SAN DIEGO – There isn’t going to be a gymnasium this season that will play host to more of the best California senior boys’ basketball players than the one on the Torrey Pines High campus this week during the 22nd Torrey Pines Holiday Classic.
But it was a player from the Class of 2013 who created the most buzz during Tuesday’s eight-game, National Division schedule.
San Jose Mitty junior Aaron Gordon – like a certain basketball writer I’m quite familiar with – was battling the effects of a cold Tuesday as he led his team against a very gifted Compton squad, led by one of those elite-level California seniors, 6-foot-6 Victor Robbins.
You wouldn’t have known it by the impact he had on the game – and the large crowd in the gym.
He left the opposing Tarbabes and spectators alike light-headed with his high-wire act.
The 6-8 Gordon scored 25 points – many of those in spectacular, rim-crunching fashion – grabbed at least a dozen rebounds and had a couple of spectacular blocks of Robbins’ shots.
The 61-47 victory moved the Monarchs into a Wednesday night (8:35) quarterfinal contest with Los Angeles Windward.
But the topic of conversation in the stands and in the hallways of the Torrey Pines gym afterward wasn’t about that impending matchup with Windward.
It was more along the lines of “did you just see what I think I saw?” in reference to Gordon’s performance.
As anyone who has read me or listened to my opinions about teams and players for any length of time knows, I bend over backward to avoid excessive hyperbole.
But this is what I think:
Gordon is the closest thing to a “Blake Griffin-type” that there is in high school right now.
In fact, I don’t think there is anyone playing in college that is more deserving of that tag right now.
Prediction: A lot of folks will be showing up at the Torrey Pines ticket booth over the next three days just for the opportunity to gain admission to watch Gordon in action.
My recaps on the eight Tuesday games:
* Newark (CA) Memorial 45, LaVerne (CA) Lutheran 30: “Shocking” may be a bit too strong to describe the Northern California-based squads victory over the defending California State Div. III champion.
But it was certainly an upset of significant proportions.
The Cougars shut down the Trojans’ Grant Jerrett-led offensive attack with a defense that was able to clog the lane, match up with jump shooters and cut off dribble penetration.
And they frustrated Lutheran’s defense with patience and execution – and the ability to hit a lot of jump shots just as the shot clock was about to expire.
The University of Arizona-bound Jerrett – the best senior prospect in California – was limited to nine points while senior forward Paramvir Singh led the Cougars with 15 points, a lot of those coming in late-shot clock situations.
The Cougars face St. Bernard in a 3:50 championship quarterfinal while the Trojans take on Houston St. Thomas in a consolation game at 12:40.
* Playa del Rey St. Bernard 68, Houston St. Thomas 61: The Vikings, who took just a 5-5 record into the game, got solid impressive performances from senior guards Lance Booker and Daniel Cordoba and senior forward Jalen Walker to spring the mild (at least compared to what took place later in the evening) upset Tuesday afternoon.
Walker scored 22 points and Booker added 16. Cordoba scored only five points but did a commendable defensive job against Stanford-bound guard Christian Sanders (21 points, most of those in the third quarter).
*Hyattsville (MD) DeMatha 58, San Diego Lincoln 47: Junior center BeeJay Anya dominated play inside the lane for the top seed in the tournament, scoring 21 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.
Junior guard Tyree Robinson hit six 3s for Lincoln en route to a 22-point performance.
The unbeaten Stags face Lakewood Mayfair in a championship quarterfinal at 7 Wednesday night while Lincoln plays Sacramento Sheldon in a 2:15 consolation contest.
*Lakewood Mayfair 51, Sacramento Sheldon 43: The Monsoons rallied from a 10-point deficit in the first half behind the play of brothers Dion and Brian Wright to knock off one of Northern California’s top squads.
L.A. Windward 66, Seattle O’Dea 62: Freshman forward Mason Shepherd scored a career-high 19 points to help his team earn its game with San Jose Mitty Wednesday.
O’Dea plays Compton at 9:30 Wednesday morning.
Woodland Hills Taft 64, Lake Washington 60: Four players, led by Anthony January’s 17 points, scored in double figures to put the L.A. City powerhouse into a Wednesday evening (5:25) championship quarterfinal with Torrey Pines.
San Diego Torrey Pines 67, Compton Dominguez 55: Senior guards Garrett Galvin (26) and Joe Rahon (22) combined for 48 points to put the tournament-host squad into a quarterfinal against Taft.
The Dons (led by senior forward Arnold Anderson’s 20 points) will play Lake Washington in a consolation tilt at 11:05 Wednesday morning.
Leave a Reply