Kygar’s 39 points helps lift Vaqueros in overtime

By Bill Dickens
Updated: December 23, 2015

2015-16 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL

By Bill Dickens
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EL CAJON (12-23-15) — KADE KYGAR scored a career high 39 points, including hitting 6 treys to help El Capitan edge Crawford 74-73 in overtime Tuesday (Dec. 22) in the Grossmont Winter Classic.

DONALD IRVIN pitched in with 20 points and DOMINIC IUDICIANI had 10 markers, 6 rebounds and 4 assists for the Foothillers.

Kygar scored 34 of his points in the second half.

“He really took them to school,” said Vaqueros coach FRANK QUINONES.

The first half belonged to Irvin who hit five 3s and totaled 17 points in the first two quarters.

“Our team chemistry now is where it usually is at the end of the season,” Quinones noted.

El Capitan will play Valley Center at Steele Canyon on Wednesday (Dec. 23) at 7:30.

El Capitan: Kade Kygar 39 (4 reb, 4 ast), Donald Irvin 20 (1 reb, 2 ast), Dominic Iudiciani 10 (6 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk), Devin Dulay 3 (1 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl), Danny Estrada 2 (4 reb, 2 ast), Carson Tabor (2 reb), Colton Sandoval (1 reb), Brendon Head (2 stl), Ren Neuhoff (1 stl).

GRANITE HILLS 56, IMPERIAL 37 – Granite Hills used a proverbial gang tackling offense to stuff Imperial and capture 3^rdplace in the Coronado Tournament on Tuesday (Dec. 22).

DARIEN COSSIO set the scoring pace for the Eagles with 13 points and 5 steals, while DAVID SETTERBERG contributed 10 points and 8 rebounds.

Muscular JACOB BURTON had one of his better games, powering in 8 points and hauling down 9 rebounds to go with 2 blocks.

Setterberg has been one of the Eagles’ pleasant surprises.

“David is coming back from injury,” pointed out Eagles assistant coach DAN DUFFY. “It’s like he’s almost 100 percent back. ERIN SWINSON and JORDEN ROGERS had their best games of the year coming off the bench.

“If we had beaten Madison, which we lost to by one point, we would be in the championship game,” he added.”

Granite Hills: Darien Cossio 13 (1 reb, 5 stl, 2 blk), David Setterberg 10 (8 reb, 2 ast, 3 stl), Jacob Burton 8 (9 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk), Ryan Kelly 7 (1 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl), Cameron Spitzer 7 (1 reb, 4 stl), Jorden Rogers 4 (2 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk), Erin Swinson 4 (1 ast, 1 stl), Dylan Garcia (2 reb, 1 blk), Mario Mezo 3 (1 reb), Tony Hsieh (1 reb).

LA JOLLA 68, GROSSMONT 59 – Staring down a potential challenge of Top 10 teams, the Grossmont Foothillers tripped up in Tuesday’s (Dec. 22) semifinals as they tumbled to visiting La Jolla in the Grossmont Winter Classic.

It’s hard to believe that teams can master Grossmont (8-2) when the Foothillers carry one of the top players in the San Diego Section in 6-foot-10 TOMMY RUTHERFORD, who knocked down 32 points, grabbed 22 rebounds and blocked 2 shots in the loss to the Vikings.

“They made 10 threes; we made one three,” said Foothillers coach FRANK FOGGIANO. “We don’t defend the 3 apparently.”

MARQUISE PURNELL contributed 11 points and 8 rebounds, while MATT MURRAY also hit 11 markers for Grossmont.

Grossmont, ranked No. 9 in the county, will take on its biggest challenge when they host No. 4 Torrey Pines on Wednesday (Dec. 23) at 7:30 p.m.

Grossmont: Tommy Rutherford 32 (22 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk), Marquise Purnell 11 (8 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl), Matt Murray 11 (3 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl), Jacob Niskey 3, Jeremiah Appleton 2 (1 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl).

WEST HILLS 78, BONITA VISTA 62 – Sophomore CAMERON BARRY continued his sizzling scoring skein as he poured in 30 points to spearhead the Wolf Pack’s non-league victory over visiting Bonita Vista on Tuesday (Dec. 22).

Barry connected on 5 of 7 from 3-point distance against the Barons. In the week previous he scored 28 points and nailed 8 of 10 three-point shots from above the arc against Temecula Chaparral, scoring 58 points in his last two starts.

MARQUELL COOL pitched in 14 points in the nod over Bonita Vista, while KYLE RUIZ added 10.

BRYCE PARSONS had 8 rebounds and MARCO OVIES made 8 assists.

West Hills: Cameron Barry 30 (2 reb, 3 ast, 5 stl), Marquell Cool 14 (1 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl), Kyle Ruiz 10 (5 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl), Bryce Parsons 9 (8 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl), Spencer Moyer 6 (3 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl), Marco Ovies 5 (2 reb, 8 ast, 1 stl), Cesar Curet 2 (1 reb, 2 stl), Nelson Zoree 2 (1 reb), Miguel Nava (1 reb, 1 ast), Chris Moyer (1 reb, 1 stl), D’Ante Hill (1 ast).

