GLENDALE, AZ — Day II of the fifth annual Section 7 Boys Basketball Weekend has some nifty second round — and potential seminal — matchups on the floor of the State Farm Stadium.
Notable among those is Saturday morning’s 11:45 clash on Court 9 between a couple of teams that could meet in the 2024 California State Open Division title game in Sacramento.
And the game is six days after the hooked up in a marvelous championship game of the first Cali Live in Irvine last Sunday.
Defending State Open champion Studio City Harvard-Westlake will attempt to make amends for its 56-53 defeat by way of Richmond Salesian in the final of SoCal Chevy Bracket at Irvine High in Orange County.
The Pride of Salesian, which was knocked off in the NorCal Division I regional final last March, has looked like a strong contender to represent the North in the Open final next March.
That was the case Friday afternoon here, as well, when Coach Bill Mellis’ team held on to topple Florida power Orlando Ridge, 77-71.
Coach David Rebibo’s Wolverines looked back on firm footing Friday night when they took care of business in beating one of Arizona’s best squad, Basha of Chandler, 64-52, to move to the Powerade Bracket “rematch” with Salesian.
In another Powerade games on Friday, defending champion Corona (CA) Centennial pulled away in the second half to Utah’s defending state champion Corner Canyon, 76-60, behind standout seniors-to-be Eric Freeny and Carter Bryant, and Coach Josh Giles’ terrific Class of 2026.
The Huskies advanced to a Saturday morning (9:15) challenge against one of Washington’s best programs, Mount Si (which rolled past Las Vegas Bishop Gorman Friday, 88-45).
Two standout underclassmen (guard John Mobley and forward Chris Nwuli) from last season are no longer with Coach Grant Rice’s Bishop Gorman regional and national powerhouse program.
And it’s increasingly likely that two more underclassmen (brothers Jase and Jaxon Richardson, who were not with the team Friday night) will be headed elsewhere for the 2023-24 season, too.
In other Powerade second-round games Saturday, SoCal mega power Santa Ana Mater Dei (which knocked off another Washington team, Eastside Catholic, 64-52, Friday afternoon) takes on San Francisco Riordan at 11:45 a.m.
And, in the fourth of Powerade second-round games (all of which are set for Court 9), Boozer Brothers-led Miami Columbus faces Brooklyn Park (MN) Park Center to tip off things Saturday at 8 a.m.
Twins Cameron and Caden Boozer were at their overwhelming, rim-attacking (literally) best Friday while handling Concord (CA) De La Salle Friday, 70-31.
In the NFHS (National Federated High Schools) Slam Bracket, two-time Arizona State champion Gilbert Perry and its superb junior-to-be, Koa Peat faces Sandy (UT) Alta at 11:45 Saturday morning on Court 4.
Alta, with two skilled big men in Jaxon Johnson and Carter Doleac, beat California powerhouse Sierra Canyon, 54-50, in one of Friday’s best openers.
And two compelling “California vs. Arizona” matchups are set in the Slam Bracket where Bellflower St. John Bosco (which rallied to beat Idaho’s Owyhee Friday night, 52-45) takes on Scottsdale Desert Mountain on Court 4 at 8 a.m., with Eastvale Roosevelt representing California in a 10:30 Saturday morning game against another Scottsdale-based program, Notre Dame Prep.
Semifinals in the 10 divisions will be played Saturday afternoon and Sunday night, with the event resuming Sunday morning and closing out in mid-afternoon.
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