LYNWOOD, Ca. – Friday’s Night 1 of the three-day, Battle X Strive for Greatness/Los Angeles resulted in a couple of nifty matchups between the adidas-fronted Compton Magic and Nike-Strive for Greatness boys’ grassroots programs.
After a frenetic rally led the Strive for Greatness 16s squad to a 70-68 victory, the Compton Magic 17s bounced backed in impressive fashion, 67-59, Lynwood High.
Nine games are scheduled for Day 2 at Calabasas High, beginning at 9:30 a.m., with six games set for Sunday at the same location.
Six-foot-six Andrej Stojakovic (Jesuit High in Carmichael near Sacramento) was the linchpin in the Magic’s 17s victory, scoring 27 points with 12 rebounds as the Magic jumped out to a 10-point advantage after the first quarter and never allowed SFG to get any closer than to within five points in the fourth quarter.
Stojakovic, the son of former NBA standout Peja Stojakovic, helped lead Magic 17s to a championship of the Real Deal on the Hill last weekend in Little Rock, AR. He was also one of the top scorers and an all-tournament selection during the 2021 Classic at Damien.
Among those also playing well for the Magic was King/Drew co-L.A. City Player of the Year point guard Kalib Lacount (12 points, six assists and three steals).
Class of 2023 forward J.J. Taylor (who is from Chicago but played for the San Fernando-based Donda Academy this past season), scored 16 points for SFG – all but a free throw coming in the first half while often matched with 6-7 Curtis Williams of Etiwanda.
Two other players who were all-Classic at Damien selections last December, sophomore Vyctorius Miller (Crean Lutheran) and freshman Brayden Burries (Riverside Poly), were among those who fueled the SFG rally and win in the first game.
Miller scored 24 points (with eight rebounds and six assists) while Burries went for 17 point, six rebounds and five assists – the last of those setting up the go-ahead dunk by Las Vegas Spring Valley sophomore Pharoah Compton (19 points) with 2.7 seconds remaining.
Four freshmen scored in double figures for the Magic: Solo Bailey (Crossroads) 22, Caleb Versher (St. Bernard) 14, Kade Bonam (St. John Bosco) 13 and Issac Wiliamson (Riverside Poly) 10.
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