(East Los Angeles, CA) February 11, 2022 [Special Note From The Editor]: This story features the rivalry battle of the Roosevelt Rough Riders vs. Garfield Bulldogs Boys Basketball game played last Friday, 2/4 at Roosevelt. Appropriately, it was their Senior Appreciation Game. Due to a week of cancellations because of COVID pre-cautions, most Eastern League teams the finished their Eastern League schedule this week, instead of last. To finish the season, the Rough Riders played on 2/7 against Bell, which resulted in a victory, and they also played on 2/9 at South East. This game would determine the Eastern League Champion. If Roosevelt won, they would be the outright Champions. If they lost, they would end in a tie with South East and become Co-Champions. The result favored the Jaguars who won by three. Thus, the two schools earned the reward of being Co-Champs. So now, it’s on to the playoffs. Read more about that at the end of the story. Now, here is our featured presentation of Roosevelt vs. Garfield. A reminder to please subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Your support will be much-appreciated.

{Game Background} The Indoor/Hardcourt version of the “East L.A. Classic” —Boys Basketball, was recently played at Roosevelt, in their still new and “state-of-the-art gymnasium” last Friday, February 4th. And although the score was highly in favor of the Rough Riders win, the  multi-purpose facility was filled for its first capacity setting when the two teams met in the next-to-the-last week of the Eastern League schedule. The Riders came in with an overall record of (21-4) and an unblemished (9-0) record in League play. On the other hand, the Bulldogs arrived with a (4-16) overall record and a League record of (3-6).

But leave it up to the student-bodies, faculties, alumni, community supporters, and fans of both schools to decide how each sporting contest played between these two longtime and traditional rivals is experienced. Again, all of this major high school activity was amazingly accomplished under COVID, while still under the Health and Public Safety protocols under the LAUSD, in conjunction with regulating in compliance State, L.A. City, and L.A. County Public Health Departments. A big congratulations to all of those entities who ultimately had a major hand in regulating this well-attended event. And with the “big rivalry” game environment on campus, all matters of being a high school student looked, and felt nearly normal.

(Game Summary): {1str Qtr} When Johnathan “JJ” Gomez hit his first of two, long 3-pointers in a row, the game basically belonged to Roosevelt. Gomez would end up with (15) points in the period, and from then on, Roosevelt’s 2nd year Head Coach, Manny Medina, utilized his entire team to get valuable playing time in this much-awaited rivalry encounter. With the victory, the Riders moved their overall record to (22-4) and a perfect (10-0) in Eastern League play.

{2nd Qtr}: More of the same continued on for the Riders as they pulled away to a (19) point halftime lead of (35-16). Lots of Roosevelt fast-breaks, blocked shots, rebounding, assisting, scrambles on the floor after loose balls, and lots of good sharing of the basketball, propelled them. The Bulldogs just could not match up with the Rough Riders personnel. Working hard for the home team were Senior forwards, #21/Joshua Rodriguez and #23/Kevin Lopez and Senior center, #42/Joseph Garcia. Rounding out the Riders starters was Romeo Avila, who, as just a sophomore, gathered critical playing time and experience. For the Bulldogs, their Center, Adam Noir, 6-5, did his best offensively and defensively, as he put in 5 points and grabbed 5 rebounds for the half.

[HALFTIME SCORE]: Roosevelt  35   Garfield 16

{3rd Qtr} The deficit was certainly and extremely too large for the Bulldogs to overcome, and ultimately did the best they could. The Riders simply put it into cruise control which allowed allowed Head Coach, Manny Medina to reward nearly his entire squad of players, on “Senior Appreciation Night” with greatly merited playing time for themselves, their families, and classmates.

{4th Qtr} Coach Medina used the final two periods of play to spread the wealth of playing time to all of his Seniors in a very fitting move to close out their careers at Roosevelt. Making the most of that opportunity was Guard, #1/Kevin Corona who hit a 3-pointer, 2 field goals, and 2 free throws. He ended with (9) points all scored in the 2nd half. But the biggest roar from the crowd came late in the game when Forward, #44/Steve Aguilar, scored on a 5′ floater inside the key and directly in front of the basket.

Leading all scorers in the game was Johnathan “JJ” Gomez, with (19), followed by (10) each from Joe Garcia, and Senior/Forward/#21 Joshua Rodriguez. #23/Kevin Lopez, Sophomore/Forward/#24 Romeo Avila, and Senior/Forward/#12/Mike Ramirez all scored (4) to round out the total scoring in the win. For Garfield, #32/Adam Noir scored (10) and grabbed (8) rebounds, while teammate, #4/Jair Cervantes had (8) for the Bulldogs. 

(Next Up} CIF/L.A. City Section’s Playoffs start next week. Pairings will be announced on Saturday, 2/12. We’ll publish the brackets as soon as we receive them from the L.A. City Section Sports Office.