In the season opener for the 2014-15 varsity boys’ basketball team, the squad soundly defeated Culver City High School (0-1 overall, 0-0 in Ocean League play) by a score of 61-31 in both teams’ first game of the 2014 Mira Costa Pacific Shores Tournament today.

Guards Ali Iken ’17 and Spencer Perryman ’15 proved that they’re ready for increased roles; Iken, who only averaged 8.6 minutes per game as a freshman, scored a career-high 17 points on the night, while going 3-for-6 from 3-point-range and adding four rebounds and three steals on the defensive side of the ball. Perryman, who averaged 2.3 MPG as a junior, had nine points, four assists, and three rebounds, going 2-for-4 from downtown and taking four steals of his own. Returning first-team Mission League selection Alex Copeland ’15 had a well-rounded game, dropping 18 points, five assists, and contributing to the stifling defensive effort with four steals, and Noah Gains ’15 impressed in his first career regular season game playing center, scoring 12 points on an efficient 3-for-5 from the field, securing nine rebounds, and racking up two blocks and two steals.

Due to injuries to Wolfgang Novogratz ’16 (foot) and Parsa Shoa ’16 (back), and sicknesses plaguing Carter Begel ’17 and Henry Vogel ’16, only nine Wolverine players suited up for the game. Still, the Wolverines dominated from start to finish, leading 39-15 at the half and 53-24 after three quarters before laying off the gas in the fourth.

This is Harvard-Westlake’s first time in program history participating in Mira Costa’s tournament. Culver City came in 2nd place in the 2013 Mira Costa tournament, so the Wolverines’ success today bodes well for their chances in the later rounds. The Wolverines’ (1-0 overall, 0-0 in Mission League) next pool play game is against Carson (0-1, 0-0 in Marine League), at 3:00 P.M. on Dec. 3, also at Mira Costa.

A full tournament schedule can be accessed here: http://www.costabasketball.com/uploads/2/0/8/8/20884696/2014_mira_costa_pacific_shores_tournament.pdf