28, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 28: Items left by fans to pay their respects to Kobe Bryant at LA Live on January 28, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 28: Fans shoot baskets at a memorial wall near Staples Center in honor of former NBA great Kobe Bryant who, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, died January 26 in a helicopter crash, on January 28, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. Kobe and “Gigi” were among nine people killed in the crash in Calabasas, California as they were flying to his Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, where he was going to coach her in a tournament game. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
People mourn Kobe Bryant outside of the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Tuesday, January 28, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The ferris wheel at the Santa Monica Pier is lit in purple and gold in honor of LA Lakers legend Kobe Bryant on Tuesday, January 28, 2020.
(Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer)
And, watching the basketball legend run the court on television with her 90-year-old grandmother are special memories for Yvette Tung.
“That’s what you talked to people about,” Tung, 38, of Hacienda Heights, said. “All of a sudden, you have integrated. You’re in LA now.”
Southern California’s Asian American and Pacific Islander community grew significantly in the 2000s, just as Bryant reached his peak with the Lakers. For many in the community trying to find their place in the ever-sprawling region, Bryant was their gateway to Southern California and its culture, to a classroom with few immigrant peers, to a family divided by generations or continents.
“Kobe was our guy,” Josh Chung, 26, of Los Angeles, said. “Now, it’s all gone.”
In 2000, Kim was dropped into foreign surroundings when his family moved from South Korea. He hadn’t watched many Laker games in Korea, but in Burbank he found new friends as he fell in love with the team just “when Kobe and Shaq were going nuts.”
“It was always the topic of conversation you can bring up to people,” Kim said. “Our core friend group was white kids, Mexican kids, half-Asian kids, but we were religiously following Kobe. That was really what tied us together.”
“Just starting conversation was so much easier. You had to just talk about the Lakers,” said Park, who now lives on the East Coast. “It’s like magic, where you have to say a certain word and you gain admission into the society.”
Southern California is “self-segregated,” he said, “there’s nothing that really holds it together other than sports.”
And, you didn’t have to be a kid to find a lifeline in Bryant. Tung said her grandmother emigrated from Taiwan to the United States in the mid-1990s. Ready to move beyond the safety of a familiar mahjong club, her grandmother gravitated toward watching Laker games, Tung said.
“She would relate to the small guys because my grandmother used to be a small guard too,” Tung said. “And she really, really appreciated that Kobe makes most of his free throws.”
Her grandmother doesn’t know English well – she calls players by their numbers – but she and Tung can connect watching and talking about the Lakers.
“It’s really been a connecting tissue,” she said.
Shanahan came to the United States from the Philippines when she was turning 5 and has lived in Long Beach ever since. She remembers when Bryant visited the island country in 1998, dancing with the locals and checking out basketball courts.
“It really helped the Filipino community feel close to him,” Shanahan said. “We don’t have a lot of prevalent icons, so he kind of felt like that for many of us.”
Chung said he also saw a dedication in Bryant that resonated with him and a lot of his friends.
“We grew up with people telling us, whether parents or coaches, you have to work hard,” he said, “and that’s that immigrant narrative that a lot of us saw in Kobe.”
A sticker with the number 24 in honor of Kobe Bryant was worn on the helmets of King players during their game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Fans honor Kobe Bryant before the Kings vs. Lighting game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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A pregame ceremony honoring Kobe Bryant and the other victims of the helicopter crash that claimed their lives before the Kings vs. Lighting game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
A pregame ceremony honoring Kobe Bryant and the other victims of the helicopter crash that claimed their lives before the Kings vs. Lighting game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Kobe Bryants jerseys are illuminated during Kings vs. Lighting game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Kings players bow their heads during a moment of silence during a pregame ceremony honoring Kobe Bryant and the other victims of the helicopter crash that claimed their lives before the Kings vs. Lighting game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Kings players bow their heads during a 24-second moment of silence as part of a pregame ceremony honoring Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the seven other victims of the helicopter crash that claimed their lives this week before Wednesday’s game at Staples Center. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
A pregame ceremony honoring Kobe Bryant and the other victims of the helicopter crash that claimed their lives before the Kings vs. Lighting game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Los Angeles Kings mascot Bailey, skates with a Kobe Bryant jersey before the game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
A pregame ceremony honoring Kobe Bryant and the other victims of the helicopter crash that claimed their lives before the Kings vs. Lighting game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
A pregame ceremony honoring Kobe Bryant and the other victims of the helicopter crash that claimed their lives before the Kings vs. Lighting game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
A pregame ceremony honoring Kobe Bryant and the other victims of the helicopter crash that claimed their lives before the Kings vs. Lighting game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
A pregame ceremony honoring Kobe Bryant and the other victims of the helicopter crash that claimed their lives before the Kings vs. Lighting game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: The Los Angeles Kings pay tribute to Kobe Bryant before the game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: The Los Angeles Kings pay tribute to Kobe Bryant before the game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Fans watch a video tribute to Kobe Bryant on the scoreboard before the Los Angeles Kings play the Tampa Bay Lightning in an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Michael Owen Baker)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: The Los Angeles Kings pay tribute to Kobe Bryant before the game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Kobe Bryant tribute on the side of a building and on the Metro bus in downtown Los Angeles before the game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — There were the usual scents of bacon-wrapped hot dogs and pungent smoke outside Staples Center on Wednesday night, but there was also a profound sadness in the air.
Chick Hearn Court was lined with a vast mosaic of flowers, jerseys, basketballs, sneakers, photographs, signs and Mylar balloons in tribute to Kobe and Gianna. Fans paid their respects as even some with rugged aesthetics removed their caps, stared down forlornly and, in several cases, wept.
The normally busy, Times Square-esque screens that alternate advertisements at L.A. Live held just one image, that of Kobe and Gianna with the names of the other seven victims written below it.
For the Kings’ part, the players arrived at the arena adorned in No. 8 or No. 24 Lakers jerseys, and both the Kings and the Tampa Bay Lightning wore tribute stickers on the backs of their helmets, which featured Bryant’s uniform numbers superimposed over a yellow heart along with “Kobe” and “Gigi.” Kings captain Anze Kopitar said the players collectively decided to wear Bryant’s jersey in homage.
“For us as hockey players, being so many years kind of connected to the Lakers, we felt like we’ve got to pay some sort of tribute,” Kopitar told the Kings’ television broadcasters. “It’s a little unorthodox for our dress code, but we wanted to pay our respects.
“He was the ultimate champion. He was known as the Black Mamba and the closer. He was here to win games and win championships, and that’s the ultimate goal in sports.”
Kings president and longtime player Luc Robitaille, whose statue outside Staples will be joined by one of Kobe before long, shared his own thoughts of Bryant’s career and legacy.
“What he’s meant to the city, what he’s meant to the world and, obviously, to America, you really see it now. This guy represented ultimate effort and success,” Robitaille said.
Robitaille recalled fondly the era when Kobe teamed with Shaquille O’Neal under Coach Phil Jackson to win three consecutive NBA titles between 2000 and 2002.
He also said Kobe lent his Midas touch to the Kings’ unprecedented success, which came shortly after Bryant helped the Lakers win two more championships alongside Pau Gasol in 2009 and 2010. The Kings won the franchise’s first Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and 2014, with a trip to the conference finals in between.
“For the Kings, I still believe that he brought us some good luck when we had our Cup runs. He was coming to a lot of games and he would do videos for us,” Robitaille said. “He’s one of those guys who represents winning. The minute he put his stamp on helping us win, it seemed, all of a sudden we got two out of three.”
Indeed Bryant was a regular at Kings games, and his interest in hockey was not strictly local. The Athletic’s Tarik El-Bashir reported earlier this week that Kobe and Washington Capitals wing Alex Ovechkin – a man with a bit of his own “Mamba mentality” – became friends and sought each other out when possible. Bryant also took somewhat of a mentorship role with defenseman P.K. Subban during Subban’s time with the Nashville Predators. He used Bryant as a “sounding board” leading up to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, according to El-Bashir’s report.
As basketball teams across the country have started games by taking eight-second and 24-second violations to honor Bryant in recent days, the Kings had an odd, coincidental parallel of sorts. Both No. 8, Drew Doughty, and No. 24, Derek Forbort, were missing from the lineup with injuries.
They also had an intentional tribute to Bryant, a pre-game ceremony introduced by longtime Kings broadcaster Bob Miller. It featured a photo montage with narration, followed by a 24-second moment of silence. Fans briefly chanted “Ko-be,” in a tug-of-war of emotions between the grief of his loss and the jubilance of his life.
The Kings organization is historically linked to the Lakers, and not just because they shared a training complex in El Segundo until 2017. The teams have continuously shared an arena since the Kings joined the NHL in 1967, and Lakers owner Jerry Buss also owned the Kings from 1979-88. Jack Kent Cooke owned the Lakers from 1965 to 1979, and the Kings from their inception (1967) to 1979 before selling both franchises and the Forum to Buss.
After 32 seasons together in the Forum in Inglewood, the Kings and Lakers have shared Staples Center along with the Clippers since the building opened in 1999.
Bryant, who played the final 17 seasons of his 20-year career at Staples, frequently brought his family with him to Kings games. He and his wife Vanessa were once featured on the Kings’ “kiss cam” across the Staples Center Jumbotron. The crowd erupted when he was shown saluting the fans in person or leading a “Go, Kings, Go” chant in a recording. Below the stands, at the arena’s event level, he frequently strolled through holding the hand of his oldest daughter, Natalia, and carrying a younger Gianna in his arms.
“What’s really beautiful to see is what he was doing with his family. That became the most important thing in his life,” Robitaille said. “It’s just really sad that we lost him so young, but I feel really sad for his family because he was spending so much quality time with them. I think that’s the hardest part about this.”
News services contributed to this story.
Watch the full pregame ceremony as the LA Kings remembered Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and all of the victims from Sunday's tragedy pic.twitter.com/g6I7Mc792f
Remembering our friend and @Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna & all of those we lost. Alyssa Altobelli John Altobelli Keri Altobelli Christina Mauser Payton Chester Sarah Chester Ara Zobayan Gianna Bryant Kobe Bryant pic.twitter.com/TKN24IpsEe
The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner on Wednesday night officially identified five more people killed Sunday in the crash of Kobe Bryant’s helicopter in Calabasas.
