Devante Doutrive leads Birmingham to Pac Shores title; earns MVP honors

REDONDO BEACH, Calif. — The championship game of the 65th annual Dijon Thompson Pacific Shores boys basketball tournament between Lake Balboa Birmingham and Westchester gave us a (potential) preview of the City Section title game or, at the least, a City Section playoff battle. Birmingham, led by tournament Most Valuable Player Devante Doutrive, took round one in semi-dominant fashion, defeating Westchester, 84-74, late Saturday night. The elder Doutrive and senior point guard Deschon Winston, who earned All-Tournament honors paced the Patriots (4-0) with 23 points apiece, while guard Mark Boland added 16 points, including four 3-pointers. Junior swingman Devonaire Doutrive finished with nine points and an All-Tournament nod.

Devonaire Doutrive (left), Deschon Winston (center) and Devante Doutrive led Birmingham to the Pac Shores championship.

The Comets (3-1) were led by seniors Marquis Moore and Luis Rodriguez who tallied 24 and 19 points, respectively. The first half was marred by turnovers and sloppy play by both sides. The two teams combined for 19 give-aways through the first 16 minutes of play. Westchester took advantage of Birmingham’s first quarter mistakes and jumped out to a 20-13 lead through the first eight minutes of action. Devante Doutrive took over for the Patriots in the second half, scoring nine points in the quarter in which Birmingham outscored Westchester, 23-13, to take a 36-33 advantage into the break. It was Mark Boland’s turn in the third quarter. Birmingham coach Nicholas Halic put Boland in ball-screen action which freed him up for good looks from beyond-the-arc and he made good on those attempts, connecting on three triples in the third to extend the Patriots lead to double-digits, 63-52, through 24 minutes of play. Westchester mounted a run in the fourth quarter behind Moore, whose basket with 2:52 to play cut the Birmingham lead to five, 71-66. Moore scored nine of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough as the Patriots were able to hang on for the 10-point win. Third Place Game: Eastvale Roosevelt 62, Narbonne 46 If there were a “most productive from start to finish” award at Pac Shores, it would have gone to Cal State Fullerton-bound forward Matt Mitchell of Eastvale Roosevelt. Mitchell capped off an impressive tournament performance with 21 points and 18 rebounds as the Mustangs trounced the previously tough to beat Gauchos. Jeremiah Galang led Narbonne with 13 points and Kendall Frey, who also had an solid tournament, added 12. Fifth Place Game: Santa Margarita 72, Oak Park 54 This was supposed to be an old school battle of back-to-the-basket big men slugging it out on the block, and it was, at times, with Oak Park’s Riley Battin scoring 25 points and Santa Margarita’s Adrease Jackson finishing with 14. The Eagles were led by the perimeter play of Kaden Rasheed and sophomore Jake Kyman. Rasheed came out firing and finished with 22 points, while 6-foot-7 Kyman put together a sound all-around floor game with 18 points, six rebounds and three assists. Consolation Championship Game: Rancho Christian 59, Lynwood 55 This game was supposed to be between Gahr and Lynwood, but because the two are San Gabriel Valley league foes, and didn’t want to show their hand early in the season, Rancho Christian, which lost to Gahr on Friday, filled in. Actually, the Eagles did more than just fill in, as sophomore forward Isaiah Mobley put on a second half clinic to lead Rancho Christian to the four-point win. Mobley finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Award Show 65th annual Pac Shores Most Valuable Player: Devante Doutrive, Birmingham First Team All-Pac Shores G Deschon Winston, Birmingham G Chris Simmons, Westchester F Luis Rodriguez, Westchester F Matt Mitchell, Eastvale Roosevelt F Riley Battin, Oak Park Second Team All-Pac Shores G Devonaire Doutrive, Birmingham G Jemarl Baker, Eastvale Roosevelt G Kaden Rasheed, Santa Margarita F Marvin Bragg, Gahr F Jake Kyman, Santa Margarita Third Team All-Pac Shores G Kendall Frey, Narbonne G Ryse Williams, Redondo Union G Psalm Maduakor, Narbonne F Marquis Moore, Westchester F Adrease Jackson, Santa Margarita Fourth Team All-Pac Shores G Gary Williams, Gahr G Jordan Brinson, Westchester G Mark Boland, Birmingham F Zafir Williams, Long Beach Poly F Isaiah Mobley, Rancho Christian Fifth Team All-Pac Shores G Abdul Bah, Narbonne G Noel Scott, Lynwood G Wony’a Singleton, Peninsula G Wes Slajchert, Oak Park F Solomon Davis, Rancho Christian Honorable Mention: Clark Slajchert, Oak Park; Max Agbonkpolo, Santa Margarita; Jamal Bogan, Lynwood; Myles Johnson, Long Beach Poly; David Agba, Eastvale Roosevelt; Isaiah Hawk, Morningside; Wayne Arnold, Dominguez; Brenton Woods, Dominguez; Sean Harlston, Dominguez; Kyle Small, Mayfair; Jeremiah Galang, Narbonne; Antonio Monroe, Narbonne; Marquise Nelloms, St. Anthony; Josh Belvin, St. Anthony; Amani Harris, St. Bernard; Johnny Juzang, Harvard-Westlake; Mason Hooks, Harvard-Westlake