city section

During the early1980s, under coach Craig Raub and with the help of the DeCree sisters, Toya, Fonda and Diane, Granada Hills Kennedy was the best basketball program in the City Section and one of the best in Southern California. Toya, Fonda and Diane ended up playing for Arizona State, Oregon State and Texas A&M, respectively. Toya became a coach and the mother of the NBA Holiday boys, Justin, Jrue and Aaron.

Kennedy won a City Division II title in 2023, but the Golden Cougars are trying to return to relevancy this season having advanced to the City Section Division I final on Saturday against El Camino Real at 4 p.m. at Pasadena City College.

One of the standouts is Abbigail Gomez, a transfer from Highland who’s averaging 15 points. Her parents played football and soccer at San Fernando High. She also plays for Kennedy’s flag football team.

She made a game-clinching three in the fourth quarter on Saturday to help beat San Pedro. Afterward, she turned to the crowd and blew a kiss.

“That’s for my close friends and family,” she said.

She might be even more excited if the Golden Cougars can win a City title on Friday.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Joe Wyatt, the third-year basketball coach at Sun Valley Poly, said goodbye to his son, JD, at the end of last season. He was one of the leading scorers in the City Section at 28.5 points per game and left for prep school at Academy of Central Florida, where he’s averaging close to 20 points.

So how did Poly end up going 12-0 this season in East Valley League play and extend its league winning streak to 28 consecutive wins without JD?

“I can actually coach a little bit,” Wyatt said.

Sun Valley Poly basketball coach Joe Wyatt.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

With seniors Kevin Lara and Angel Guerrero leading the way, Poly is seeded No. 6 in the City Section Division I playoffs and will open at home on Wednesday against defending Open Division champion Westchester. Lara had a big three last season when Poly defeated Grant 50-49 to win the City Division I title.

Wyatt had success at El Camino Real, winning a City Section Open Division title in 2014, his first season as head coach. He’s provided stability to the Parrots and knows how to adjust to personnel changes.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.