–Bryant’s daughter Gianna Bryant, 13, a point guard for the Orange County-based Mambas, Kobe Bryant’s elite travel basketball team.
—Payton Chester, 13, a Mambas player and a student at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School.
—Alyssa Altobelli, 14, a Mambas player and a student at Ensign Intermediate.
–Keri Altobelli, 46, Alyssa’s mother.
—Christina Mauser, 38, a coach in Kobe Bryant’s basketball program and also at Harbor Day School in Corona del Mar.
The five people were identified after testing and analysis of DNA, coroner officials said.
Those identified by coroner officials earlier were Kobe Bryant, 41; Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, 56, father of Alyssa and husband of Keri; Sarah Chester, 45, Newport Beach, mother of Payton; and pilot Ara Zobayan, 50, a Huntington Beach resident.
The first four identifications were confirmed through fingerprints, officials said.
In a statement, the Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said the cause of death for all nine people was certified as blunt trauma and the manner of death was certified as “accident.”
Anaheim Ducks have a moment of silence to acknowledge the passing of former NBA Laker Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others in a helicopter crash Sunday before an NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Fans participate in a 24 second silence to honor the memory of Kobe Bryant prior to a game between the Anaheim Ducks and the Arizona Coyotes at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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Arizona Coyotes right wing Vinnie Hinostroza, left, shoots against Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler, right, during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Anaheim Ducks center Adam Henrique, center, celebrates scoring his second goal with teammates against the Arizona Coyotes during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun, left, battles Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler, right, for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Erik Gudbranson, left, competes with Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun, right, for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Arizona Coyotes right wing Vinnie Hinostroza, center, celebrates scoring with left wing Lawson Crouse, right, defenseman Alex Goligoski, left, and defenseman Jakob Chychrun during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Arizona Coyotes goaltender Antti Raanta stops a shot by Anaheim Ducks left wing Rickard Rakell (67) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun, right, controls the puck against Anaheim Ducks left wing Rickard Rakell, left, during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf, center above, leaps and lands on right wing Jakob Silfverberg, of Sweden, during the second period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Adam Henrique #14 of the Anaheim Ducks reacts after scoring a goal as Antii Raanta #32 of the Arizona Coyotes looks on during the first period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
The Ducks’ Adam Henrique, left, celebrates after scoring a goal as the Coyotes’ Alex Goligoski looks on during the first period of Wednesday’s game at Honda Center. Henrique scored twice in the first period to help spark the Ducks to a 4-2 victory. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Vinnie Hinostroza #13 of the Arizona Coyotes is congratulated at the bench after scoring a goal during the first period of game against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Christian Dvorak #18 of the Arizona Coyotes defends against Cam Fowler #4 of the Anaheim Ducks during the first period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Niklas Hjalmarsson #4 of the Arizona Coyotes defends against Carter Rowney #24 of the Anaheim Ducks during the first period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Derek Grant #38 of the Anaheim Ducks skates past teh defense of Oliver Ekman-Larsson #23 of the Arizona Coyotes during the first period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Derek Grant #38 of the Anaheim Ducks skates past teh defense of Oliver Ekman-Larsson #23 of the Arizona Coyotes during the first period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: John Gibson #36 of the Anaheim Ducks defends against Conor Garland #83 of the Arizona Coyotes during the second period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Michael Grabner #40 of the Arizona Coyotes pushes Jakob Silfverberg #33 of the Anaheim Ducks during the first period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Carter Rowney #24 of the Anaheim Ducks is congratulated after scoring a goal as Conor Garland #83 of the Arizona Coyotes looks on during the second period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: John Gibson #36 and Erik Gudbranson #6 of the Anaheim Ducks defend against Conor Garland #83 of the Arizona Coyotes during the second period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Rickard Rakell #67 and Ryan Getzlaf #15 of the Anaheim Ducks scuffle with Lawson Crouse #67 of the Arizona Coyotes during the second period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Vinnie Hinostroza #13 of the Arizona Coyotes pulls Cam Fowler #4 of the Anaheim Ducks to thge ice during the second period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Nick Ritchie #37 and Josh Manson #42 of the Anaheim Ducks scuffle with Christian Dvorak #18 of the Arizona Coyotes during the second period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Christian Dvorak #18 of the Arizona Coyotes is restrained as he lunges for Adam Henrique #14 of the Anaheim Ducks during the second period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Derek Grant #38 of the Anaheim Ducks skates past teh defense of Oliver Ekman-Larsson #23 of the Arizona Coyotes during the first period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Michael Grabner #40 of the Arizona Coyotes pushes Jakob Silfverberg #33 of the Anaheim Ducks during the first period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Michael Grabner #40 and Antti Raanta #32 of the Arizona Coyotes defend against Rickard Rakell #67 of the Anaheim Ducks during the third period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Ryan Getzlaf #15 of the Anaheim Ducks collides with Jakob Chychrun #6 of the Arizona Coyotes into the boards during the third period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Ryan Getzlaf #15 of the Anaheim Ducks passes the puck past Lawson Crouse #67 of the Arizona Coyotes during the third period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Vinnie Hinostroza #13 and Antti Raanta #32 of the Arizona Coyotes defend against Sam Steel #34 of the Anaheim Ducks during the third period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Anaheim Ducks center Adam Henrique, left, checks Arizona Coyotes center Derek Stepan, right, into the air during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Arizona Coyotes left wing Michael Grabner, left, of Austria, uses his stick to slow down Anaheim Ducks right wing Jakob Silfverberg, right, of Sweden, during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Arizona Coyotes goaltender Antti Raanta, left, of Finland, deflects a shot by Anaheim Ducks center Sam Steel, right, with right wing Vinnie Hinostroza, center, defending during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Josh Manson, center, battles Arizona Coyotes right wing Conor Garland, left, and left wing Taylor Hall, right, for the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Josh Manson, right, collides with Arizona Coyotes right wing Conor Garland, left, during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Oliver Ekman-Larsson #23 of the Arizona Coyotes checks Ryan Getzlaf #15 of the Anaheim Ducks during the third period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Taylor Hall #91 and Antti Raanta #32 of the Arizona Coyotes defend against Jakob Silfverberg #33 of the Anaheim Ducks during the third period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Taylor Hall #91 and Antti Raanta #32 of the Arizona Coyotes defend against Jakob Silfverberg #33 of the Anaheim Ducks during the third period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Sam Steel #34 of the Anaheim Ducks shoots the puck past Vinnie Hinostroza #13 of the Arizona Coyotes during the third period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Ryan Getzlaf #15 of the Anaheim Ducks pulls the puck back against Derek Stepan #21 of the Arizona Coyotes during a faceoff in the third period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Jakob Silfverberg #33 of the Anaheim Ducks looks on during the third period of game at Honda Center on January 29, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Phon to by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM — A lone voice rang out during 24 seconds of silence before the Ducks defeated the Arizona Coyotes 4-2 on Wednesday at Honda Center, and the Southern California sports community attempted to get back to something resembling normal after nine were killed in Sunday’s tragic helicopter crash.
Soon others followed.
“Ko-be, Ko-be, Ko-be,” they chanted in the darkened arena.
The Ducks took the ice and tried to honor the spirit and the uncompromising will of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, who was one of nine Orange County residents killed when the helicopter in which they were riding crashed into a hillside in foggy conditions early Sunday morning in Calabasas.
It also was Angels Night at Honda Center, an annual event scheduled months ago.
Angels manager Joe Maddon dropped the ceremonial puck between captains Ryan Getzlaf of the Ducks and Oliver Ekman-Larsson of the Coyotes as a small but vocal crowd cheered. But there was more to Wednesday’s game and it was impossible to ignore the loss felt throughout the region.
Some fans had donned Bryant’s No. 24 or No. 8 jerseys, seated among those in Ducks or Angels gear.
“That’s just an unbelievable tragedy for all those families,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “Kobe Bryant has had an unbelievably positive influence on Southern California and to honor him tonight, I thought that was incredible from our players and our organization and most importantly those fans up there. It was very surreal and somber and humbling standing on that bench.”
Appropriately enough, on this of all nights, Carter Rowney, who wears No. 24 on the back of his sweater, scored a short-handed goal on the Ducks’ 24th shot in their 24th home game to make the score 4-2 (or 2-4, if you wish) at 19:14 of the second period.
Sustained chants of “Ko-be, Ko-be, Ko-be” rang out when the Ducks showed those facts and figures on the Honda Center scoreboard during a TV timeout not long after Rowney’s goal. The in-house cameras then panned to a number of fans wearing Bryant’s jerseys.
“For that to happen, I’m not sure what to believe sometimes when it comes to religion and things like that,” Eakins said at game’s end. “But I do wonder if that happened by accident or was that part of the night? I get goosebumps just standing here talking about that.”
The Ducks were listless Monday during a 4-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks, their first game after a nine-day layoff for the bye week and the All-Star break. They did not wish to have a repeat in their first home game since a Jan. 9 loss to the Dallas Stars.
Adam Henrique scored two first-period goals and narrowly missed a third as the Ducks seized a 2-1 lead by the end of the opening frame Wednesday. Henrique’s first came on a shot from Troy Terry that ricocheted off his leg and into the net. His second was a thing of beauty, the rarest of all goals.
Henrique broke into the zone with Ondrej Kase on his left. Henrique passed to Kase, who then performed a spin-o-rama move to return to the puck to Henrique, who then smacked it past Arizona goaltender Antti Raanta for a 2-1 lead at 16:09 of the first period.
“It was a great play by him,” Henrique said of Kase. “He’s a guy who’s got that skill in his game. I tried to make a play for him and he makes that next play. I tried to get to the net there and get a good stick on it and take that one. It was a good play by him.”
Moments later, Henrique sent a laser from close range off Raanta and then off the goal post.
