In their final game of the Chaminade Holiday Classic in West Hills, the boys basketball team discovered several positives about themselves: they could rebound from a tough defeat, they could succeed despite missing two starters, and they could hold their own on the boards. In doing those three elements successfully, the Warriors closed out a hard-fought victory over Lancaster High School 55-52, bringing their record for the tournament to 2-2.

Senior Andrew Daou and Junior Eric Bates led the Warriors in the scorebook with 17 points apiece, while Justin Walker chipped in 11 points of his own. Bates is really establishing himself as a reliable presence for the team in the paint, as he pulled down 9 rebounds. Walker, another senior, recorded his first career double-double, adding 10 rebounds to his 11 points. Daou continued his veteran leadership, and the 4-year starter has come to be the glue that holds the team together in tough situations. With the game on the line and less than a minute left to play, he calmly knocked down his free-throws to preserve the lead and close out the Eagles.

When the team got into the locker room after the game, Chaminade head coach and tournament director, Brian Cantwell, was waiting with exciting news. For his performance over the four game stretch, Daou was awarded a plaque and a spot on the all-tournament team. Cantwell also recognized Justin Walker's intensity and effort with the tournament hustle award, signifying Justin as the hardest working player in the entire 16-team field. "Justin, if I could get my guys to play as hard as you do, we'd never lose a game," said the Chaminade coach. The award marks the first time a VC player has received the honor in the team's 5-year history at the event.

"We could have left here feeling pretty down about ourselves and having a couple guys hurt," said head coach Steve Cotton, "but now we have a better understanding of how to work through things as a team. We also saw guys step up to fill holes in the lineup when they were given a chance. Jesse Estrada did especially well, filling in as one of our guards. Hopefully this win provides us with momentum we can use going into league play."

The rugged WCAL road begins Wednesday, January 3rd when the Warriors travel to take on their cross town rivals, Bellarmine College Prep.

 Box Score

Upcoming Games:

Wednesday, January 3 - VC @ Bellarmine

Friday, January 5 - VC vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral