LAS VEGAS – The Las Vegas-based programs were 4-for-4 in opening-day Friday games in the Platinum Division of the Tarkanian Classic at Bishop Gorman High.
The host Gaels (71-39, vs. Evangel Christian School of Kentucky), Liberty (80-71 over San Diego St. Augustine), Durango (57-47 against Pebblebrook of Georgia) and Coronado (which smacked Chicago De La Salle, 77-43) to move to quarterfinal games of the event’s top division Saturday afternoon and evening.
Those begin at 3:30, with Durango taking on Playa del Rey (CA) St. Bernard, followed by Bishop Gorman vs Richmond (CA) Salesian at 5; Coronado vs. Faith Family Academy of the Dallas area at 6:30 and Liberty vs. Bishop O’Connell of Arlington in Virginia.
Liberty’s victory was the most impressive among those four results, as the Patriots (4-0) were able to pull away in the final few minutes to knock off the Saints (7-2), easily the top team in San Diego County.
Saint Mary’s College-bound Joshua Jefferson (pictured) – continuing to show why he’s among the elite in the Class of 2022 in the west – scored 36 points, including five 3s, and dominated inside the lane to move his team to the right side of the tournament bracket.
And the Patriots also got a terrific performance out D.J. Thomas (among the upper-tier of the Class of 2024 point guard-prospects in the country), who hit consecutive 3s late after the Saints had tied the score and dropped in a batch of free throws to secure the victory.
It was in Gorman’s auxiliary gym, though, where some of the day’s most scintillating matchups took place.
*Senior guard Austin Johnson shook a defender and buried an 18-footer at the buzzer to give Salesian as 64-62 upset over the Greenhill School of Texas.
*The Terrific Trio of St. Bernard guards – juniors Tyler Rolison (24 points) and Darius Carr, and Long Beach State-bound Jason Hart Jr. – made just enough plays at both ends of the floor to help the Vikings improve to 10-0 while edging one of Florida’s top programs, Orlando Oakridge, 65-61.
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