The Coyotes chased the game from then on, and they even seemed bent on turning it into a physical contest for a brief stretch in the second period. The Ducks were only too happy to go that direction, claiming a 4-2 advantage thanks to some sound penalty killing.
The Ducks sandwiched goals from Hampus Lindholm and Rowney around Lawson Crouse’s goal for the Coyotes in the second period. Things threatened to spiral out of control when Nick Ritchie of the Ducks and Taylor Hall of the Coyotes squared off behind the net.
Oddly, Ritchie was the only one to be penalized, receiving a roughing minor. Ritchie went free only to be penalized again moments later for interference. Not only did the Ducks kill off that penalty to Ritchie, but Rowney restored their two-goal lead with a putback of Derek Grant’s shot.
Grant said he looked up at the scoreboard later and saw how the number 24 had been aligned.
“It was definitely weird,” Grant said. “It’s one of those things you laugh at almost at the timing of it. It was a cool thing to see that go up there. Whoever figured that out that quickly deserves a raise maybe. It’s always cool to see something like that happen.”
For Kobe, for Gianna, for John, for Keri, for Alyssa, for Sarah, for Payton, for Christina, for Ara.
"You want to play with the lead, and you want to keep pushing. I thought we did a good job after getting the lead, coming back and getting the next one to get back up by two. It was big for us. " – Adam Henrique pic.twitter.com/7M6wDCLlzP
"We did a good job sticking together…we ended up winning the game and we did a good job killing (the penalties) and Gibby was good in net for us tonight" – Hampus Lindholm pic.twitter.com/EXW74ybM2f
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HUNTINGTON BEACH – Illogical results returned to Surf League boys basketball Wednesday.
Los Alamitos handed Edison its first Surf League loss when the Griffins triumphed 74-60 at Edison High.
Los Alamitos’ Kevin Kent scores past Edison’s Luke Serven, left, and Trey Wilborn during their 74-60 victory over Edison in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos’ Kevin Kent scores past the Edison defense during their 74-60 victory over Edison in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Edison’s Sean Fajardo hits a three-pointer during their 74-60 loss to Los Alamitos in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos’ Kevin Kent scores past Edison’s Sean Fajardo during their 74-60 victory over Edison in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Edison boys basketball team hold a 34-second moment of silence for former Edison girls basketball player Christina Mauser, who died in the helicopter crash that killed Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and eight others including Mauser, before their game against Los Alamitos in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. Mauser wore No. 34 at Edison and served as Kobe Bryant’s assistant coach for his Mamba’s youth basketball team. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Edison boys basketball team hold a 34-second moment of silence for former Edison girls basketball player Christina Mauser, who died in the helicopter crash that killed Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and eight others including Mauser, before their game against Los Alamitos in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. Mauser wore No. 34 at Edison and served as Kobe Bryant’s assistant coach for his Mamba’s youth basketball team. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Edison’s Greg Economos, with an 8 and a 24 on his shoes, waits a 34-second moment of silence for former Edison girls basketball player Christina Mauser, who died in the helicopter crash that killed Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and eight others including Mauser, before their game against Los Alamitos in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. Mauser wore No. 34 at Edison and served as Kobe Bryant’s assistant coach for his Mamba’s youth basketball team. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos’ David Olcomendy scores past Edison’s Connor Collins during their 74-60 victory over Edison in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos’ Kevin Kent drives to the basket past Edison’s Connor Collins, left, and Sean Fajardo during their 74-60 victory over Edison in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos’ David Olcomendy, left, and Jake Orr, stop Edison’s Luke Serven during their 74-60 victory over Edison in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Los Alamitos bench celebrates during their 74-60 victory over Edison in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos’ David Olcomendy scores past Edison Connor Collins during their 74-60 victory over Edison in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos fans cheer after an Edison airball during their team’s 74-60 victory over Edison in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Edison fans throw streamers at half-time during their 74-60 loss to Los Alamitos in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos head coach Eddie Courtemarche talks to his player during a time out of their 74-60 victory over Edison in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Mike Norris, of Anaheim, wears a Kobe Bryant jersey as he leaves Los Alamitos’ 74-60 boys basketball victory over Edison in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. Norris graduated from Los Alamitos in 2006. The Edison boys basketball team held a 34-second moment of silence before their game for former Edison girls basketball player Christina Mauser, who died in the helicopter crash that killed Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and eight others, including Mauser. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos’ David Olcomendy (20) gets tangled up with Edison’s Connor Collins during Los Alamitos’ 74-60 victory over Edison in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos’ David Olcomendy, center, battles for a loose ball with Edison’s Bradley Luna during Los Alamitos’ 74-60 victory over Edison in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos head coach Eddie Courtemarche on the sidelines during their 74-60 victory over Edison in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos’ David Olcomendy scores past Edison’s Connor Collins during their 74-60 victory over Edison in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Edison head coach Rich Boyce talks to his players during a time out during their 74-60 loss to Los Alamitos in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Edison head coach Rich Boyce shows some frustration on the bench during his team’s 74-60 loss to Los Alamitos in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Edison cheerleaders support their team during their 74-60 loss to Los Alamitos in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
An Edison cheerleader gives her support during a free-throw during their 74-60 loss to Los Alamitos in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Edison fans support their team during their 74-60 loss to Los Alamitos in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos’ David Olcomendy scores past Edison’s Connor Collins during their 74-60 victory over Edison in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos’ David Olcomendy, center, battles for a loose ball with Edison’s Bradley Luna during Los Alamitos’ 74-60 victory over Edison in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Los Alamitos’ Christian Bermudez shoots past Edison’s Trey Wilborn during their 74-60 victory over Edison in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Edison’s Connor Collins blocks a shot by Los Alamitos’ Jake Orr during their 74-60 loss to Los Alamitos in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Edison’s Bradley Luna scores past three Los Alamitos’ defenders during their 74-60 loss to Los Alamitos in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Edison’s Sean Fajardo hits a three-pointer past Los Alamitos’ Kevin Kent during their 74-60 loss to Los Alamitos in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Edison’s Jackie Kwok steals the ball from Los Alamitos’ Tyler Matthews during their 74-60 loss to Los Alamitos in a Sunset League boys basketball game at Edison High School in Huntington Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
At Newport Harbor, Corona del Mar got its first Surf League win on Wednesday.
The standings now look like this: Edison 3-1, Newport Harbor 3-2, Los Alamitos 2-3, Corona del Mar 1-3.
What happened Wednesday happened regularly last season when the four teams finished as league co-champions.
“Anybody can beat anybody on any given night,” said Los Alamitos coach Eddie Courtemarche. “It could be a blowout or it could be a close game. There’s no rhyme or reason for these things.”
Kevin Kent was a major reason the Griffins beat Edison. Kent, a 5-foot-9 senior guard, scored 26 points. Senior forward David Olcomendy scored 17 points, 13 in the second half, with seven rebounds for the Griffins (16-10 overall), who are ranked No. 17 in the Orange County top 25.
Edison junior guard Jackie Kwok scored 20 points. Junior guard Bradley Luna added 13 points for the Chargers (16-10) who are No. 14 in the county.
Edison beat Los Alamitos 67-58 in a the team’ first league game. Edison’s other league wins are over Corona del Mar 73-71 and Newport Harbor 60-43.
Los Alamitos’ other league win was over Corona del Mar 65-51. The Griffins have lost twice in league to Newport Harbor, 56-55 and 50-48.
The game was preceded by a moment of silence for the nine people who lost their lives Sunday in the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant. There was a 34-second moment of silence, as among the nine who died was Christina Mauser, who wore No. 34 when she was an Edison basketball player in the late 1990s.
Los Alamitos took a 7-0 lead and trailed only briefly in the second quarter. The Griffins had a 36-28 lead at halftime.
Edison tied it 44-44 in the third quarter. Kent’s sophomore brother, Kaden, made a 3-pointer to put the Griffins back on top 47-44 and they continued to build on their lead from there.
Los Alamitos junior guard Everett May’s 3-pointer with 1:39 left in the game pushed the Griffins’ lead to 72-55.
Kevin Kent said effort was the difference between the earlier 19-point loss to the Chargers and Wednesday’s 14-point win.
“We’ve been way more physical since the last time we played them,” Kent said. “Today we got every (loose) ball we needed and we got stops when we needed to.”
Los Alamitos’ next game is a nonleague game against Sonora in the Nike Extravaganza at Mater Dei on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. They Griffins conclude league play and the regular season Feb. 5 at Corona del Mar.
Edison’s final two regular-season games are league games at home against Corona del Mar on Friday and at Newport Harbor on Wednesday, Feb. 5.
SANTA ANA — A judge on Wednesday cleared the way for the public identification of a Roman Catholic priest named in a lawsuit alleging he molested a 6-year-old boy at a Catholic school in Stanton in 1994.
Father Edward Poettgen had previously been listed anonymously in the lawsuit filed in June. Orange County Superior Court Judge Walter Schwarm ruled that the plaintiff could publicly identify the priest.
Poettgen, who was most recently assigned to St. Boniface Catholic Church in Anaheim, has been placed on administrative leave, said Tracey Kincaid, a spokeswoman for the Diocese of Orange, who added she could not comment further on pending litigation.
Kincaid did not immediately respond when asked when Poettgen was placed on leave.
Attorney Vincent Finaldi, who represents the unnamed plaintiff, said when he deposed Poettgen last week, the priest said he was still in active ministry at the church.
Finaldi said his client reported the alleged abuse last January. The plaintiff claims Poettgen molested him while he was enrolled as a student and in the parish of St. Polycarp Catholic Church in Stanton.
“They’ve known about this for over a year and haven’t informed parishioners,” Finaldi said. “It’s crazy.”
Finaldi said Poettgen served on a board of consultants that decided to settle all its lawsuits in 2007 alleging clergy sex abuse.
“They say he doesn’t have any other allegations against him, but we’ve heard that before and proven it wrong,” Finaldi said. “We’ll have to see what the discovery turns up.”
