NEWPORT BEACH – Sage Hill High’s boys basketball program earned its second CIF Southern Section championship appearance in three years Saturday night in the same grind-it-out fashion that carried the Lightning to its first three playoff wins this season.
Led by the dominance of six-foot-10 Jackson Cryst, Coach D’Cean Bryant’s team edged visiting San Gabriel Academy, 45-43, in a Division 3AA semifinal.
The Lightning – who lost to Long Beach Jordan (68-57) in the 4A title two years ago in Bryant’s first season as the program’s head coach – will face Palmdale Knight for the 3AA crown next Saturday at Toyota Arena in Ontario or Edison High in Huntington Beach.
Knight, led by guard Da’vian Brooks, edged Maranatha (58-56, in overtime) Friday night in the other semifinal.
Cryst, who attended Millikan in Long Beach as a freshman and sophomore, led the Lightning to its first-ever Southern Section volleyball title last spring and is bound for top-ranked Long Beach State as a middle blocker and potential 2028 Olympian.
And he was every bit as overpowering in and around the lane Saturday night as he was at the net last spring, scoring 14 points with 14 rebounds and five blocked shots.
Cryst, while often pitted against another 6-10, fast-twitch athlete in Mahamadou Diop (one of the top sophomores in the west) had five rebounds and four blocks in the fourth quarter.
Just as critically, Cryst scored twice on screen and roll opportunities – sandwiched around a dunk by sophomore Tre Cradle – in a 1:28 stretch of the final three minutes.
After the second of those buckets, Cryst blocked an attempt by Diop (14 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks) and rebounded with 41 seconds to go.
Senior guard James Karahalios – who scored the Lightning’s other two fourth-quarter field goals – lost the ball on a drive and the Eagles got a timeout with 19 seconds to go.
But Bryant’s half-court defense held up, with the Eagles not able to get a potential tying or winning jumper up before the game-ending buzzer sounded.
The Lightning (19-9) closed the regular season with 47-45 (Northwood) and 47-44 (Woodbridge) Pacific Coast League losses at home.
But Cryst & Co. have flourished in the playoffs with that same offensive pace – and impeccable execution – and emphasis on half-court defense, with 45-39 (at Oakwood), 42-39 (at West Torrance) and 43-39 (No. 2 seed Tustin, at home) victories carrying them into the clash with SGA.
The Eagles will join the Lightning in State Southern regional action (beginning March 4) by way of advancing to their sectional semifinals.
Sage Hill joins Los Alamitos (D-1/vs. Mira Costa), Pacifica Christian and Fairmont Prep (2AA), and Santiago (4AA/vs. Ramona) as the only Orange County-based boys’ programs scheduled to play in title games.
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