Highlanders’ win uncharacteristically up-tempo

By Bill Dickens
Updated: December 24, 2015

2015-16 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL

By Bill Dickens
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NATIONAL CITY (12-24-15) — The Helix Highlanders rolled 3 double-doubles in Wednesday’s (Dec. 23) Xtreme Glass Holiday Tournament at Sweetwater as they ripped the host Red Devils 74-44.

Helix (4-6) has generated 160 points in its last two games. On the flip side the Highlanders have surrendered 75.

This isn’t exactly the traditional style of Helix coach JOHN SINGER, who is a defensive maestro. He’s pleased by the 37.5 average on defense during that period, and he has to be gratified by the offensive output.

Junior forward JAYLEN ARNOLD nailed 8 of 17 shots from the field for 19 points and yanked down 13 rebounds. He was a power across the board as he also dished 3 assists, logged 2 steals and blocked a pair of shots.

MALIK TAMBWE muscled in 12 points on 5 of 8 from the floor and 2-for-2 from the charity stripe. He also crashed the boards for 10 rebounds and blocked 3 shots.

Fluent JUSTIN FLISHER maintained his steady pace with 10 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals and 2 blocks.

ISAIAH WOODEN led the Highlanders with 5 assists.

Helix: Jaylen Arnold 19 (13 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk), Malik Tambwe 12 (10 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 3 blk), Justin Flisher 10 (10 reb, 4 ast, 5 stl, 2 blk), Jamar Wynn 9 (2 reb, 1 ast, 3 stl), Isaiah Wooden 9 (3 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl), Amari Green 6 (3 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk), Dylan Lee 4 (4 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl), Brandon Parker 3 (1 reb), Marcus Holmes (2 reb), Ilyas Beltz (1 reb).

MATER DEI 59, STEELE CANYON 58 – It was a game of hit and miss, nip and tuck for Steele Canyon in Wednesday’s (Dec. 23) third place game in the Xtreme Glass Holiday Tournament at Sweetwater.

The Cougars (5-4) trailed by 3 points with 15 seconds remaining, so they worked the ball out to their No. 1 long distance shooter, GAGE SANDERS.

“They were holding Sanders off the screen, so he only got a chance to shoot 2 free throws and he made them both with 13 seconds left,” said Cougars coach DEREK STEPHENS.

Mater Dei was in line for a one-and-one bonus but missed the first shot and Steele Canyon won a jump ball. Since the Cougars had no timeouts left it came down to instinct.

MARCUS WHITE took the ball and drove the length of the court.

“He went in for a layup but I thought he was fouled,” said Stephens. “But he didn’t get the call.”

Thus Mater Dei walked away with a narrow victory.

“They are a big team, and we were missing some of our inside players due to injury,” Stephens said. “But I thought (6-foot-5) TYLER SMITH – who finished with 16 points, as did Sanders – did a great job defending against Mater Dei’s 6-foot-9 Miles Norris.”

White led the Cougars with 17 points, while Sanders connected on 3 triples and 7 of 7 free throws. Smith was 8-for-9 from the free throw stripe.

“As a team we need to pride ourselves in getting more defensive stops,” Stephens said.

Steele Canyon: Marcus White 17, Gage Sanders 16, Tyler Smith 16, Thomas Fishburne 3, Brody Burningham 1.

LA JOLLA 82, MONTE VISTA 60 – TRE OWENS turned in a career best 28-point performance for the Monte Vista Monarchs on Wednesday night (Dec. 23) but it wasn’t enough to topple La Jolla at the Grossmont Winter Classic. The Monarchs fell 82-60 to La Jolla in their final pool play game of the tournament at Grossmont High School.

After a sluggish start the Monarchs got things going in the second quarter, outscoring the Vikings 21-17 in the frame and cut a 10-point La Jolla lead to six before the break.

That’s where the wheels fell off for Monte Vista. The Monarchs were outscored 28-13 in the third, but turnovers, shot selection and a number of other issues led a few starters to some time on the bench.