The Kings’ Ben Hutton #15 looks for an opening as the Lightning’s Kevin Shattenkirk #22 moves in during their game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Kings’ Tyler Toffoli #73 #73 shoots and scores as the Lightning’s Ryan McDonagh #27 defends during their game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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The Kings’ Tyler Toffoli #73 reacts after scoring a first period goal during their game against the Lightning at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Kings’ Tyler Toffoli #73 reacts after scoring a first period goal during their game against the Lightning at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Kings goalie Jonathan Quick #32 blocks a shot during their game against the Lightning at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Kings’ Alex Iafallo #19 kicks the puck away from the l Ondrej Palat #18 during their game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Lightning’s Steven Stamkos #91 clears the puck as the Kings’ Tyler Toffoli #73 moves in during their game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. The Lighting beat the Kings 4-2. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Kings’ Trevor Lewis #22 and the Lightning’s Carter Verhaeghe #23 battle for the puck during their game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. The Lighting beat the Kings 4-2. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Kings’ Alex Iafallo #19 attempts to steal the puck away from the Lightning’s Brayden Point #21 during their game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. The Lighting beat the Kings 4-2. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Kings’ Austin Wagner #51 looks to shoot as the Lightning’s Mikhail Sergachev #98 defends during their game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. The Lighting beat the Kings 4-2. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Kings’ Austin Wagner #51 watches his shot go wide as the Lightning’s Mikhail Sergachev #98 defends during their game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. The Lighting beat the Kings 4-2. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Kings’ Blake Lizotte #46 has the puck knocked away by the Lightning’s Kevin Shattenkirk #22 as goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 looks on during their game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. The Lighting beat the Kings 4-2. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Kings’ Trevor Lewis #22 battles for the puck with Lightning’s Ryan McDonagh #27 and Erik Cernak #81 during their game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. The Lighting beat the Kings 4-2. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Kings’ Kyle Clifford #13 is check in front of the goal by the Lightning’s Ryan McDonagh #27 during their game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. The Lighting beat the Kings 4-2. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 is congratulated by teammates after their game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. The Lighting beat the Kings 4-2. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Alex Iafallo #19 of the Los Angeles Kings jumps over Steven Stamkos #91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Jonathan Quick #32 of the Los Angeles Kings makes a save in front of Alex Killorn #17 of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Blake Lizotte #46 during the first period at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Steven Stamkos #91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning looks at a bouncing puck in front of Ben Hutton #15 of the Los Angeles Kings during the first period at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Ben Hutton #15 of the Los Angeles Kings knocks Steven Stamkos #91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning off stride during the first period at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Jonathan Quick #32 of the Los Angeles Kings makes a save in front of Alex Killorn #17 of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ben Hutton #15 during the first period at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Alex Killorn #17 of the Tampa Bay Lightning controls the puck on a power play in front of Jonathan Quick #32 of the Los Angeles Kings during the first period at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Tyler Johnson #9 of the Tampa Bay Lightning reacts as he is taken down by Blake Lizotte #46 of the Los Angeles Kings during the first period at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Tyler Johnson #9 of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates his goal with the bench to trail 2-1 to the Los Angeles Kings during the second period at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Jonathan Quick #32 of the Los Angeles Kings reacts after a goal from Steven Stamkos #91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning, to tie the game 2-2, as Nikita Kucherov #86 celebrates during the second period at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 of the Tampa Bay Lightning looks back at the puck with Jeff Carter #77 of the Los Angeles Kings as Victor Hedman #77 clears the rebound during the second period at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Nikolai Prokhorkin #74 of the Los Angeles Kings attempts to control the puck in front of Andrei Vasilevskiy #88 and Pat Maroon #14 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Alex Iafallo #19 of the Los Angeles Kings and Alex Killorn #17 of the Tampa Bay Lightning reach for the puck during the second period at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Alex Iafallo #19 of the Los Angeles Kings and Jan Rutta #44 of the Tampa Bay Lightning skate for the puck during the second period at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Ben Hutton #15 of the Los Angeles Kings watches his shot in front of Brayden Point #21 of the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Anze Kopitar #11 of the Los Angeles Kings reacts after a power play goal from Steven Stamkos #91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning, to tie the game 2-2, during the second period at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Nikolai Prokhorkin #74 of the Los Angeles Kings fends off Pat Maroon #14 of the Tampa Bay Lightning from the puck during the second period at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: The Los Angeles Kings bench look to the ice, behind a Kobe Bryant and Gigi tribute on the boards, during a 4-2 Tampa Bay Lightning win at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Jonathan Quick #32 of the Los Angeles Kings makes a save off Alex Killorn #17 of the Tampa Bay Lightning, in front of Jeff Carter #77, during a 4-2 Lightning win at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Erik Cernak #81 of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates his goal with Nikita Kucherov #86, for a 3-2 lead, during a 4-2 Lightning win over the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 29: Carter Verhaeghe #23 of the Tampa Bay Lightning looks to make a play as he is watched by Jonathan Quick #32 of the Los Angeles Kings during a 4-2 Lightning win at Staples Center on January 29, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — On a night when the Kings honored Kobe Bryant, the Kings could not muster the late-game heroics he was known for during his 20 NBA seasons with the Lakers.
They took a 2-0 lead but ultimately fell 4-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning in front of a robust crowd in the first sporting event at Staples Center since Bryant’s death.
“We started off good, then maybe we slipped a little bit during the course of the second period,” team captain Anze Kopitar said. “It seems like an ongoing pattern where we’re losing games by one or two with the empty-net.”
The Bolts have won 13 of their last 16 games, including a stretch when they reeled off 10 straight victories. The Kings have now lost eight of their last nine games and won just one game in January while falling to the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
Right wing Tyler Toffoli and left wing Alex Iafallo scored for the Kings, who were without top defenseman Drew Doughty, who sat out with an undisclosed injury, ending the longest consecutive games played streak (460) in franchise history.
Center Steven Stamkos had two goals and an assist for Tampa Bay, while right wing Tyler Johnson and defenseman Erik Cernak also scored. Jonathan Quick fought off 20 of the 23 shots he faced, while Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy made 32 of 34 stops.
The arena held a somber pregame ceremony honoring Bryant and the eight other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash, then the Kings got on the board 6:44 into the first period as they gathered and attacked on the power play. Toffoli dangled between defenseman Ryan McDonagh and center Anthony Cirelli, letting a backhand rip past Vasilevskiy.
Just 78 seconds into the second period, the Kings took a 2-0 lead on another sharp breakout, this time at even strength. Defenseman Alec Martinez turned the puck up ice on his backhand for right wing Dustin Brown, who sent a cross-ice pass ahead to Iafallo. He gained the offensive zone with momentum and wound up for a slap shot that made it 2-0.
Less than three minutes later, the Kings nearly took a commanding 3-0 lead when Toffoli’s rising wrist shot dented the crossbar.
“I was happy with the way we started the game. Coming out of the (10-day All-Star) break, I was really concerned if we would get our engine going, especially against that team,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “We got it going. We didn’t get it to three when we had some really good chances and that probably hurt us.”
At the 5:48 mark of the period, Tampa Bay halved the Kings’ lead on a swift, crafty rush of its own. Left wing Ondrej Palat got defenseman Matt Roy and Quick to commit just before he slipped the puck across to Johnson for a de-facto empty-net goal.
“Good teams make you pay for mistakes. We made some tonight, like that pinch on the first goal,” McLellan said.
The Lightning evened the score 13 seconds after their power play expired, just shy of 12 minutes into the period, though oddly it was the Kings’ penalty kill that seemed heroic in defeat.
They were hemmed in by the Lightning’s power play – which features players honored as the league’s top defenseman (Victor Hedman); its two-time leading goal-scorer (Stamkos); and its most valuable player and scoring champion (Kucherov) – for more than two minutes before ceding a goal. Quick made a spectacular save on Stamkos, Iafallo made a selfless block on a Hedman blast from above the circles and Joakim Ryan saved a goal as Kucherov fired into a large opening.
It was Stamkos who finally knotted the score at two off a one-timer.
“It went for, obviously, the whole two minutes,” Kopitar said. “We just couldn’t manage to get out of the zone. The guys were sacrificing their bodies with blocks and it’s unfortunate that once you get to even-strength you get scored on.”
Center Mitchell Stevens banged a shot off the post later in the period, moments before being taken to the ice by hulking Kings defenseman Kurtis MacDermid during a goalmouth scrum.
The Kings’ once sizable lead in shots was reduced to 22-17 through two periods as they came under fire later in the middle frame.
Just over four minutes into the third period, Tampa took its first lead. An offensive-zone faceoff win and considerable net-front traffic allowed Cernak to connect on a wrist shot from the high, right corner of the zone to the far side of the net.
With 9:15 left to play, Stamkos appeared to have scored again, but a successful challenge – the play was offside as Stamkos received the puck – nullified the potentially game-sealing goal.
“That was a pretty simple one; it was real obvious,” McLellan said.
Stamkos did add a second goal – his 22nd of the season – when he scored into an empty net with half a second remaining.
Stamkos, an Ontarian, reflected on the pre-game ceremony and Bryant’s career, recalling that “he scored 81 against my Raptors. That was probably the iconic moment for me for sure.”
Hedman, a Swede, said that although basketball wasn’t the biggest game in his country, everyone knew Bryant and was shocked by the news. He and Stamkos said they were honored to take part in an unconventional ceremony that celebrated the life of a star in another sport.
“When I first heard the news, I never had that feeling before, it was just shock, like it wasn’t really real,” Stamkos said. “To be able to be here tonight, they honored him in the pregame, that was very good on them. We’re glad, obviously, that we got to be part of it under those tough circumstances.”
The Kings travel to Arizona on Thursday to face the Coyotes on a quick turnaround. Arizona lost to the Ducks on Wednesday at Honda Center but remains amid a crowded pack of Pacific Division contenders.
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A roundup of the Orange County boys basketball highlights on Wednesday:
Estancia beat Santa Ana 51-34 on Wednesday at Estancia High to clinch a share of its first league championship since 2005.
The Eagles (22-3, 7-0), who can claim the league title outright with a win against Orange on Friday, were led by Brandon Pearson, who had a team-high 21 points and five 3-pointers.
