DIAMOND BAR, Ca. – Six-foot-three junior Jaden Shackelford came into the Friday night CIF Southern Section 2A second-round playoff game at Diamond Ranch High averaging about 23 points during the 13 games he had played since becoming eligible for the Hesperia Scorpions on Jan. 2.
The left hander missed five of the seven shots he attempted while scoring just four points in the first half against the host the Panthers.
But teammates Ken Evans and Antonio Singleton combined for 17 points to keep the Scorpions up by a point at intermission – after which Shackelford finally freeing himself from the face-guarding defense of the hosts’ Garrett Parker and pulled away for a 66-59 victory.
Coach Andrew Skidmore’s club improved to 24-5 and will travel Tuesday to Santa Clarita – home of Magic Mountain, and some 85 miles from Hesperia – for its quarterfinal with host Valencia.
Valencia came into the playoffs at 11-14 and the No. 3 representative from the Foothill League but upset league champions Oxnard (68-63) and Mission College Prep (68-64) in the first two rounds.
Shackelford didn’t get his first points he followed in his own miss with 4:30 to go in the first half.
His second bucket, a layup with 50 seconds to go following his steal, put his team up at intermission.
He got another layup early in the third quarter but missed his next his next three attempts and his trailed by as many five points.
A follow shot by Evans tied the score at 40, then Evans got open off a cut and he converted a Jaydon Everett pass into a layup.
Everett’s jumper from the left pushed his team’s edge to four points with 55 seconds to go.
Shortly thereafter, Shackelford (a standout for “The Truth” Nike/EYBL club program) finally rediscovered his rhythm as a scorer.
He picked off a pass (he finished with five steals) and was on his way for another layup before being fouled from behind – with the officials ruling to be an intentional foul (with no “play on the ball”).
So, he got his first two free throws of the night (hitting) both with 30.6 seconds to go in the third quarter – and the Scorpions got to inbound the ball afterward, as well.
And, with just three seconds before the third-quarter buzzer, he launched – and swished – a 23-footer over the top of Parker’s right hand.
He picked up a 16-footer off the dribble and another absurdly-deep 3 (this one from the left wing after a pass from Singleton) in the final quarter.
Diamond Ranch, however, hung tough behind terrific junior point guard Coree Joseph (seven of his 14 points in the fourth quarter; he added six assists), whose 3-pointer got the Panthers to within a deuce with 37 seconds to go.
But Singleton (a 5-11 sophomore), responded by hitting both ends of the 1-and-1 after being fouled four seconds later and, after a Diamond Ranch timeout and three missed shots attempts by the Panthers, Shackelford was fouled after snatching a rebound and he, too, converted a 1-and-1.
Evans scored 15 points with Singleton and Everett chipping in with 13 apiece.
The Scorpions were 10-5 before Shackelford became eligible (following his state-mandated 30-day sit-out from varsity play after his transfer – minus a change of address – from Oak Hills, also in Hesperia).
But they’re unbeaten with Shackelford (who finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and three assists to go with his five steals) on the floor.
“We’ve played good defense all season,” said Skidmore. “That helped us win some games, and stay close to people. With Jaden, though, we’ve become a much better offensive team.”
And, in the process, the Scorpions have morphed into a club that appears capable of extending its season beyond just a long bus rides Tuesday.
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