Sanders’ late three helps Cougars claw past Horizon

By Bill Dickens
Updated: December 22, 2015

2015-16 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL

By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com
NATIONAL CITY (12-22-15) — Steele Canyon used a balance attack to knock off Horizon 57-53 on Monday (Dec. 21) in the Xtreme Glass Holiday Tournament at Sweetwater High.

TYLER SMITH scored a career high 17 points to pace the Cougars to their 5^th win in 8 starts.

Marcus White drives against Horizon Monday night.

“Out of our first eight games we’ve had five different players lead us in scoring,” said Cougars coach DEREK STEPHENS. “That’s pretty good balance.”

GAGE SANDERS had another bout of long-range success as he nailed four 3-pointers to finish with 12 points.

“It was a real scramble at the end,” Stephens recalled.

Steele Canyon’s Gage Sanders sets up for the go-ahead three pointer late in the game Monday night.

The game was tied 52-52 before Sanders netted a 3-pointer to give Steele Canyon the lead.

But the game wasn’t on ice until MARCUS WHITE dropped in a pair of free throws with 6 seconds left. And just for good measure JALEN SAYLES stole the inbound pass, denying the Panthers any Hail Mary attempts.

“This was really a good win for us,” Stephens said.
Steele Canyon: Tyler Smith 17, Gage Sanders 12, Marcus White 10, Javon Nutter 8, Thomas Fishburne 5, Nick Hodge 2, Jalen Sayles 2.