Palisades High girls' basketball team has an emotional, and winning, return to the court
A light blue poster with the words “We’re Here for You” between a drawing of two Dolphins hung on the wall of the Fairfax High gym Wednesday afternoon. Another sign read: “Let’s go Pali!”
Fairfax teams are nicknamed the Lions, but on this day home fans were rooting almost as hard for the visitors.
Despite playing on the opponents’ floor, something it will have to get used to for the time being, the Palisades High girls basketball team saw its first action since a fire ripped through the Pacific Palisades community eight days earlier.
The Dolphins won big, 75-42, but their real victory was suiting up.
Ayla Teegardin, a junior wing on the varsity team, lost her home in the fire but was anxious to get back on the court as soon as possible. She won the opening tip, scored five points, grabbed five rebounds, dished out four assists and had two steals while Riley Oku led the way with 17 points for Palisades (7-6, 2-0 in Western League).
“The first day we had a gym to practice in I was there,” said Teegardin, who is staying with her family at a hotel in Marina del Rey. “Basketball helps me get through the hard things in my life. It’s a way I can cope.”
Head coach Adam Levine shared that in addition to Teegardin, three frosh/soph players and three JV players also lost their homes.
“Every parent said this is the best news of the week,” said Levine, who has been flooded with calls and texts from coaches offering donations, equipment and gym time. “We were off Monday, so yesterday was the first day back and Brentwood School let us use their gym for practice. The girls couldn’t wait to play.”
Athletic director Rocky Montz was at Wednesday’s game and credited Principal Dr. Pam Magee for “putting the press on” to get winter sports teams playing as soon as possible.
The boys basketball squad resumes its schedule Thursday at LACES (preceded by the girls), plays Hamilton at Pierce College on Friday night and plays Oxnard at El Camino Real High in Woodland Hills on Saturday. Jeff Bryant’s team (9-5) has practiced the last three days at Westside Neighborhood School in Los Angeles.
Though the Palisades campus is off limits, the baseball and football fields are in good shape and neither the gym nor the pool appear to have suffered significant damage.
“As of right now we’ll be doing online learning for at least the next few weeks,” Montz said. “I’m not allowed on campus, but from pictures I’ve seen on-campus facilities look pretty good. We were dealt a bad hand but we’ll handle it the best we can. For league games, we’ll play some doubleheaders [boys and girls] and others will be separate depending on what alternative sites we can find. Soccer starts back up next week and if we have to play games on the road we will. As far as water polo, we’re looking at Loyola Marymount, Samo High and SMC or possibly the YMCA pool near University High. As for the spring season, which begins in three weeks, Cheviot Hills Pony Baseball and Venice Little League have offered help so we’re considering all possible options.”
Read more: Prep talk: CIF to waive transfer rules for high school athletes affected by fires
Even the wrestling team has found a place to practice, a Brazilian jiu jitsu studio in West L.A. Indeed, where there’s a will, there’s a way.
“Safety is the most important thing, but we need a home to come back to,” Montz added. “There are issues we need to be taken care of and just how much time that takes I don’t know yet.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
