TORRANCE, Ca. – The St. Bernard High basketball team didn’t have a player – or combination of players – that could check Xavier Edmonds Friday night.
And that, coupled with a stout half-court defense, is why the Vikings fell to their host Bishop Montgomery Knights in their Del Rey League showdown.
The 6-foot-eight Edmonds (pictured) scored 14 points to go with 11 rebounds and six assists as the Knights prevailed, 55-48.
Coach Doug Mitchell’s team clinched a share of the league crown while improving to 16-2 overall and 6-1 in the Del Rey League.
The Vikings (16-5 and 5-2) can gain a piece of the league crown by knocking off the Knights in a 48-hour “rematch” Sunday at 3 o’clock in their home gym in Playa del Rey.
Edmonds went over either shoulder for scores and, when double-teamed, consistently found cutters or jump shooters for open shots.
Fellow junior Will Smith added 13 points – six of those coming directly from Edmonds’ passes.
St. Bernard’s high-powered guards Jason Hart Jr. (bound for Long Beach State) and Tyler Rolison and Darius Carr – two of the better juniors in Southern California – were a combined nine of 32 from the field.
Sophomore forward Kendyl Sanders came off the bench to hit all five of his shots (and a free throw) for 11 points while another reserve, freshman Caleb Versher, added a couple of 3s in the second quarter for the visitors.
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