ONTARIO, CA – If the atmosphere at, and anticipation for, the Harvard-Westlake High boys’ Mission League games with Notre Dame and Sierra Canyon last week were “10s” on a “1 to 10” scale, how did the Wolverines’ State Preview Classic game with Rancho Verde at Colony High Saturday night stack up?
Uh . . . somewhere well short of 10.
“Those games, the energy was turned so up,” senior forward Brady Dunlap said of his team’s high-profile victories against teams rated No.’s 11 and 6 in Southern California, after the Wolverines’ 78-59 decision against a team playing without Jacob McFarland (left foot in a walking boot), a 6-foot-10, University of Houston-bound senior.
The hip-to-hip, SRO crowds at Notre Dame Wednesday night (during HW’s 85-78, 2OT win) and on the Wolverines’ campus Friday evening (a 72-52 blowout of Sierra Canyon) set the stage – barring a couple of upset losses to Chaminade and St. Francis this week – for Coach David Rebibo’s team to play host to the Mission League tournament semifinals in two weeks.
But, following the 60-mile bus ride east from Studio City in the San Fernando Valley Saturday, the Wolverines were greeted by a much different atmosphere.
There were just a few hundred spectators in the stands and nothing remotely approaching the student body sections that were a non-stop “presence” at Notre Dame and Harvard-Westlake.
But it didn’t long for the Wolverines to “adjust” and play with the high level of execution at both ends of the floor that has been a trademark of a team that now sits at 23-1 as it prepares for its Mission League regular-season finales (Chaminade at home Wednesday and St. Francis on the road Friday) and a Mater Dei Extravaganza game (Saturday, vs. one of NorCal’s best, Concord De La Salle) this week.
The Wolverines got a combined 35 points from juniors Robert Hinton (23) and Trent Perry, and 31 from seniors Jacob Huggins (20) and Dunlap.
Even minus McFarland, Rancho Verde (13-11) offered a dynamic challenge by way of one of the strongest and quickest backcourts anywhere in junior Jeremiah Washington (24 points) and senior Anthony Smith (18).
“I am incredibly proud of our guys,” said Rebibo, who turned 39 years old Friday.
“They showed incredible toughness, togetherness, and character. They responded to every challenge set in front of them and played ‘Harvard-Westlake basketball’.”
The Notre Dame team that came oh-so-close to knocking off Harvard-Westlake Wednesday night picked up key win earlier Saturday at Colony.
The Knights (16-8; they also knocked off Mission League foe Chaminade Friday night, 93-66) toppled San Ramon Dougherty Valley, 65-53.
Beating one of NorCal’s top teams (which fell to 19-2; it also lost its best player, guard Ryan Beasley, late in the third quarter) was, basically, a “must” for the Knights to stay in contention for one of the eight slots in the CIF Southern Section Open Division playoff field.
Coach Matt Sargeant’s “big three” – Mercy Miller (17), Dusty Stromer (15) and Caleb Foster (11) – combined for 43 points.
The Knights have Mission games with Crespi (on the road, Wednesday) and Sierra Canyon (a “home game”, at Pauley Pavilion, Friday) this week.
They, too, will be at Mater Dei Saturday and will hook up with San Diego’s top team, St. Augustine, in another game that will impact the Knights’ Open Division aspirations.
In the other seven games played Saturday at Colony:
Anaheim Canyon 58, Riverside Poly 51: The Comanches (19-5) got their usual dominant efforts from one of the top sophomores California as 6-5 Brandon Benjamin scored 26 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.
The Bears (16-9) got 17 points from sophomore guard Chris Holland.
Village Christian 59, Colony 48: The Crusaders improved to 20-4 and remained in the hunt for an Open Division Playoff slot or high seed in the D-1 field.
Senior guards Isaiah Taylor and Thomas Luczak scored 17 points apiece for Coach Julian Andrade’s crew.
Six-five senior Denzel Hines led the hosts with 17 points and 10 rebounds. He’s one of the best of the unsigned/available college prospects in Southern California.
Mater Dei 88, Crean Lutheran 65: Brannon Martinsen (pictured) continued his superb freshman season for the Monarchs, scoring 31 points (on 13 of 16 from the field, including two of three 3s, and all three FTS) to go with eight rebounds and two assists in just 24 minutes.
The night before, in a Trinity League victory over visiting JSerra, the 6-8 left hander scored 26 points with seven rebounds.
Guard Kaiden Bailey – like Martinsen, one of the elite prospects in the California Class of 2026 – led the Saints with 28 points (10 of 19 from the field, including six of 11 on 3s, and two free throws).
Campbell Hall 74, Riverside Hillcrest 67: The 14-9 Vikings got a balanced scoring attack, with junior Tanner Jones leading four double-figure scorers with 17 points.
Left-handed sophomore guard McKel Shedrick led Hillcrest with 20 points.
St. Francis 75, Fairfax 64 (ot): The Golden Knights, despite playing without their best player (senior guard Jackson Mosley – slightly sprained ankle), stepped outside of the oh-so-tough Mission League and knocked off the L.A. City Section’s defending Open Division champion.
Senior forward George Tupy led the way for the winners (18-8) with 21 points while guard Darius Carr led the Lions with 25.
St. Anthony 61, Long Beach Poly 55: Guards Tyler Small and Quincy Phillips combined for 27 points as the Saints went to 13-11 less than a day after knocking off St. Paul in a Del Rey League game.
The Jackrabbits got 22 points from junior Cash Stokely, who scored 37 Friday night in their Moore League win against Wilson.
Rolling Hills Prep 64, Los Altos 28: Six-five senior J.V. Brown scored 20 points as the No. 24 Huskies improved to 19-5 with the fifth consecutive win.
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