LONG BEACH — The “championship” game of the Elite 8 bracket of the Ron Massey Memorial Fall Hoops Classic was more than just a tad anticlimactic.
But, even as Southern California powers Corona Centennial and St. John Bosco played with nary a usual starter on the floor in the event finale Sunday afternoon at McBride High, the cumulative takeaway from the 36 games played over the two days was an insightful one.
Centennial’s 62-48 win over the Braves came minus the starting lineup that propelled it to first- and second-round wins over Crean Lutheran (67-40, Saturday night) and Santa Maria St. Joseph (68-66, Sunday morning).
And St. John Bosco was minus its “normal” starting lineup (senior Jack Turner; juniors Elzie Harrington, Kade Bonam and Jaison Joyce; and sophomore Brandon McCoy) that is no worse than the equal of any of its potential counterparts in the west in 2023-24.
Coaches Josh Giles (Centennial) and Matt Dunn agreed a couple of hours beforehand that that “subs-only” approach would be enacted.
So, if we’re going to see two of the top teams in California — the Braves and Huskies — hook up prior to the CIF Southern Section Open playoffs, it will be on Dec. 30’s final day of the Classic at Damien.
FYI . . . here are the Elite 8 scores from Sunday:
Championship semifinals: Centennial 68, St. Joseph 66; St. John Bosco 61, Roosevelt 60. Consolation semifinals: Mater Dei 80, Crean Lutheran 71; Windward 82, St. Bernard 61.
Seventh: St. Bernard 87, Crean Lutheran 82; Fifth: Mater Dei 79, Windward 59; Third: St. Joseph 69, Roosevelt 67. Championship: Centennial 62, St. John Bosco 48.
Observations:
*I went into McBride’s gym early Saturday morning with the assumption that the Centennial, St. John Bosco, Mater Dei, and Roosevelt teams were near locks to be half of the CIF Southern Section Open Division’s playoff field next February.
Nothing I saw changed that position. And I came away with even higher regard for Mater Dei and Roosevelt after their “short-handed” performances at McBride.
Mater Dei played each of its games (vs. St. Joseph, Crean Lutheran and Windward) minus two starters — elite sophomore forward Brannon Martinson and senior point guard Brady Karich — and top backcourt sub, Luke Barnett.
The Monarchs struggled to contain junior forward Tounde Yessoufou and sophomore guard Julius Price — as will everyone on its schedule — in its Saturday loss to St. Joseph but were terrific while beating two quality opponents Sunday.
And the three games at McBride also served as an on-court reminder of just how skilled 6-foot-5 Canyon transfer Brandon Benjamin is, as well as how much of an impact he’ll have for what could be the best team Gary McKnight has fielded since its streak of four Stanley Johnson-led state title clubs.
Minus one of the best Class of 2025 players in the country (Brayden Burries; not in the gym on because a long previously scheduled family function, according to Coach Steve Singleton), Roosevelt had chances to beat full-strength St. John Bosco and St. Joseph on final possessions Sunday.
The play of three Roosevelt guards, senior Darnez Slater and juniors Issac Williamson and Myles Walker, was extraordinary Sunday.
Williamson — who, along with Burries, transferred to Roosevelt from Riverside Poly nearly a year ago and was ruled ineligible to play as a sophomore — scored 16 and 26 points, respectively, Sunday while hitting 10 shots from behind the arc.
And he also did about as good a job, head up, as a high school player can do defensively against the powerful Yessoufou.
*Also playing like strong, 2023-24 Open Division candidates were St. Pius X/St. Matthias and Campbell Hall.
St. Pius X/St. Matthias (led by 6-6 senior Tyrone Riley and 6-7 junior Douglas Langford, all-CIF SS selections on the Warriors’ 3AA title last spring) handled quality “showcase” opponents in Pacifica Christian (76-59, Saturday) and Veritas Prep (72-64, Sunday).
Campbell Hall also had a nifty Saturday-Sunday parlay while beating Santa Margarita (76-61) and Pacifica Christian (62-54), with senior guard Aaron Powell leading the way with 22 and 18 points, respectively.
*The most dominant team performance turned in over the weekend came by way of the Los Alamitos win over St. Francis.
The Griffins, as evidenced by their effort in the June Mater Dei tournament (where they beat, among others, Damien, and the host Monarchs) and in the 80-45 decision over the Golden Knights, are sound projections as the pre-season choice as the best “non-Trinity League” team in Orange County.
Pacifica Christian, Foothill (which cruised by Bishop Montgomery Saturday, 66-52) and Cypress (which played Birmingham — the likely preseason No. 1 L.A. City squad – tough Saturday before falling, 54-46) join Los Alamitos in the cluster of squads that should follow Trinity teams Mater Dei, Santa Margarita and JSerra (which didn’t play in the event) in the Orange County preseason Top 10.
*St. Bernard (which held an 11-point edge at intermission on Roosevelt Friday night, even with Burries in the lineup for the Mustangs), Windward and Redondo — which beat Rancho Christian Saturday, 78-61 — will also be squads to follow closely in the “Open Division hunt” this season.
*California’s Class of 2026 is already at the exceptional level relative to the number of players that have already established themselves as top-notch college prospects.
And some of the best of those were on display in McBride’s gym over the weekend, notably: Jason Crowe Jr. (Lynwood), and his teammate, Chace Holley; Tajh Ariza (St. Bernard); Brandon McCoy (St. John Bosco); Anthony Johnson (Pacifica Christian); Kaiden Bailey and Crean Lutheran backcourt running mate Braeden Davidson; S.J. Madison (Redondo); the Centennial backcourt duo of Justice Griffith and Isaiah Rogers; Julius Price (St. Joseph); JoJo Wicker (St. Anthony); Caleb Newton (Birmingham); and the Santa Margarita Brayden Kyman-Drew Anderson combo.
Missing from that list is Brannon Martinsen, one of the Southland’s top five freshmen last season for Mater Dei but sidelined at McBride because of a tender Achilles.
My “all-Elite 8” selections . . .
Most Outstanding Player: Tounde Yessoufou (St. Joseph/averaged 30 ppg/pictured).
Plus: Elzie Harrington and Brandon McCoy (St. John Bosco); Carter Bryant and Isaiah Rogers (Centennial); Julius Price (St. Joseph); Brandon Benjamin and Owen Verna (Mater Dei); Issac Williamson and Myles Walker (Roosevelt); J.J. Harris and Gavin Hightower (Windward); Tajh Ariza (St. Bernard); and Kaiden Bailey (Crean Lutheran).
Leave a Reply