Jake Covey finished with 16 points and Marvin Harry chipped in seven points.
In other games Wednesday:
No. 15 Tesoro 85, El Toro 63: Mike Mahlen scored 41 points to carry Tesoro to a win over El Toro.
The 6-3 senior guard put on a sizzling display with 10 3-pointers for the Titans (19-4, 5-1).
Chris Allen had 14 points, Kaden Garrett added 13 points and six assists and Matt DeAngelo contributed nine points and six assists.
No. 21 Corona del Mar 59, No. 16 Newport Harbor 42: Corona del Mar recorded its first Surf League victory of the season with a convincing win at Newport Harbor.
Jack Stone scored a game-high 30 points for the Sea Kings (16-9, 1-3), who stopped the Sailors (21-6, 3-2) from clinching a postseason berth on Wednesday.
Newport Harbor (21-6, 3-2) was led by Robbie Spooner, who had 18 points.
No. 3 Capistrano Valley 62, No. 22 San Clemente 35: Capistrano Valley defeated San Clemente handily to collect its 16th consecutive win.
The Cougars (23-1, 5-0) were led by Langston Redfield, who had 21 points. Conner Gleason added 13 points and Spencer Edgbert finished with nine points and 10 rebounds.
No. 25 Aliso Niguel 56, No. 24 Trabuco Hills 51: Tyler Weaver scored 27 points for Aliso Niguel in its victory against Trabuco Hills.
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is spending millions of dollars trying to convince Democratic primary voters that he is their best shot at defeating President Donald Trump in November.
Part of this ad blitz is meant to change Bloomberg’s image from a law-and-order, business-minded Republican to a left-of-center, true-blue Democrat.
Move over Madonna! It’s Michael Bloomberg’s time for a reinvention convention!
However, this transformation may be a tough putt for the New York billionaire — regardless of how much money he spends.
Barack Obama was elected president under a banner of “Hope and Change.” Michael Bloomberg knows there’s no way he can win the White House under the banner of “Stop and Frisk.”
To be fair, many other Democrats were tough on crime in the ‘90s too, and it hasn’t hurt them. Bloomberg’s bigger problem, in the modern Democratic Party, will be his reputation for being tough on public employee unions.
On the subject of unions, Bloomberg once wrote in the pages of The New York Times, “Across the country, taxpayers are providing pensions, benefits and job security protections for public workers that almost no one in the private sector enjoys. Taxpayers simply cannot afford to continue paying these costs, which are growing at rates far outpacing inflation. Yes, public sector workers need a secure retirement. And yes, taxpayers need top-quality police officers, teachers and firefighters. It’s the job of government to balance those competing needs. But for a variety of reasons, the scale has been increasingly tipping away from taxpayers.”
Good luck selling that to the SEIU.
Bloomberg has as good a chance of winning the labor vote as former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Peter Buttigieg has of getting the endorsement of Chick-Fil-A.
Although I must say that union-buster turned union-man Michael Bloomberg is in good company among the Democratic field. Just ask fake Indian Elizabeth Warren or millionaire socialist Bernie Sanders.
If Bloomberg is successful at remaking himself, he is going to have to follow in the footsteps of another bold-faced name — former Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony.
As hard as it is to believe, way back when, Mahony earned his stripes as a union buster, too.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Mahony took a hard line against a labor organized effort to unionize grave-diggers who worked for the Los Angeles Archdiocese.
Here’s how the Los Angeles Times described Mahony’s hardball tactics: “During the past six weeks, employees have been required to watch two videotaped addresses by Mahony in which the cardinal urged them to vote against the union and to work collaboratively with him in ‘the mission of the church.’”
In both English and Spanish, Mahony called on workers to resist the “abuses” of union supporters. He referred to home visits by union organizers, a traditional tactic in organizing drives, as showing “disrespect for you and your family.”
The cemetery workers, who were described by the Times as being “largely Spanish-speaking and Catholic,” ultimately took Mahony’s advice and voted against unionizing.
After crushing his employees when they tried to unionize, and sensing the changing political winds in Los Angeles, Mahony successfully reinvented himself as L.A.’s labor cardinal, and remained that way until he was forced to retire for medical reasons.
Mahony had developed a severe neck ailment from years of looking the other way for pedophile priests.
Outside of being a friend of labor, Mahony is perhaps best known for allowing predator priests to move to other parishes. If they were bishops they were allowed to move diagonally.
It will be difficult for Mahony to wipe that stain off his legacy, but his efforts to get people to forget about his union busting have been largely successful.
If Michael Bloomberg really wants the Democratic nomination for president, he’s going to have to take a page from Roger Mahony’s book, and transform himself from union buster to union booster.
John Phillips can be heard weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on “The Morning Drive with John Phillips and Jillian Barberie” on KABC/AM 790.
It’s National School Choice Week, an annual period marked by national events and discussion of the importance of school choice in the United States.
The fundamental idea that parents, students and education professionals alike deserve options is one that deserves a rigorous defense at a time when it is increasingly under attack.
Today, the educational options parents across the country have vary significantly from state to state and even from district to district.
Here in California, there fortunately are a wide range of educational choices: in additional to private schools and traditional public schools, there are opportunities for charter schools, magnet schools and homeschooling.
While school choice has come under attack from teachers unions, which have increasingly taken to smearing charter schools and voucher-based systems as a threat to education, school choice is only a threat to those who fear competition and freedom of choice.
Whether a parent chooses to send a child to a traditional public school, subject heavily to the whims of school boards and teachers unions, or a public charter school or a private school is a matter best left to parents.
The demand for choice is clearly alive and well in California.
According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, California has 1,299 charter schools, serving nearly 11 percent of students in public schools in California.
In 2017, a survey by BerkeleyIGS/EdSource found that 55 percent of registered voters in California polled backed the idea providing tax credits or vouchers to low-income families to go to a private or religious school of their choosing.
A poll also taken that year by the Public Policy Institute of California likewise found that 60 percent of Californians backed the idea of vouchers in general, including majorities of Republicans and independent, as well as nearly half of Democrats.
Unfortunately, the discussion over school choice these days has been more about restricting choice and options. That’s because of the undue influence of teachers unions in California and the willingness of too many in the Legislature to cede educational freedom of choice. Perhaps someday, we can have a political climate where the interests of students are put ahead of what teachers unions want.
Until that happens, expect more scapegoating of what little outlets for school choice that Californians do have, specifically charter schools, and the continued ignoring of vouchers even if most Californians want them available on some level.
Those to the left of the political centerline often complain — with good reason — about using taxpayer funds to bail out large corporations that are insolvent, or nearly so, due to mismanagement.
The criticism erupted 41 years ago when the federal government saved Chrysler Motors from extinction and was aired again a decade ago when Chrysler, General Motors and major banks were rescued during a global economic crisis.
These corporate bailouts gave rise to the phrase “too big to fail.” Similar questions are being raised these days about Pacific Gas & Electric, the nation’s largest investor-owned utility, which declared bankruptcy a year ago due to immense potential liabilities for devastating California wildfires.
Whether PG&E survives as a corporation or is forced into becoming a consumer-owned cooperative, as some officials suggest, or a government-owned entity is still very uncertain. PG&E’s owners and managers must not, critics say, be rewarded for bad corporate behavior.
As the PG&E crisis runs its course, some big governmental entities are also testing whether they are too big to fail.
One is the Los Angeles Unified School District, which appears on everyone’s list of managerial basket cases. It constantly flirts with insolvency by persistently overspending revenues and looks to Sacramento for bailouts.
In 2015, for instance, researchers at UC Berkeley concluded that LA Unified had shifted most of the extra money it received to improve the educations of poor and English learner students into general purposes, such as salary increases.
A coalition of local civil rights groups complained to the state Department of Education, which ruled that LA Unified was wrongly diverting funds and ordered it to redirect nearly a half-billion dollars to the required purposes.
Did LA Unified change its ways? Of course not.
A “realignment exercise,” blessed by state education officials, allowed LA Unified to recategorize expenditures to make them legal, just changing some computer codes without actually changing what it was doing. It was an under-the-radar bailout that shortchanged hundreds of thousands of children at high risk of educational failure.
Another example is the San Francisco Community College District.
In 2012, the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges gave the City College of San Francisco eight months to prove it should remain accredited, citing multiple managerial and financial shortcomings, and ordered it to “make preparations for closure.”
That same year, the state’s Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance team declared the college to be in a “perilous financial position,” caused largely by “poor decisions and a lack of accountability.”
The local political response was a denunciation of the critical authorities and eventually, a bailout slipped into a state budget “trailer bill,” giving the district tens of millions of extra dollars to close its persistent deficits. Local voters also approved new “parcel taxes” on property.
Although it regained its accreditation for seven years, the district has not mended its profligate ways, consistently using unrealistically high enrollment and revenue to generate budgets that are balanced only on paper.
Recently, an auditor hired by the district raised “substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern,” after discovering that it spent nearly $14 million more than it took in during the 2018-19 fiscal year, had been deficit spending for at least three years, and had allowed its reserve to fall below the 5 percent threshold required by the state and the accrediting commission.
Too big to fail? We may soon learn whether there will be another bailout or the district will suffer the self-inflicted indignity of a state takeover of its finances.
CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters. For more stories by Dan Walters, go to calmatters.org/commentary
DAVIS — Eyassu Worku had 19 points to lead five UC Irvine players in double figures as the Anteaters topped UC Davis 80-65 on Thursday night.
Collin Welp added 16 points for the Anteaters (13-9 overall, 5-1 Big West Conference). John Edgar Jr. chipped in 13, Tommy Rutherford scored 11 and Evan Leonard had 10. Welp also had 10 rebounds.
Elijah Pepper had 18 points for the Aggies (8-14, 2-4). Stefan Gonzalez added 12 points. Ezra Manjon had 10 points and six assists.
Joe Mooney had four points despite coming into the contest as the Aggies’ leading scorer at 14 points per game. He was 0 of 4 from beyond the arc.
