Slow-starting Norse recover in time

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: January 14, 2023

2022-23 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL

ECS staff report

RANCHO SAN DIEGO — The players for the Valhalla Norsemen were looking forward to the holiday weekend, celebrating American Civil Rights Act Day. However, they were reminded that there was still a ballgame to be played.

Such a “friendly reminder” came from their head coach during a hastily called time out in the opening minutes of Saturday’s (Jan. 14), with Orange Nation trailing, 9-0.

Fortunately, the wake-up call triggered an immediate result.

Valhalla would close the first quarter with 21 unanswered points, going on to devour Maranatha Christian, 53-40.

Although the second period again started with an Eagles scoring string of six consecutive points, it was the last extended offensive spree by the visitors.

Valhalla (12-8 overall), which rests a half-game behind Helix for leadership in the Grossmont Hills League, has now won five of its last six outings.

Official individual statistics were not available at press time, but social media reports that Zaki Monqad was the team’s leading scorer once again. The senior averaging more than 24 points per contest, was coming off a 44-point effort against Clairemont on Jan. 11.