Palisades Charter High School basketball teams return to competition with victory since start of wildfires

The Dolphins boys and girls basketball teams returned to action for the first time this week since the Palisades fire started on January 7.

Palisades Charter boys basketball team plays its first game since the Palisades Fire against LACES on Thursday, January 16, 2025. / Donn Parris

The Palisades Charter High School boys and girls basketball teams showed great resilience this week by getting back to the hardwood and competing for the first time since the Palisades Fire burnt the surrounding community and parts of the campus.

The Palisades girls defeated Fairfax 75-45 Wednesday night thanks to 17 points and 12 rebounds from Riley Oku. Elly Tierby had 13 points, Alissa Ramirez scored 12 and Sincere Aubrey added 10 in the Dolphins’ win.

“Everyone was happy to be there,” girls coach Adam Levine said. “The Fairfax program donated the girls backpacks. They were very hospitable.”

The Palisades boys beat LACES Thursday night in their first action back 69-45. Jack Levy led the Dolphins with 20 points and Tommy Pickens had 16.

Palisades Charter boys basketball played its first game since the Palisades Fire at LACES on Thursday, January 16, 2025. / Donn Parris

“It felt as if the entire world was with us tonight,” boys basketball coach Jeff Bryant said. “I believe it will be like that the rest of the way. Told the guys if they want to do something for their families, go out there play hard, have fun and watch how much joy that brings their parents and community.”

Both games were played on the road. Every game for the rest of the season will be played away or at a neutral site due to the air quality and fire debris at Palisades Charter. The school has gone to remote learning indefinitely.

The boys will play again at Pierce College in Woodland Hills Friday night against Hamilton at 6 p.m.

Despite the damage, most of Palisades Charter’s campus is intact. All of the athletic facilities are still standing.

The fire started Tuesday, January 7, and is still active as of Thursday, Jan. 16, but most of the damage through the school and its surrounding neighborhood was done the night of January 7 as winds reached 100 mph and the fire was burning a reported 300 yards per minute.

Despite the tragedy, Palisades boys basketball team returned to practice on Monday, Jan. 13 at Memorial Park in Santa Monica. The girls started practicing on Tuesday at Brentwood School. Both programs were able to practice thanks to the help of neighboring school.

As flames burned through Pacific Palisades, questions began to arise.

How big will the wildfire get? What damage will come of it?

Palisades Charter boys basketball played its first game since the Palisades Fire at LACES on Thursday, January 16, 2025. / Donn Parris

One Los Angeles TV reporter and cameraman reported that Palisades Charter High School was engulfed in flames, saying the football field scoreboard was on fire … buildings had been lost … and the baseball field was “gone”.

The Palisades fire has burned 23,000 acres, decimated thousands of homes, and claimed lives in what’s considered the worst (and most expensive) wildfire in California’s history.

Getting back to playing games as fast as possible was important to Levine and Bryant, so they can provide their players with some normalcy — even if just a sliver.

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