SAN DIEGO – Appropriately enough on Saturday, the final game capped the six-game San Diego-Los Angeles Challenge, sponsored by State Farm Insurance, in fine fashion.
The host Lincoln High Hornets – led by twin juniors Tyree and Tyrell Robinson – took on Woodland Hills Taft, the prohibitive favorite to win the L.A. City title, in that finale.
And, despite falling behind by 15 points late in the second quarter against the stalwart defense of Coach Jason Hart’s Toreadors, the Hornets gave their fans plenty to get hyped about.
Led by the Robinsons (Tyrell, despite the impressive man-to-man defensive effort of Taft junior Kris Yanku, finished with 19 points while Tyree added 10), Lincoln took a couple of two-point leads in the fourth quarter.
But the Toreadors made the North-bound trek out of San Diego with a 52-48 victory, courtesy the combined 46-point performance of Yanku (16) and seniors Brandon Perry and Anthony January Jr. (15 apiece).
Lincoln had no answers anytime Taft’s guards got the ball to Perry in the low post or January – who, after he stopped forcing too-quick-jumpers, nailed mid-range jumpers from both baselines and wings and also grabbed at least 20 rebounds.
In the other games:
*L.A. Windward 71, San Diego Parker: The Wildcats, so impressive while advancing to the championship game of the National Division of the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic the week before, continued their strong play in the land of the 619 area code.
And 6-foot-6 senior Nick Stover – with 31 points for Coach Miguel Villegas’ club – continued to show he was one of the recruiting steals of the November signing period for Loyola Marymount University.
I was quite impressed with Parker’s 6-8 Evan Fitzner. He has to be rated among the best of the sophomore prospects in California.
*La Verne Lutheran 62, Carlsbad La Costa Canyon 48: Put two of the best high school players in the national senior class on the floor at the same time and what can you expect to see?
You’re going to see some individual brilliance on the part of each, of course.
And that’s what Grant Jerrett (23 points and 11 rebounds) and Matt Shrigley (17 points and a half-dozen assists) delivered for Lutheran and La Costa Canyon, respectively.
But Jerrett’s teammates – most notably junior guard Eric Cooper Jr., who knocked in three 3-pointers in the second half en route to a 22-point effort – were a tad more productive than were the San Diego State-bound Shrigley’s.
There may not be a more spectacular player in the West Coast senior class than the 6-5 Shrigley, who had a couple of stunning dunks in the game.
He’ll get some significant playing time with the Aztecs as freshman.
The same can be said, of course, for Jerrett when he arrives in Tucson to play for Coach Sean Miller’s University of Arizona Wildcats.
There isn’t a post player in the national senior class who has as many basketball skills as are possessed by Jerrett, who reminds me quite of bit of Spencer Hawes when the Philadelphia 76ers’ standout played for Seattle Prep.
*Gardena Serra 60, San Diego St. Augustine 48: The Cavaliers are 13-1 and the reasons they’ve dropped just one game (to Torrance Bishop Montgomery in the final of the Trevor Ariza Tournament at L.A. Westchester) were on display in this one.
Coach Dwan Hurt’s club has plenty of size, skill and balance – and there is impressive chemistry, to boot.
Unsigned seniors Daddy Ugbede (6-6) and Dakarai Tucker (6-5) scored 18 points apiece for the Cavaliers.
Six-three junior Brynton Lemar hit just three of 11 shots from the field and missed all three of his free throws for St. Augustine.
But he is fast as all-get-out with the ball and a solid passer. He’ll be heavily recruited by a lot of mid-major and some high-major programs.
*San Diego Torrey Pines 50, Long Beach Jordan 48: The Panthers three shots in the closing seconds – including a 3-point at the buzzer by Semaj Moore – as the Falcons recorded the only victory for a San Diego County squad.
Boston College-bound guard Joe Rahon scored 18 points for Torrey Pines while Sean Murray hit four 3s for his 12 points for the winners.
Five-nine junior Kaleahl Ferguson scored 15 points for the Panthers
*Compton Centennial 57, San Diego Horizon 46: Juniors Mervyn Benjamin (18) and Bernard Davis (16) combined for 34 points for the Apaches.
Another junior, Markel Byrd, paced Horizon with 11 points.
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