Yanku-Walker provide first-day drama at SLO

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SAN LUIS OBISPO, Ca. – The “Challenge Night” of the 14^th Mission Prep Christmas Classic didn’t provide any challenges from one perspective:

One didn’t have to struggle to find any major college prospects on the floor.

From the tip to start the 2 o’clock game between San Marcos (CA) Mission Hills and Highland Ranch (CO) ThunderRidge, until the final buzzer of the 8 o’clock contest between Torrance (CA) Bishop Montgomery and the host Royals, outstanding players – and, of course, exceptional teams – were on display.

Things got underway with the team from San Diego County – Mission Hills – taking control in the second quarter and then pulling away from the squad from Colorado, 63-51, in a tune-up of sorts for the Grizzlies’ 4 o’clock Elite Division quarterfinal against Santa Maria (CA) Righetti on Thursday.

Mission Hills was led by one of the west’s top unsigned post players, 7-foot Kameron Rooks, who may announce his college choice before as soon as before one of the “Eves” – Christmas or New Year’s.

That Cal (represented by Associate Head Coach Travis McCuire) was the only one of his “finalists” represented might be interpreted as telling regarding which school will get his commitment.

In the most compelling of the five games played in Mission Prep’s gymnasium Wednesday, Woodland Hills (CA) Taft – the Toreadors won the National Division title a year ago – stunned Righetti at the buzzer in overtime, 70-68, by way of a Kris Yanku banked-in a 28-pointer from the right wing.

The Northern Arizona-bound Yanku – and what a coup getting his National Letter of Intent could prove for Coach Jack Murphy and his program – had sent the game into OT with a spinning 10-footer with about 10 seconds remaining. Yanku finished with what proved to be a first-day best for the tourney of 39 points.

Yanku’s heroics helped his team (which takes on Seattle Prep at 2:30 on Thursday in a National quarterfinal) overcome a squad paced by one of the better sophomores in the western United States.

Six-foot-seven Cameron Walker, who has nothing but As on his Righetti transcript, scored 32 points for the Warriors, two of those on a follow of his own miss with about three seconds to go which gave his squad what proved to be a very temporary 1-point advantage in OT.

Oh, my goodness – he was an outstanding prospect as a freshman but he’s an outstanding player as a sophomore.

If college options were figurative stocking stuffers, his overflowing stocking would have to be nailed above the fireplace in the Walker household to keep from crashing to the floor before Christmas morning.

In Game No. 3, the most dynamic prep backcourt in the west – and beyond – propelled North Hollywood (CA) Campbell Hall’s 82-73 decision over Atascadero (CA).

Aaron Holiday scored 38 mostly spectacular points for the Vikings and if his name is familiar it’s because one of his brothers, Jrue, is a Campbell Hall graduate who played a season at UCLA before becoming the starting point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers.

And backcourt partner and classmate Khalil Simplis added 19 points and assisted on a chunk of those Holiday layups.

A couple of 11^th graders helped Atascadero build a 14-point advantage in the second quarter and allowed the Greyhounds reasonably within striking distance in the fourth quarter.

Six-three Jared Studeman – he of the quick release and the deep range on his jump shot – paced his squad with 30 points while the point guard in that backcourt partnership, 6-4 Robert Berwick, had 12 points and some pretty sweet passes that were converted into hoops (aka, “assists”).

Campbell Hall plays Orinda (CA) Miramonte at 10 a.m. Thursday in the Elite Division. Atasacadero was only playing in the event by way of Wednesday’s Challenge Bracket comp.

Berwick is already a known (by college coaches) recruiting commodity. After his performance against Campbell Hall, Studeman should fall into that category, as well, shortly.

Two Elite Division entrants, La Verne (CA) Lutheran and Kentfield (CA) Marin Catholic, met in the fourth Challenge Bracket tilt held at Mission Prep Wednesday, with the squad from SoCal (Lutheran) scoring a convincing – and then some – 61-35 decision.

Lutheran had an impressive pair of posts in transfers Alpha Ndaw (6-9 senior by way of San Juan Capistrano’s Saddleback Valley Christian) and Joe Rushing (a 6-5 junior who came from San Bernardino’s Aquinas) and one of the Southland’s most underrated senior guards in Jay Miller.

And, in Wednesday night’s Challenge finale, Torrance (CA) Bishop Montgomery, coached by one of Southern California’s best (Doug Mitchell), build a 24-point lead in the second quarter before finishing with a 72-57 victory over the host Mission Prep Royals.

Pepperdine-bound forward Lamond Murray Jr. (pops played at Cal and in the NBA) and sophomore wing Stephen Thompson Jr. (his dad is the head coach at Cal State Los Angeles and starred at L.A. Crenshaw High and Syracuse University) combined for 44 points for the Knights, who get a very good team from Utah, Salt Lake City Brighton, in a National Division game at 1 p.m. Thursday afternoon.