UC Irvine hosts Cal State Fullerton at home on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Kobe Bryant video tributes were on display at NBA and NHL arenas Wednesday and Thursday night, including some at the homes of Lakers rivals.
The Clippers showed a touching tribute narrated by Paul George prior to their game against the Sacramento Kings Thursday night at Staples Center. The Boston Celtics bathed TD Garden in purple lighting, and displayed the number 24 in lights on the court before their game against the Golden State Warriors. PGA golfers devised tributes of their own Thursday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open at Scottsdale, Az.
COSTA MESA — The Pit at Vanguard University swelled with love Thursday night for Lakers great Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the seven other people who died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas on Sunday.
Purple and gold balloons accented a large banner for visitors to write messages for “Kobe & Gigi”, who were frequent visitors to the gymnasium with the Mambas youth girls basketball team.
Vanguard head women’s basketball coach Russ Davis speaks in front of members of Kobe’s youth team, the Mambas, during a pre-game tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash before their game in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The crowd gives Vanguard head women’s basketball coach Russ Davis a standing ovation during a pre-game tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash before their game in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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The Vanguard women’s basketball team joins hands with players and staff from San Diego Christian during a pre-game tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash before their game at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Wearing a Mamba Sports Academy shirt, Vanguard head women’s basketball coach Russ Davis pauses during a standing ovation during a pre-game tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash before their game at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Vanguard assistant athletic director Kristen Struett, 27, of Irvine, signs a poster before a pre-game tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Vanguard starters Victoria Chea, Michael Elad, Sierra Vaglica and Estefania Giner, from left, pause during a moment of silence during a pre-game tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash before their game in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
San Diego Christian’s Cailey Vitug holds the ball as both teams take 24-second clock violations to honor Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash during their game at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Vanguard players and their counterparts from San Diego Christian College join head coach Russ Davis, center, in a pre-game cheer of “Mamba” after a tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash, before their game at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. Kobe’s youth team, the Mambas, often practiced at the school. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
With purple in her hair and wearing a Kobe jersey, Laura Silva joins a packed gym as they listen to the National Anthem after a pre-game tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash before their game at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Vanguard head women’s basketball coach Russ Davis high-fives his players as they finish warm-ups before a pre-game tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash before their game in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Vanguard alumni Jason Lucaci, wearing a Kobe Bryant Jersey, looks over the court during half-time after driving from his home in San Diego to support head coach Russ Davis at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Vanguard women’s basketball team joins hands with players and staff from San Diego Christian during a pre-game tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash before their game at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Vanguard head women’s basketball coach Russ Davis high-fives members of Kobe’s youth team, the Mambas, after a pre-game tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash before their game in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Signs supporting Kobe’s youth team, the Mambas, adorn the walls before a pre-game tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Wearing memorial t-shirts, the Vanguard women’s basketball team listens to a pre-game tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash before their game at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kids sign a poster before a pre-game tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. Kobe’s youth team, the Mambas, often practiced at the school.(Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
With signs supporting Team Mamba on the walls behind them, people cheer as the Vanguard women’s basketball team is introduced before their game at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. The team held a pre-game tribute to Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and the other victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Bryant’s gold, No. 24 Lakers jersey hung on another wall, not far from a poster of Gianna.
And before a near-capacity crowd for the university’s women’s basketball game, one of Bryant’s friends — Vanguard women’s coach Russ Davis — stepped onto the court for his first game since recovering from throat cancer.
He received a standing ovation before quickly turning the focus to the victims of the crash. He also recognized the Mambas players who lost teammates Gianna, Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester, Bryant (their head coach) and top assistant Christina Mauser in the accident.
Davis welcomed six players from the Mambas’ eighth-grade squad onto the court. The crowd stood again as the girls slowly and soberly walked out in their team’s trademark black, Nike sweats.
“These girls have been through a lot and they’re strong,” Davis told the hushed audience. “And they got that strength from their coach, and beloved teammates. They lost teammates, they lost their coach. They lost a lot. … We’re going to carry on (Bryant’s) vision and we’re going to make him proud.”
Before tip-off, players from Vanguard and visiting San Diego Christian linked arms and hands in a circle at center court for a prayer led by campus pastor Mike Whitford.
The prayer mentioned all the victims, including Altobelli’s parents, Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli and his wife Keri, Chester’s mother Sarah and pilot Ara Zobayan.
“Father, we pray for comfort for these families who lost love ones and friends, and we pray for comfort for this whole community,” Whitford said.
Vanguard and San Diego Christian honored the Lakers legend by opening their game with consecutive 24-second violations.
The crowd showed its respect by arriving early. Many donned the Lakers’ colors or Bryant’s jerseys.
“He was a huge part of our school,” said Aaliyah Washington, a sophomore at Vanguard. “(Last year) me and my friends figured out what time he was going to be entering the gym and so we planned it and went up to get a signed autograph jersey. … I saw his daughter (Gianna) with him, and I was just like, ‘Ah, that guy.’ “
Segerstrom High junior Lesley Luna, 16, attended the game with her father Jose, sister Lindsey, 15, and her basketball teammates at the school.
“Kobe has always impacted each and every one of us in a different way,” Lesley said. “It’s been really hard (since his death). … We’re going to grieve. It’s normal. It’s part of human life, but we can’t let that hold us back.”
Davis said Bryant helped him push forward to beat throat cancer. In August, the five-time NBA champion visited Davis for two hours one night at an assisted living facility.
“That meant the world me,” Davis said earlier this week. “To me, I lost a friend and a guy who had a tremendous heart.”
Vanguard embraced Bryant and his crew on Thursday.
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Sophomore Junior Ballard scored a career-high 32 points and freshman Colby Rogers made a layup with 0.4 seconds left in overtime to spark Cal Poly to a 101-100 victory over Cal State Fullerton on Thursday night, snapping the Titans’ three-game winning streak.
Fullerton trailed by nine with 1:02 left in regulation but scrambled back, sending the game into overtime when senior guard Austen Awosika hit a 3-pointer with 2 seconds remaining.
Keith Smith made 1 of 2 free throws with 22 seconds to go in overtime to give the Mustangs a 99-98 lead. Awosika made a floater with 4 seconds left to give the Titans (8-14, 3-4 Big West Conference) a 100-99 lead, but Cal Poly hurriedly beat Fullerton down the floor to set the stage for Rogers’ game-winner.
Senior forward Jackson Rowe scored a career-high 32 and grabbed 11 rebounds, his third double-double of the season, to pace Cal State Fullerton. Awosika scored 28 points on 10 of 19 shooting and was on the floor for 44 minutes. The pair combined to make 21 of 33 shots from the floor. Brandon Kamga finished with 16 points, while Wayne Arnold scored 14 off the bench. The Titans lost despite shooting 57.4 percent from the field (35 of 61) and 50 percent from 3-point range (12-24).
Ballard made 9 of 12 shots from the floor, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range, and sank 11 of 14 free throws for the Mustangs (5-15, 2-4). Smith added 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while Rogers finished with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Jamal Smith scored 11 before fouling out.
Yogi Ferrell #3 of the Sacramento Kings blocks the shoot by Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Yogi Ferrell #3 of the Sacramento Kings blocks the shoot by Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
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Doc Rivers of the LA Clippers reacts against the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Sacramento Kings bench celebrates along with Bogdan Bogdanovic #8 of the Sacramento Kings after hitting a three point shot as Ivica Zubac #40 of the LA Clippers reacts] in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Montrezl Harrell #5 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket against Dewayne Dedmon #13 of the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Doc Rivers of the LA Clippers reacts against the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Yogi Ferrell #3 of the Sacramento Kings blocks the shoot by Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket against the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Maurice Harkless #11 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket against Harry Giles III #20 of the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Montrezl Harrell #5 of the LA Clippers slam dunks against the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, center, looks on prior to a NBA basketball game between the LA Clippers and the Sacramento Kings at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Sam Casell assistant of the LA Clippers talks with Maurice Harkless #11 of the LA Clippers in the first half of a NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Luke Walton of the Sacramento Kings reacts against the LA Clippers in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Montrezl Harrell #5 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket against Dewayne Dedmon #13 of the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Maurice Harkless #11 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket against the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket against the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket against the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Luke Walton of the Sacramento Kings reacts against the LA Clippers in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Maurice Harkless #11 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket against the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Ivica Zubac #40 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket against the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Patrick Beverley #21 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket against the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Patrick Beverley #21 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket against the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Maurice Harkless #11 of the LA Clippers prior to a NBA basketball game between the LA Clippers and the Sacramento Kings at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Lou Williams #23 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket against Dewayne Dedmon #13 of the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Lou Williams #23 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket against Dewayne Dedmon #13 of the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Montrezl Harrell #5 of the LA Clippers drives to the basket against Harry Giles III #20 of the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Lou Williams #23 of the LA Clippers shoots over Cory Joseph #9 of the Sacramento Kings in the first half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Cory Joseph #9 of the Sacramento Kings steals the ball as Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers goes down on the floor in the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
De???Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket against the LA Clippers in the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Doc Rivers of the LA Clippers reacts against the Sacramento Kings in the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Doc Rivers of the LA Clippers reacts against the Sacramento Kings in the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Luke Walton of the Sacramento Kings reacts against the LA Clippers in the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Buddy Hield #24 of the Sacramento Kings shoots past Patrick Beverley #21 of the LA Clippers in the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Montrezl Harrell #5 of the LA Clippers reaches for a loose ball against the Sacramento Kings in the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Doc Rivers of the LA Clippers against the Sacramento Kings in the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
in the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Basketball fan James Goldstein looks on in the second half of a NBA basketball game between the LA Clippers and the Sacramento Kings at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Fans place a shirt with Kobe and Gigi on in and a bouquet of flowers on a seat in the second half of a NBA basketball game between the LA Clippers and the Sacramento Kings at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Harrison Barnes #40 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket against Patrick Beverley #21 of the LA Clippers in the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Harrison Barnes #40 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket against the LA Clippers in the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Montrezl Harrell #5 of the LA Clippers with a message about Kobe Bryant ???Gone to Soon??? in the second half of a NBA basketball game between the LA Clippers and the Sacramento Kings at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
De???Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket against the LA Clippers in the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Cory Joseph #9 of the Sacramento Kings reacts after a three point basket against the LA Clippers in the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Montrezl Harrell #5 of the LA Clippers sits on the bench against the Sacramento Kings in the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Montrezl Harrell #5 of the LA Clippers reacts after a block shot against the Sacramento Kings in the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Bogdan Bogdanovic #8 of the Sacramento Kings drives to the basket against Patrick Beverley #21 of the LA Clippers in the second half of a NBA basketball game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Thursday, January 30, 2020. Sacramento Kings won 124-103. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
LOS ANGELES — Oftentimes, the game of basketball can serve as a sanctuary from life’s real problems.
