LAS VEGAS – Backcourt play decided outcomes — and provided the “wow” factor — on Tuesday’s second day of the high school edition of the 12th Tarkanian Classic, at and near Bishop Gorman High.
San Diego St. Augustine (55-52 over Las Vegas Arbor View), Downey St. Pius X/St. Matthias (81-69 against Sandy/UT Alta), Scottsdale/AZ (toppling the host Gaels, 81-65) and NorCal’s Ross Branson (via a 76-68 decision over Ft. Lauderdale Calvary Christian Academy) each collected Platinum Division second-round wins on Bishop Gorman’s main gymnasium floor.
And each of those squads used productive — and, often, spectacular) guard play to earn their reservations for Wednesday night’s semifinals.
*Coach Mike Haupt’s St. Augustine team trailed most of the way before taking the lead in the final minute and holding off a closing-moment 3-point attempt by Arbor View to move into a 6 o’clock semi with St. Pius/St. Matthias Wednesday night.
And as was the case in the Monday win over Miami Mater Lakes, the Saints’ backcourt was the difference, with sophomore Jaden Bailes (who scored 22 points with five 3s Monday) leading the way with 20 points, nine of those from behind the arc. And senior guards Ian de la Rosa and LoLo Rudolph added 11 and eight, respectively.
*St. Pius/St. Matthias (which trailed by as many as nine points in the second half of its Monday win over Henderson Coronado), was behind by 16 points in the second quarter and by eight at the end of three quarters Tuesday night against the de factor platinum “favorite” — Alta — going into the second round.
But the poise and tenacity of Coach Donte Archie’s Warriors (6-1) was on display in a third quarter during which top rebounder Douglas Langford was mostly on the bench with four fouls and over the final eight minutes, during which they outscored Alta (No. 44, nationally, buy Ballislife) by 20 points.
Six-foot-six Tyrone Riley turned in a second consecutive superb performance with 24 points, including a deuce after a steal that put his team up to stay with 5:50 remaining.
And 5-7 David Mack (twice an all-L.A. City selection at Fairfax High) was every bit as responsible for the outcome while scoring 20 points and deftly darting thru and around traffic on the dribble.
*Despite being on its opponent’s home court, the Desert Mountain Wolves made the building Our House — by way, naturally of the House Brothers, Kaden, and Kalek.
The sons (Eddie House) and nephews (Mike Bibby) of former standout NBA guards combined for 64 points Tuesday night, 37 coming by way of Kaden.
There hasn’t been in a “point guard-type” anywhere in the west who has played better than Kaden House, who dictated the direction of everything that transpired over 32 minutes Tuesday in a fashion that was equal parts calm, efficient and spectacular.
*They’ll face their toughest test of the week and of the season Wednesday night against Branson, which went to 7-1 after coming from seven points down in the third quarter to overcame the team from Florida which stunned Corona Centennial Monday night.
Six-four, University of Illinois-bound Jase Butler nailed five 3s — four of those in the fourth quarter on six possessions — for the second game in a row while directing things at both ends of the floor for Coach Demetrius Roquemore with the aplomb of a 12-year NBA veteran.
And one of his backcourt mates, junior TT (aka “Semetri”; from now on though, it’s going to be “TT”) Carr, was every bit as impressive Tuesday night against a team with two backcourt stars of its own in 6-7 junior Shon Abaev and 5-10 freshman Cayden Daughtry.
Carr (pictured) scored 31 points — including 20 in the first half which ended with his team up by two points.
And, in some non-Platinum action . . .
*Sophomore Jason Crowe Jr. scored 50 (as in, “Five-ohhh-wow!”) points and Lynwood High needed all of those, especially the 20 in the fourth quarter when the Knights came from double-figure deficit to knock off Mater East of Las Vegas, 91-88, in a Ball Dawgs’ consolation game in the Bishop Gorman auxiliary gym.
The slick left hander and the rest of the team’s all-sophomore lineup will be tested by Redondo Union in front of a likely packed aux gym Wednesday night at 7:30.
Another Southern California-based program, West Ranch of Valencia, handled Brooklyn Thomas Jefferson, 85-75, to advance to a Wednesday morning (9 o’clock) Ball Dawgs’ championship semifinal against Stockton’s Weston Ranch on Bishop Gorman’s main gym floor.
*Riverside Poly (Spalding/vs. Vanden of NorCal/Noon, Bishop Gorman aux gym); Birmingham (Nike/Layton Christian of Utah/6 p.m., Faith Lutheran main gym floor); Rancho Verde (Nike/Faith Lutheran/7:30, FL main floor); Pasadena (Baller TV/Vista Murrieta/Noon, Coronado main floor); Santa Monica Pacifica Christian (Baller TV/Desert Oasis of Las Vegas/1:30, Coronado main floor); and Brentwood School (Orleans/West Linn of Oregon/7:30, Coronado main floor) are other Southern California programs in division semifinals Wednesday.
Leave a Reply