STEELE CANYON 73, SWEETWATER 62 – Buoyed by a balanced scoring attack, the Steele Canyon Cougars cut down the Sweetwater Red Devils in Tuesday’s (Dec. 22) Xtreme Glass Holiday Tournament at Sweetwater.

JAVON NUTTER led the Cougars with 14 points, while THOMAS FISHBURNE and NICK HODGE contributed 13 and 12 respectively.

Not to be overlooked was TYLER SMITH with 11 points.

“It wasn’t our best effort,” said Steele Canyon coach DEREK STEPHENS, whose Cougars improved to 6-3. “At first I think we thought we could just come out and cruise to victory.”

In the second half Nutter scored 10 points inside the paint.

“He suffered some sort of Achilles injury when he was leading a fast break,” Stephens said. “We had to take him out but I hope it’s just not bad. When you play Sweetwater they want to take it up tempo to try to get you out of control.

“Fortunately Smith and Nutter restored order in the middle.”

Steele Canyon: Javon Nutter 14, Thomas Fishburne 13, Nick Hodge 12, Tyler Smith 11, Marcus White 9, Gage Sanders 8, Jalen Sayles 5, Brody Burningham 1.

SANTANA 53, MISSION HILLS 48 – Behind the high scoring binge of three players scoring double digits, the Santana Sultans tames the Grizzlies of Mission Hills in Tuesday’s (Dec. 22) Grossmont Winter Classic.

ANTHONY ROMERO and DAULTON BARRY shared the lead with 11 points apiece and FRANKIE GUTIERREZ was right behind them with 10 markers. Barry had 7 assists.

Santana: Anthony Romero 11 (1 stl), Daulton Barry 11 (3 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl), Frankie Gutierrez 10 (5 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk), Mitchell Miller 6 (7 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl), Trent Baugh 6 (2 reb, 1 ast), Noah Nunez 5 (2 reb, 2 ast), Sage Hicks 4 (3 reb).

HELIX 86, SD-SOUTHWEST 31 – Although the Helix Highlanders have been struggling in the early going this season, they struck it rich against hapless San Diego Southwest in Tuesday’s (Dec. 22) Xtreme Glass Holiday Tournament at Sweetwater High.

JUSTIN FLISHER set the pace for Helix (3-6) with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds to go along with 4 assists and a block. Flisher hit 8 of 11 shots from the floor.

JAYLEN ARNOLD shared the limelight with 16 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks. Arnold netted 8 of 10 shots from the field.

ISAIAH WOODEN pitched in 14 points and JAMAR WYNN contributed 11.

Helix: Justin Flisher 16 (10 reb, 4 ast, 1 blk), Jaylen Arnold 16 (7 reb, 6 ast, 4 stl, 2 blk), Isaiah Wooden 14 (2 reb, 3 stl, 1 blk), Jamar Wynn 11 (3 ast), Malik Tambwe 9 (7 reb, 2 ast, 3 stl, 3 blk), Dylan Lee 7 (7 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl), Amari Green 6 (6 reb, 1 ast), Cameron Mutter 5 (1 reb), Brandon Parker 2 (6 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk), Marcus Holmes (1 reb, 1 stl), Ilyas Beltz (2 ast, 2 stl).

EASTLAKE 61, MONTE VISTA 45 – The struggling Monte Vista Monarchs fell to 2-7 as they got thrashed 21-7 in the third quarter by the Eastlake Titans in Tuesday’s (Dec. 22) Grossmont Winter Classic on the Foothillers’ floor.

“In the first half we punished them inside,” said Monarchs coach MIKE TULLY. “When we did that we got exactly what we wanted. For some reason in the second half we stopped going inside and started to shoot jumpers. We didn’t make good decisions, didn’t take quality shots.”

There were some high points for Monte Vista though as SHAI STEVENSON turned in a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds to go along with 5 assists and 4 steals.

“Stevenson gave us great intensity and so did ADRIAN BASS,” Tully said.

BO RANKINS pitched in 12 points and 5 rebounds for the Monarchs, who suffered their 5^th straight loss.

Monte Vista: Shai Stevenson 14 (10 reb, 5 ast, 4 stl), Bo Rankins 12 (5 reb), Adrian Bass 6 (3 reb, 1 ast), Tre Owens 6 (1 reb), Terry Bone 5 (4 reb, 1 ast), Dylan Ayers 2 (2 reb).

CANYON CREST 71, EL CAJON VALLEY 56 – Six-foot-7 senior post RONNE READUS turned in a powerful double-double of 35 points, 17 rebounds and 3 blocks in Tuesday’s (Dec. 22) Grossmont Winter Classic action, but it wasn’t enough as the Ravens of Canyon Crest prevailed on the strength of a 24-8 third quarter run.

“We have rough third quarters,” said Braves coach SCOTTY JAMES. “We tend to come out flat in the third quarter and the game kinda gets away from us.”

El Cajon Valley: Ronne Readus 35 (17 reb, 3 blk), Dmir Witherspoon 7 (7 reb, 1 ast), Ahmad Sulyman 5 (4 reb, 2 ast), Jeremiah Davis 4 (5 reb), Mikey Velez 3 (4 reb), Hussein Al-anezi 2 (3 reb), Hasan Alhasan (1 reb, 2 ast).