“The best part about sports – or I guess the same thing would be with any entertainer – when you are on the stage, you can block a lot of stuff out,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said pregame Thursday. “It’s when you are off the stage, to me, is when it gets to you the most.”
Shooting guard Landry Shamet agreed: “And for a lot of years, and still even, this has kind of been an oasis, a way to get away from real life and things going on.”
And although the Clippers and Sacramento Kings got after it in the first basketball game at Staples Center since Kobe Bryant’s death Sunday left the NBA community and the world beyond reeling, the 124-103 result didn’t exactly leave the Clippers uplifted.
“Incomplete game,” said Montrezl Harrel, who finished with 21 points and seven rebounds. “When you come in and you let someone shoot 15 3s in one (half) and you lose a quarter (36-14), you’re going to be in a position where you are going to lose the game.”
Following a video narrated by Paul George and 24 seconds of silence paying tribute to Bryant and the eight other victims in Sunday’s helicopter crash, the Clippers (33-15) played a game for the first time since Sunday, when they won in Orlando just hours after news of the crash broke.
Their game scheduled against the Lakers on Tuesday was postponed to a date that has yet to be determined.
“One way or another (the days since Bryant’s death affected the team),” Clippers guard Lou Williams said. “I thought it was good to get rest at the same time, (but) it’s a rhythm game too.”
The Kings (18-30) arrived on the second night of a back-to-back set of games, arriving early Thursday morning after losing 120-100 at Oklahoma City.
But Sacramento was sharp while the Clippers – who found themselves short-handed again as they toed the starting line Thursday – misfired.
“They played better than us, honestly,” said Williams, who led the Clippers with 22 points, but made only 7 of 22 shots. “I don’t think this was a big science game for me, I just thought they played better.”
Even as the Clippers welcomed back George from a nine-game absence on account of a strained hamstring and Patrick Beverley from three games away because of a sore groin, All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard was a late scratch because of lower back tightness, robbing the Clippers of the opportunity to play with their full roster for just the second time this season.
“We’re very eager,” to get everyone on the roster available, Beverley said in a curt postgame interview.
Leonard, who has an eight-game streak of 30-point games, was replaced in the starting lineup by Shamet.
“His back just locked up,” Rivers said. “I think he was out shooting before the game, I think he took a shot and his back locked. He was in stretching, trying to do everything he could to get on the floor, and then he just couldn’t.”
The Clippers’ Christmas day victory over the Lakers remains the only game this season when Rivers has had a full roster at his disposal.
George – who was left off the list of the Western Conference All-Star Game reserves that was announced on Thursday – was limited to only 19 minutes and contributed only eight points, four rebounds and four assists on 2-for-10 shooting.
As a team, the Clippers – who easily defeated the Kings 105-87 on Dec. 31 in Sacramento – were off the mark throughout Thursday night.
With Rivers imploring them to pick up the pace, they shot just 35 for 92 (38 percent) in the loss.
Harrell was a one-man show offensively early, with 18 points coming in his first 16 minutes. Take away his eight baskets on 14 shots and the Clippers were 11 for 39 (31.4 percent) in the first half.
It was a different story for Sacramento, which made a season-high 21 3-pointers and got a career-high 34 points from third-year guard De’Aaron Fox, 19 points from Buddy Hield and 16 from Cory Joseph. The Kings finished 21 for 41 from 3-point range and, after outscoring the hosts by 22 in the second quarter, took a 64-47 lead into intermission and led by as many as 23 in the second half.
Shamet added 15 points and went 5 for 8 from behind the arc and Beverley returned to score 11 points and dish out five assists.
“Only thing with us is to get better,” George said. “Take losses like these, know where we lacked at, pick it up the next game and keep it moving. We got enough in this locker room, literally, we got championship DNA in our coach and with Kawhi, so we’ll be all right.”
The loss was just the fifth at Staples Center for the Clippers this season. They’ll next host Minnesota on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
"We'll just chalk this one up, get back in the gym & get back to work… I'm glad it's behind us"
Kings defenseman Ben Hutton, left, and Arizona Coyotes center Derek Stepan battle for the puck during the first period of Thursday’s game in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
A moment of silence is observed for former NBA player Kobe Bryant and all the victims of a fatal helicopter crash prior to an NHL hockey game between the Los Angeles Kings and the Arizona Coyotes, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
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Arizona Coyotes’ Phil Kessel, left, Derek Stepan, center, and Adin Hill (31) pause for moment of silence for former NBA player Kobe Bryant and all the victims of a fatal helicopter crash prior to an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jack Campbell (36) makes a save on a shot as Kings defenseman Derek Forbort (24) and Arizona Coyotes right wing Conor Garland (83) battle for position during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Coyotes goaltender Adin Hill (31) makes a save on a penalty shot by Los Angeles Kings left wing Austin Wagner (51) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Kings left wing Alex Iafallo (19) celebrates his goal against the Arizona Coyotes with center Anze Kopitar, left, and defenseman Ben Hutton, back right, during the first period of Thursday’s game in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Coyotes right wing Clayton Keller (9) and Los Angeles Kings defenseman Matt Roy (3) go after a puck in the air during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz (8) shoots the puck wide of the net against Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jack Campbell (36) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jack Campbell (36) makes a save as Arizona Coyotes center Derek Stepan, second from right, and Kings center Jeff Carter (77) battle for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jack Campbell, right, drinks as Arizona Coyotes center Christian Dvorak, second from right, celebrates his goal with Coyotes right wing Conor Garland, second from left, and left wing Taylor Hall (91) looking on during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jack Campbell, left, gives up a goal to Arizona Coyotes’ Nick Schmaltz (not shown) as Coyotes center Carl Soderberg, right, celebrates, and Kings defensemen Alec Martinez (27) and Joakim Ryan, second from left, pause on the ice during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Coyotes center Christian Dvorak (18) scores a goal against Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jack Campbell, left, as Kings center Jeff Carter (77) arrives late to defend during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Los Angeles Kings left wing Alex Iafallo (19) scores a goal against Arizona Coyotes goaltender Adin Hill (31) as Coyotes left wing Lawson Crouse (67) watches during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. The Kings won 3-2 in overtime. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Coyotes goaltender Adin Hill gives up the winning goal to Los Angeles Kings’ Alex Iafallo during overtime of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. The Kings won 3-2. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jack Campbell (36) makes a save on a shot by Arizona Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz (8) as Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) and defenseman Derek Forbort (24) watch during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Coyotes goaltender Adin Hill (31) gives up a goal to Los Angeles Kings’ Alex Iafallo, not seen, as Coyotes left wing Lawson Crouse (67) tries to help out during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. The Kings won 3-2 in overtime. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Linesman Bryan Pancich (94) pulls Los Angeles Kings left wing Kyle Clifford (13) off Arizona Coyotes left wing Lawson Crouse (67) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. The Kings won 3-2 in overtime. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Kings right wing Dustin Brown (23) and Arizona Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz (8) watch the puck go past as Coyotes goaltender Adin Hill, left, slides over to protect the goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. The Kings won in overtime, 3-2. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Kings left wing Kyle Clifford picks hats up off the ice after teammate Alex Iafallo’s hat trick, his third goal coming in overtime, after an NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. The Kings won 3-2. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Coyotes center Christian Dvorak (18) tries to keep the puck away from Los Angeles Kings left wing Alex Iafallo (19) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. The Kings defeated the Coyotes 3-2 in overtime. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Coyotes center Derek Stepan (21) skates with the puck away from Los Angeles Kings center Blake Lizotte (46) and Kings defenseman Sean Walker (26) as Coyotes right wing Phil Kessel (81) looks on during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. The Kings defeated the Coyotes 3-2 in overtime. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jack Campbell, left, making a diving save on a shot by Arizona Coyotes left wing Taylor Hall (91) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. The Kings defeated the Coyotes 3-2 in overtime. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Coyotes right wing Vinnie Hinostroza (13) skates past Los Angeles Kings center Michael Amadio (10) to the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. The Kings defeated the Coyotes 3-2 in overtime. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Kings defenseman Ben Hutton (15) skates with the puck against the Arizona Coyotes during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. The Kings defeated the Coyotes 3-2 in overtime. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Coyotes goaltender Adin Hill (31) makes a save on a shot that rebounds out past Kings right wing Dustin Brown (23) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. The Kings defeated the Coyotes 3-2 in overtime. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet motions to one of his players during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Los Angeles Kings Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. The Kings defeated the Coyotes 3-2 in overtime. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Kings left wing Alex Iafallo celebrates his third goal of the night, this one in overtime to give his team a 3-2 victory over the Coyotes on Thursday night in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Alex Iafallo scored 24 seconds into overtime, completing his first NHL hat trick and lifting the struggling Kings to a 3-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes that ended their five-game losing streak Thursday night.
Iafallo tied the score with 2:54 left in regulation, then won it moments later. Jack Campbell stopped 26 shots and Anze Kopitar assisted on two goals for the Kings, who got their second win of the month.
“Big win for the boys. We definitely needed that one,” Iafallo said. “We’ve got to clean up some things but it’s a huge win for us and we’re excited for the next game.”
Christian Dvorak gave the Coyotes a 2-1 lead with 56 seconds left in the second period, and Nick Schmaltz also scored for Arizona. But the Coyotes lost their fourth straight and are 1-5-2 in their last eight games.
