REDONDO BEACH, Ca. – Monday’s opening action in the 67th Ryse Williams/Pac Shores Tournament set the stage for some compelling – and surprising – Wednesday quarterfinals at Redondo Union High.
Top seeds Bishop Montgomery (76-36 over South Gate South East) and Fairfax (68-41 over Peninsula) – ranked No.’s 4 and 5, respectively, in the BurlisonOnBasketball SoCal Top 25 – busted into the second round without much fuss or muss.
Junior forward Ziaire Williams went for 25 points as No. 12 Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) pulled away from Rolling Hills Prep, 57-43 (overcoming a 9-1 deficit), and No. 11 Santa Margarita – with future UCLA Bruin Jake Kyman (30), USC-bound Max Agbonkpolo (27) combining for 57 points, eased past Gardena Serra, 74-57.
Kyman (PICTURED), an all-CIF Southern Open selection as a junior, showed why he’s one of the best jump shooters anywhere while nailing seven shots from behind the arc.
In a result that was certainly a “surprise” based upon the result until you know the circumstances for the losing team, Lynwood toppled No. 14 Harvard-Westlake, 72-71, in overtime with Jaren Johnson sinking two free throws for the tying and go-ahead points after a controversial foul call that the official believed beat the buzzer.
Johnson, a transfer from Gahr, scored 27 points.
In another first-round game, host Redondo broke open a tight affair down the stretch to knock off Birmingham (72-59).
The two other programs that “advanced” to the quarterfinals, Washington Prep and St. Anthony, played a “showcase” game Monday (since there are only 14 teams in the bracket), with the No. 22 Generals prevailing over the Saints, 56-49.
Those results left the tournament with Wednesday quarterfinals of Fairfax vs. St. Anthony (3:30 p.m.); Santa Margarita vs. Notre Dame (5); Redondo vs. Bishop Montgomery (6:30) and Washington Prep vs. Lynwood (8) – meaning the No.’s 4, 5, 11, 12 and 22 squads in Southern California will be on display for one admission price.
That’s quite a bargain, indeed.
There are three consolation-side match-ups set for Tuesday: Harvard Westlake vs. Peninsula (3); Serra vs. Rolling Hills Prep (6) and Birmingham vs. South East (7:30).
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