SCOTTSDALE, Az. – Sixteen games – featuring involving 24 teams – spread over three days at Chaparral High made for what will prove, no doubt, to be one of the most entertaining and talent-laden high school hoops events of the 2018-19.
None of those 24 teams (eight of which played twice) fit the “most entertaining” and “talent-laden” description more so than did the Rancho Christian Eagles from Temecula from some of the most southeastern reaches of “Southern California”.
Saturday night, in the most noteworthy “showdown” of the eight games played on the event’s final day, Coach Ray Barefield’s, Mobley Brothers-led crew rallied from 11 points down in the second quarter before topping Nico Mannion and his Pinnacle High teammates, 89-79.
A crowd that tickled the gym’s 2,800-seat capacity was – understandably – largely made up of those who wanted to see Mannion at his spectacular best while leading his club to an upset of the Eagles.
It got the former but – because of the oh-so-tall-and-gifted Mobley brothers, Isaiah and Evan – came short of the second.
Mannion – the best “point guard” anywhere in high school – had eight points and three assists in the first quarter that ended with Pioneers up, 23-17.
And the lead expanded to 11 points quickly by way of a Mannion dunk and 3-pointer.
The lead was just one decision away from growing to 13 points but it proved to be a bad one by Pinnacle junior guard Marcus Libman – a football standout who had played so well in his team’s win over Jalen Green-led Fresno San Joaquin Memorial Thursday night – got the ball in transition but, instead of laying the ball off the glass for a layup and 13-point edge, tried to do something flashy.
It back-fired.
He attempted to throw the ball off the glass or a streaking Mannion to grab and slam it in but the move went array as the ball was out of Mannion’s reach and to an Eagle.
That was the spark – or, if you’d prefer, break – Isaiah, Evan and their buddies needed.
They outscored the Pioneers over the rest of the quarter, 27-8, go up by intermission.
With Mobley rebounding, scoring and – just importantly – passing over the top of their foes, the Eagles built their advantage to 16 points early in the fourth quarter.
The only reason the Eagles didn’t win by margin of more than 20 points was the skill and competitiveness of the 6-foot-3, University of Arizona-bound Mannion.
Mannion, who scored 33 points in his team’s Thursday night victory, never stopped competing even as it was obvious that the Mobleys were just too big and, well, just too good to overcome.
He finished with 35 points, five rebounds, eight assists and four steals.
But the Mobleys (who combined for 34 points, 23 rebounds and 15 blocked shots Friday night in the 78-59 win over Chicago powerhouse Simeon) were doing their own stats-stuffing, as well.
The 6-9 Isaiah Mobley (who signed with USC last month) went for 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists while his younger brother – high school’s No. 1 junior – scored 24 points with 10 rebounds, four blocked shots and four assists.
And the other players who saw significant playing time, starters Luke Turner, Jordan Montgomery and Jaden Byers, and the only reserve who sees a lot of on-court time now, Bryson Stephens, showed why it’s difficult to collapse upon, or surround with, the Mobleys with multiple players by combining for six 3s.
The 6-0 Eagles’ schedule already includes wins over a couple of the very best teams in Southern California (Chino Hills and Corona Centennial) as well as some of the best from Illinois and Arizona.
There is no let-up on the horizon with games at Mission Bay (the San Diego Section’s Open Division champion last season and led by Duke-bound guard Boogie Ellis) on Friday night and four more in Las Vegas in the Dec. 19-22 Tarkanian Classic.
Then, the day after Christmas, the Eagles open action in the Platinum Division during the Dec. 39 The Classic at Damien, the finest post-holiday festival in the west.
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