In a gripping Valley Mission League clash, the Reseda Regents faced off against the Kennedy Golden Cougars in a battle marked by intensity and physical play. Kennedy opened the game with a strong defensive effort but struggled to convert key scoring opportunities, which could have extended their lead early on. Meanwhile, Reseda capitalized on their chances, establishing an early advantage in the first quarter. The second quarter mirrored the first, with both teams maintaining their physical style, resulting in Kennedy holding a slim one-point lead at halftime.

The tide turned in the second half as Reseda seized control of the contest. Donte Robinson was a standout performer, sinking four three-pointers and finishing with five for the game. “Threes are like layups for me; I’ve been practicing them since I was four, and I’ve been shooting them ever since” Robinson remarked.

Cameron Jones also made a significant impact, contributing 16 points and numerous steals. Reseda’s coach, Marlin Burt, praised Jones’s defensive prowess, stating, “He’s a very tenacious defender, a very aggressive defender, he averages 8 or 9 steals a game. I try to get him to cut back on the reaching as much because sometimes when you gamble you lose, but his gamble comes through a lot of the time.”

Reseda’s physicality and timely shooting proved decisive. When asked about the shift in momentum during the second half, Burt clarified,  “It wasn’t a switch in game plan, it was more of a focus. So in the second half we focused more on the points we discussed before the game, just being physical, not following the defense, and stopping the offender from going to whatever spot they wanted to, applying pressure and being vocal.”

Kennedy attempted to mount a comeback, but it came too late in the game. The Cougars were outmuscled by the Regents, resulting in their first league defeat. Coach Noe Anaya of Kennedy noted a significant shift in momentum, stating, “We did make some adjustments that kinda burnt us, we tried to play a little too fast for our own good. We got burnt off the dribble a couple times.” On the short comeback in the fourth he states, “We made adjustments in the fourth quarter to come back and make a little run, but we just ran out of gas and we just couldn’t compete anymore.”

Reseda improved to 9-4 overall and 4-2 in league play. Burt commented on their outlook for the remainder of the season, saying, “league is not in our hands anymore because we’ve lost two games where they (Kennedy) only has one loss, so they would have to get another loss in order for us to even tie for the league. That was what we were aiming for, but it is not in our hands anymore.”

Kennedy’s record now stands at 9-11, with a league mark of 6-1 following their first loss. When discussing the team’s next steps, Anaya emphasized, “Talk to our guys, go over things in practice, watch film, and make sure we make adjustments as needed.” He also said, “I do believe we need to be more aware on defense, communicate a little more, and just come together as a team to finish off league and set us right for playoffs.”

Reseda is set to face Panorama on Wednesday, while Kennedy will host San Fernando on the same day.