The Lutheran High School boys basketball team has dedicated its season to the memory of one of its most vocal supporters, and the Knights could have their prayers answered in more ways than one.
Lutheran is fielding one of its best teams in school history — certainly its best since the small private school’s relocation to Chula Vista several years ago — and very well could end the 2014-15 season with a San Diego Section championship.
The Knights entered Tuesday’s Sunset League game against the Ocean View Christian Academy Patriots at the Parkway gymnasium as the No. 1 team in the Division V power rankings. Lutheran improved to 16-1 on the season, 4-0 in league play, after its 91-51 win over Ocean View.
The Knights are playing for the memory of the father of one of the team’s players. Tyler Pinuelas is a sophomore guard/forward on the team; his father Andrew was one of the team’s biggest fans.
“You could always hear his voice in the stands,” Lutheran assistant varsity coach Alton Colter said.
Tyler Pinuelas and his mother were in attendance at Tuesday’s game, though the younger Pinuelas did not play.
Senior Mo Al-Asady earned honors as the team’s player of the game with 20 points. Fellow senior Carlos Gonzalez had 17 points while junior James Watts had 12 points, senior Josh Powers contributed 11 points and senior Jordan Brown tacked on 10 points.
The Knights led, 28-13, at the end of the opening quarter.
Lutheran High School executive director Scott Dufresne said the school is scheduled to break ground in March on a new athletics facility that will include a gym and lighted football field.
Currently, sports teams from the school use off-campus facilities for games, including some at neighboring public schools.
Dufresne said the master plan for the school is to reach an enrollment of 350 students. At present, the school has an enrollment of 123 students.
The new facilities, which will include construction of 18 new classrooms, are expected to facilitate the planned future growth.
“We feel blessed,” Dufresne said. “We’re excited to be here. Some of our teams have flourished.”
The Knights wrap up Sunset League play on Feb. 19 (Lutheran has two more home games scheduled at the Parkway gym), and then it’s off to the section’s competition-tiered playoffs.
Lutheran is currently ranked ahead of San Pasqual Academy (15-2), Palo Verde (13-8), Preuss School (12-7) and High Tech Chula Vista (12-5) in the division power rankings.
This season’s team appears to be building on its semifinal appearance in last year’s playoffs.
Al-Asady leads the team in scoring with 14.1 points per game while Gonzalez is second with a 12.7 scoring average, followed by Watts (11.8) and Brown (11.1). Powers leads the team with an 8.4 rebounding average.
“We have several players who started with us as freshmen and now they’re juniors and seniors,” Dufresne said. “With the three or four years these guys have played together, they’ve jelled. Another big factor is our coach (Andrew Singleton). Ever since coach Singleton has joined the program, it’s taken on a different attitude.”
