LAS VEGAS –Southern California-based high school boys basketball programs were 4-0 in the seven Tarkanian Classic games played Wednesday in the Orleans Hotel Arena.
Six of those games were in the Platinum (top) Division, with Orange Lutheran (59-50 over Little Rock Hall), Rancho Christian (73-56 against Philadelphia Constitution) and Chino Hills (knocking off Ft. Lauderdale Dillard, 72-55) the SoCal squads advancing to the quarterfinals in that division Thursday at Bishop Gorman.
The one Nike Division game played in the building featured enough smoke from the offensive fireworks ignited by two players to choke the small crowd in the Orleans Arena.
Juniors Julian Strawther of Henderson (NV) Liberty and Josh Christopher of Lakewood (CA) Mayfair combined for 82 points, with Strawther accounting for 48 of them but Christopher leading his Monsoons to the 71-68 victory and semifinal round match-up with Bingham of Utah Thursday at Bishop Gorman at 7:10 in the evening in the auxiliary gym.
Strawther and Christopher (pictured together) were teammates last spring and summer with the Las Vegas Prospects on the Nike/EYBL circuit.
The 6-foot-6 Strawther scored 20 points in the first eight minutes and had run up 30 by intermission (games in Nevada are played with 16-minute halves) while Christopher, after a slow start, had 16 in a first half that ended with the Monsoons up a point.
Strawther (with 10:48 to go) and Christopher (on a charge with 8:10 remaining) each picked up fourth fouls in the second half and, once they returned after brief stints on the bench, were subbed in “offense-defense” situations when their coaches got stoppages in play needed to make the moves.
Christopher scored eight of his points in the final 1:18 on a tough jumper and six consecutive free throws.
Strawther kept answering in kind before, after two Christopher free throws with 2.5 seconds to play, Josh Calvin (a standout quarterback for the Monsoons who signed a football letter of intent with Utah State earlier in the day) picked off an inbound pass to secure the victory.
After scoring 47 points (Saturday against Las Vegas Faith Lutheran) last week in his most recent game prior to Wednesday, Strawther hit 16 of 31 shots floor, with four 3s, while knocking in 12 of 15 free throws.
Christopher was 11 of 21 from the field (two 3s) and 10 of 12 on free throws.
In the Platinum games played Wednesday in the Orleans Arena:
*Orange Lutheran 59, Little Rock Hall 50: Senior swingman Isaiah Pope (another standout from the Compton Magic program) scored 22 points and 7-footer Makur Maker added 17 as the Lancers advanced to a semifinal against host Bishop Gorman Thursday night (7:10).
*Grandview (CO) 63, Henderson Coronado 59: Junior guard Lian Ramiro scored 20 of his 23 points after intermission and senior forward Dayne Prim added 16 to move their team into a Thursday quarterfinal against Rancho Christian (5:50).
Sophomore Jaden Hardy led Coronado with 25 points before fouling out with 1:36 remaining.
*Bishop Gorman 79, Highland (UT) Lone Peak 48: The Gaels, who won the Platinum Division a year ago for the first time in the event’s first six years, had to much inside-outside balance for the Utah squad to cope with.
Junior center Isaiah Cottrell scored 16 points and his freshman backup, Max Allen,added 12 for Coach Grant Rice’s crew while junior guard Noah Taitzdropped in four 3s among his game-high 26 points.
*Rancho Christian 73, Philadelphia Constitution 56: California’s No. 2-ranked squad (behind Sierra Canyon) pushed its record to 7-0 as the Double Dose of Mobley Brother was once again too much to cope with.
Evan (the junior) was credited – by my unofficial count – with 22 points, 17 rebounds and four blocked shots while his senior brother, Isaiah, added 13, 13 and three.
Sophomore Luke Turner had five rebounds and three 3s among his 13 points (10 after intermission).
*Federal Way (WA) 54, Oakland Bishop O’Dowd 45: In a choppy contest (at best) in which there was never anything remotely resembling offensive “rhythm”, Federal Way overcame a sub-par performance from its star, Jaden McDaniels, to outlast Coach Lou Richie’s Northern California power.
The 6-9ish McDaniels – ranked as high as No. 5 for the Class of 2019 by some national scouting/recruiting websites – was limited to six points, four rebounds and one blocked shot before fouling out with 3:01 remaining.
But his teammates, mostly senior Jishai Miller (17 points) and junior Tari Eason(14), did more than enough to overcome the Dragons and earn a second-round game (Thursday, 4:30 p.m., at Bishop Gorman) against Onyeka Okongwu-led Chino Hills.
*Chino Hills 72, Ft. Lauderdale Dillard 55: After the Huskies were trailing by as many as four points a few minutes earlier, Okongwu was whistled with his fourth foul with 9:01 remaining and his team up, 44-43.
But Okongwu didn’t get hit with his fifth and disqualifying foul until 1:35 remained. And, by then, he had racked up 23 points – 14 in the second half – to go with 12 rebounds and five blocked shots and his team was in front by 14 points.
Okongwu (who hit of eight of them) and senior guard Will Pluma were perfect on 14 free-throw attempts in the second half.
Pluma (with two 3s in each half) added 18 points while senior forward Nick Manor Hall scored nine of his 13 points in the second half.
Senior guard DeShawn Bradley scored 24 points for Dillard.
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