The Kings scored at 8:37 of the first period when the Coyotes couldn’t clear the puck out of their defensive zone. Ben Hutton backhanded a pass to an open Iafallo, whose shot evaded goalie Adin Hill on his stick side.
“I think his game speaks for itself. He was all over the puck, he was sharp when he shot it,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “Needed help, though, and his teammates did a real good job, (Dustin) Brown and (Anze) Kopitar, at creating for him. Obviously, we’re really excited for him. He’s played really well all year, but particularly since Christmas.”
Phil Kessel hit the post with a shot during the Coyotes’ lone power play of the first period, and Michael Grabner missed an open look after a Kings turnover in their own zone.
Kessel took a hard hit from Derek Forbort early in the third and was slow to get up. Kessel was taken back to the dressing room but returned shortly thereafter.
Arizona defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson used his stick to impede the progress of Austin Wagner early in the second period, and Wagner was awarded a penalty shot. He missed it high and wide.
Ekman-Larsson, the Coyotes’ captain, headed to the dressing room with a lower-body injury late in the second after colliding with Brown. Ekman-Larsson didn’t return, and Coach Rick Tocchet didn’t have an update on his status after the game.
Again the Coyotes missed a chance to draw even when Campbell came out of the net to stop Taylor Hall’s wrister off a 2-on-1 at 6:06 of the second.
The Coyotes finally tied it with Schmaltz’s wrist shot that got by Campbell at 11:22, a moment after the end of an Arizona power play. Schmaltz raised his team-leading point total to 38.
“You’re going to find adversity throughout the season and right now we’re hitting it,” Tocchet said. “But I thought we played a pretty good game … we’ve just got to stick with it.”
NOTES
Kings defenseman Drew Doughty missed his second straight game due to injury. Doughty’s streak of 460 consecutive games played ended Wednesday night in the Kings’ loss at home to Tampa Bay. … The Coyotes played a pregame video tribute to the nine victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash that killed former Lakers star Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. Fans were asked to light up Gila River Arena with their phones. … Coyotes All-Star goalie Darcy Kuemper was scratched with a lower-body injury and hasn’t played since Dec. 19. He’s been practicing and could return as soon as Saturday against Chicago. … The Coyotes issued a statement after reports surfaced about the team being investigated by the NHL for allegations of physical testing of draft prospects. The club said it was aware of the reports and had discussed the issue with the NHL, with no further comment.
UP NEXT
The Kings host the Ducks on Saturday night.
“It was a big win for the boys – we definitely needed that one”
“You can’t describe it – it’s just such a good feeling. That’s what you play for you know? To see your teammates do well – and he’s just such a great guy and brings it for us”
In the mid-1800s, the United States eliminated the medieval institution of debtors’ prisons – whereby destitute people would languish in prison until they worked off their debts. They ultimately were replaced by our modern bankruptcy laws. Yet vestiges of that arcane system remain, as a bizarre Orange County court case makes clear.
Prosecutors alleged that Zulmai Nazarzai was involved in a “boiler-room telemarketing operation” that collected more than $2 million from 1,200 clients to help them avoid foreclosure. As the Register’s Teri Sforza reported, Nazarzai said he provided help to some clients, but the state attorney general alleged that his operation made “extravagant and false promises” that targeted “society’s most vulnerable consumers.”
The details are fairly complex, but the state sued him in civil court, won and found Nazarzai in contempt of court until he produced more than $360,000 that had disappeared. He remained in jail for six years without being charged with any crime. After his release, he filed a $25-million federal civil-rights lawsuit against Orange County and two sheriff’s officials.
U.S. Judge Andrew Guilford rejected Nazarzai’s effort to collect damages, noting that these government employees were simply acting in good faith to implement the orders of the court. But Guilford issued a “findings of fact” that harshly criticized the government.
Jailing people for contempt, as Guilford explained, assumes that the defendant “has the keys to the jail in is hand,” but in this case “it is not obvious that the defendant had and continues to have the money necessary to comply with the order.”
He pointed to the most troubling aspect of the ordeal: “There are a growing number of ‘alphabet-soup’ government agencies that are ultimately given the option of seeking to throw someone in jail without the time-honored protections normally given to criminal defendants.” In other words, this can happen to almost anyone.
Nazarzai might not be a particularly sympathetic figure. Nevertheless, Judge Guilford was right to prod the Legislature to add safeguards to prevent this kind of situation from ever happening again. Debtors’ prisons should remain a relic of the past.
UC Riverside’s Dikymbe Martin takes a shot guarded by Long Beach State’s Joshua Morgan during a Big West basketball game in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
UC Riverside’s Angus McWilliam attacks the basket between Long Beach State’s Joshua Morgan and Chance Hunter during a Big West basketball game in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
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UC Riverside’s Arinze Chidom passes the ball guarded by Long Beach State’s Joshua Morgan during a Big West basketball game in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
UC Riverside’s Angus McWilliam takes a shot against Long Beach State’s Joshua Morgan during a Big West basketball game in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
UC Riverside’s Dikymbe Martin takes a shot against Long Beach State’s Chance Hunter during a Big West basketball game in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
UC Riverside’s Dominick Pickett takes a three points shot against Long Beach State’s Chance Hunter during a Big West basketball game in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
UC Riverside’s Dikymbe Martin goes for a floater during a Big West basketball game against Long Beach State in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach State’s Joshua Morgan blocks a shot by UC Riverside’s Angus McWilliam during a Big West basketball game in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach State’s Coach Dan Monson gives instructions during a Big West basketball game against UC Riverside in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
UC Riverside’s Dominick Pickett dribbles the ball guarded by Long Beach State’s Michael Carter III during a Big West basketball game in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
UC Riverside’s Arinze Chidom tries to block Long Beach State’s Drew Cobb during a Big West basketball game in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach State’s Joshua Michael Carter III slams dunk during a Big West basketball game against UC Riverside in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
UC Riverside’s Callum McRae goes for a layup guarded by Long Beach State’s Michael carter III during a Big West basketball game in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
UC Riverside’s DJ McDonald goes for a floater against Long Beach State’s Romelle Mansel during a Big West basketball game in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
UC Riverside’sAngus McWiliam attacks the basket guarded by Long Beach State’s Chance Hunter and Romelle Mansel during a Big West basketball game in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
UC Riverside’s Khyber Kabellis goes for a layup during a Big West basketball game against Long Beach State in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
UC Riverside’s Arinze Chidom takes a shot against Long Beach State’s Joshua Morgan during a Big West basketball game in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach State’s Joshua Morgan attacks the basket guarded by UC Riverside’s Callum McRae during the first half of a Big West basketball game in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
UC Riverside’s Daniel Mading attacks the basket guarded by Long Beach State’s Joshua Morgan during a Big West basketball game in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
Long Beach State’s Colin Slater taks a shot guarded by UC Riverside’s DJ McDonald during the first half of a Big West basketball game in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
UC Riverside’s Angus McWilliam takes a shot against Long Beach State’s Joshua Morgan during the first half of a Big West basketball game in Riverside on Thursday Jan. 30, 2020. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
RIVERSIDE — He has often been the forgotten guy on the court, not quite an afterthought, but not the guy your eyes go to or your attention focuses on.
Thursday night at UC Riverside’s Student Rec Center, you couldn’t take your eyes off Dominick Pickett.
The fact Long Beach State took its eyes off of Pickett proved to be its undoing when the former walk-on scored a career-high 20 points to pace UCR to a 77-69 Big West Conference victory on Thursday night.
UC Irvine’s victory over UC Davis means the Highlanders didn’t make up any ground on what is a crowded block in the upper reaches of the Big West ladder. But UCR did win its 10th game at the SRC – matching its win total for all last season – and its 14th of the year. The Highlanders are 4-3 in conference play, equaling their win total for 2018-19. And we’re not out of January.
For that, UCR can thank clutch free throws from Dikymbe Martin (14 points), Arinze Chidom (11) and Khyber Kabellis in the last 1:30, which turned back a Long Beach run that cut the gap to 73-69 with 49 seconds left.
It can thank more of the long-range shooting that bombed Cal Poly out of the SRC last week. The Highlanders hit six consecutive 3-pointers over a 4:08 stretch of the second half to take control.
And they can thank Pickett’s charge. The one-time team manager and former Rancho Verde High product made himself first a roster player, then a starter and significant contributor.
“He’s the glue. I hold him in high stand. He’s our captain for a reason. It’s hard for me to take him out of the game,” UCR coach David Patrick said about Pickett. “He keeps us so organized because he knows what I want from him offensively, what I want from him defensively and he knows where every other person on the court should be.
“I can’t speak enough for him as a person, a player, and he’s the reason we’re getting this thing turned around the right way.”
It was Pickett who started the 3-point outburst. With UCR not able to shake Long Beach – which was coming off a 63-56 victory over UCI last week – Pickett hit his second 3-pointer coming out of a media timeout. He followed with another one barely a minute later.
Then, Martin chimed in with his 3-pointer, followed by Chidom 28 seconds later. Pickett drained his fourth not two minutes later and D.J. McDonald followed 51 seconds later.
Just like that, it was 61-49.
Patrick emphasized that not only did Pickett ignite the Highlanders, but he also was charged with cooling down Long Beach’s sizzling Chance Hunter, who had 12 points at halftime. Pickett, who played more than 34 minutes – no mean feat when Patrick goes 11-deep and rarely plays anyone more than 30 minutes – took up defending Hunter after halftime and held him to eight after the break.
He finished with 20 and eight rebounds. Michael Carter, who was suspended last week for what Long Beach coach Dan Monson described as “attitude detrimental to the team,” returned to score 14 points in 18 minutes off the bench. Long Beach was held to 41.1 percent shooting from the field, despite going 9 for 18 from 3-point range.
JOHN GIBSON! ROBBERY!
Alex Iafallo fires one past Andrei Vasilevskiy.
for Alex Iafallo and 
ONE-TIMER FROM ALEX IAFALLO 
