LOS ANGELES – The Sierra Canyon High boys’ basketball team may not have been quite as sharp Tuesday night as it will need to be to repeat as the state’s Open Division champion.
But the top-ranked Trail Blazers (in the BurlisonOnBasketball Top 25) had more than enough pep in their tank to toppled Southern California’s No. 22 squad – host Windward – by 20 points.
Coach Andre Chevalier’s crew improved to 20-1 with its 77-57 victory.
It visits Santa Monica to take on Crossroads on Friday night then boards a jetliner for Springfield, MA and a Monday afternoon game against Montverde Academy of Florida, which saddled Sierra Canyon with its only defeat (57-49 on Dec. 22 in the Iolani Classic in Hawaii).
Seniors Cassius Stanley (a game-high 22 points, 18 in the second half), K.J. Martin (19) and Scotty Pippen Jr. (15) – starters and critical elements in the program’s run to the 2018 state crown – combined for 56 points.
Transfers and also senior-starters Christian Koloko (Birmingham) and Andrew Austin (West Ranch) added four points apiece while left-handed freshman guard Amari Bailey was the first substitute and scored nine points to go with three rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Stanley (PICTURED) added three rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocked shots. Martin had 10 rebounds and three assists while Pippen – who recently committed to signing with Vanderbilt in the spring – had four of his game-high six assists in the first quarter.
Junior forward Terren Frank, a starter last season, remains on the sideline for the Trail Blazers after knee surgery last month.
His status for the remainder of the season is to be determined.
Coach Colin Pfaff’s Windward squad (17-5) is one of the Southland’s richest in underclass talent, starting freshmen Dylan Andrews and Kijani Wright, sophomores Brandon Richard and Jaren Harris and junior Devin Tillis.
Andrews led the Wildcats with 16 points Tuesday night while Tillis (who missed all of his sophomore season with a torn ACL) added 15.
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