FULLERTON – The Anaheim Canyon and Eastvale Roosevelt boys’ basketball team collected semifinal victories Friday to move into the Saturday night (7:30) “Rumble for Rosecrans” championship game at Sunny Hills High.
Canyon improved to 4-0 with its eased-up, 52-40 victory against Rolling Hills Prep in a game played at Fullerton High.
Six-four sophomore Brandon Benjamin – likely the most skilled and toughest “undersized” center in Southern California – led Nate Harrison’s team with 15 points, 10 rebounds and two assists.
Six-seven junior Jaden Goodall, one of the “purest” deep jump shooters in the region, hit four 3s enroute to an 18-point effort.
The Comanches took a 12-point edge (with three minutes to go in the second quarter) and the Huskies – trailing by 20 points early in the final quarter – were never closer than within the final margin.
In the other semi (played at Sunny Hills) Roosevelt won its fourth game by pulling away from Orange Lutheran down the stretch to prevail, 74-65.
Seniors Nate Simon (22), Cian Andriano (14) and Denzel Agba (10) combined for 46 points) while standout junior Darnez Slater added 16.
In a fifth-place semifinal earlier Friday at Fullerton High, La Mirada guard Julien Gomez turned in an effort that will rate among the first week of the season’s best anywhere in Southern California – regardless of what happens Saturday night.
The left-handed Gomez, an All-CIF Southern Section as a freshman last season, scored an efficient 44 points, hitting 14 of 21 shots from the field (including five 3s) and 11 of 13 free throws as the Matadores, 76-68, to advance to the fifth-place game, against Damien, at 4:30 Saturday at Sunny Hills.
The 6-3 Gomez (pictured) played on the Nike/EYBL spring and summer circuit with the Paul George Elite 16s with Class of 2024 standouts such as Carter Bryant (Sage Hill), Isaiah Elohim (Sierra Canyon) and Jamari Phillips (Modesto Christian) as teammates.
Looking for a “comparison”?
Well, Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks comes immediately to mind.
The Matadores also got 11 points and a quality floor game from senior guard Sean Cervantes.
The Saints got strong efforts from three newcomers: junior guard Quincy Phillips (17 points/he’s a transfer from Gardena); senior guard Tyler Small (14 points/a transfer from Servite) and 6-2 freshman Joseph Wicker (11 points).
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