CORONA, Ca. – Here’s something to ponder following the scintillating Battle Zone showdown between the basketball teams from Rancho Christian and Chino Hills Friday night at Centennial:
It might have been just the first of five matchups between the Eagles and Huskies this season.
And if any of the potential rematches (which could happen in the semifinals of the Tarkanian Classic and The Classic at Damien, along with the CIF Southern Section and State Southern Regional playoffs) prove as competitive, dynamic and entertaining as Friday night’s clash was, well . . . you’ll understand if you were at Centennial for what have been just Game 1 between the clubs.
The simplest of reasons why Rancho Christian prevailed, 72-67, to advance to a Saturday night championship game against the unbeaten host Centennial Huskies is that the Eagles put two future McDonald’s All-Americans on the floor in the Brothers Mobley (senior Isaiah and junior Evan) while the Huskies could answer just one in Onyeka Okongwu, California’s Player of the Year while leading his squad to Southern Section and State titles last March.
But, at least Friday night, Okongwu was good enough to almost help his team overcome Rancho Christian and the Mobleys – his Compton Magic teammates and buddies.
Rancho Christian, with the best set of brothers in high school hoops combining for 18 points (Evan with 12 of them), led after one quarter, 25-13.
Okongwu, however, then starting showing the form that has made him California’s Freshman, Sophomore and Junior Player of the Year for the past three seasons, and finished the half with 17 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks to get the Huskies to within three points at intermission.
The Mobleys and their teammates (including fellow Compton Magic members in junior Jordan Montgomery and sophomore Luke Turner, who combined for 24 points) were always able to make enough big plays – none more spectacular than Evan Mobley’s block of an Okongwu fourth-quarter dunk attempt – to maintain a lead.
Etiwanda transfer Anthony Bell missed a 3-point try from the left wing that would have tied the score with 15 seconds to play before Turner knocked in both ends of a 1-and-1 six seconds later to salt the win away for the Eagles.
Okongwu (who, like Isaiah Mobley, signed a National Letter of Intent with USC last month) finished with 26 points, 14 rebounds, four blocked shots and two spectacular assists.
Evan Mobley – the No. 1 junior in the country, thank you very much – had 27 points (including three 3s) to go with six rebounds and three blocked shots while his older brother chipped in with 15 points, nine rebounds and one blocked shot (according to my stat-keeping).
Among Okongwu’s teammates, senior guards Phaquan Davis and Will Pluma combined for 28 points while hitting four 3s apiece.
In the second semifinal, Centennial (No. 9 in the BurlisonOnBasketball Southern California Top 25) outlasted No. 20 Rancho Verde in a grind-it-out affair, 57-48.
Six-foot-five junior Jaylen Clark (PICTURED) – another member of the Compton Magic program that was best in the country last spring and summer – led the way for the Huskies with 23 points, including three 3s in the first quarter.
Among other games at Centennial Saturday are the third-place clash at 6 between Chino Hills and Rancho Verde; Etiwanda vs. Foothills Christian for fifth (4:30); and Orange Lutheran vs. St. Bernard for seventh (3).
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