“We’re a good team but we have to play hard. La Jolla is a good team and they played hard the whole game. That’s what we need – to learn to play hard for an entire game,” coach MIKE TULLY said of the Monarchs’ performance.

The Monarchs were without sophomore guard DEONDRE McHAYLE who injured his calf in an earlier tournament game against Grossmont.

Tre Owens led all scorers including four triples and a 4-for-4 night at the free throw line.

La Jolla was simply too much on the offensive end for the Monarchs. The Vikings finished with five players in double figures and constantly got second and third looks at the basket. Monte Vista managed just two fourth quarter rebounds in total and 18 overall for the game.

Coach Tully did see some positives on the night.

“Tre (Owens) is a football guy, he’s a guy we tried to get out here for a long time and we just need to see him play his game consistently. We know what he can do, and he did it tonight. If we can get that from him every night then we just need a couple more guys to step up and play hard.”

Monte Vista: Tre Owens 28 (4 stl, 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk), Bo Rankins 10 (4 reb, 2 ast, 2 blk, 1 stl), Shai Stevenson 7 (3 ast, 2 blk, 1 reb, 1 stl), Kelton Vun 7 (2 ast, 1 reb), Terry Bone 5 (8 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl), Dylan Ayers 2 (2 blk, 1 ast), Adrian Bass 1 (1 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl), Tre Koita (4 reb).
— JAMES McHUGH

Santana defends against Westview on Wednesday night.

WESTVIEW 59, SANTANA 53 – Despite a career high of 20 points by TRENT BAUGH, the Santana Sultans suffered a bitter loss to the Wolverines of Westview in Wednesday’s (Dec. 23) Grossmont Winter Classic encounter in El Cajon.

MITCHELL MILLER added 12 points, 5 rebounds and 6 steals for the Sultans (7-5), who saw a 28-28 deadlock slip away in the fourth quarter when the Wolverines (3-7) gained a 21-15 scoring edge.

Santana sharp-shooting passer FRANKIE GUTIERREZ had 8 assists.

Santana: Trent Baugh 20 (3 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk), Mitchell Miller 12 (5 reb, 2 ast, 6 stl), Frankie Gutierrez 7 (3 reb, 8 ast, 1 stl), Daulton Barry 5 (2 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl), Sage Hicks 5, Anthony Romero 4 (1 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl), Cooper Mendoza (1 ast), Noah Nunez (1 ast).

VALLEY CENTER 60, EL CAPITAN 34 – The Jaguars turned on the speed as they ran wild in posting a lopsided victory over El Capitan in Wednesday’s (Dec. 23) Grossmont Winter Classic.

“We just weren’t ready to play today,” said Vaqueros coach FRANK QUINONES. “It seems like we go into a funk in one quarter if not more than that.”

Valley Center (8-2) took a 19-9 first quarter lead and broke the game open with a 14-4 spread over the Vaqueros (5-5) in the third period.

DONALD IRVIN had 11 points to lead El Capitan and KADE KYGAR added 10 to bolster the Vaqueros’ paltry offense.

El Capitan: Donald Irvin 11 (4 reb, 1 ast), Kade Kygar 10 (3 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk), Dominic Iudiciani 6 (6 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl), Brendon Head 3 (1 reb, 1 blk), Ren Neuhoff 2 (2 reb), Carson Tabor 2, Danny Estrada (2 reb), Devin Dulay (1 reb, 1 ast), Colton Sandoval (1 stl), Zac Quintero (1 reb).

El Cajon Valley scores against Scripps Ranch on Wednesday night at Steele Canyon High.

SCRIPPS RANCH 31, EL CAJON VALLEY 22 – The Braves didn’t break into double figures in any of the four quarters but they were still within striking range in Wednesday’s (Dec. 23) Grossmont Winter Classic against Scripps Ranch (6-4).

“We were pathetic in the fourth quarter,” said El Cajon Valley coach SCOTTY JAMES. “We turned the ball over eight times in the final period and that averaged about one shot per minute.”

RONNE READUS scored the only 2 points for the Braves in the final period and finished with 12 markers, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks.

El Cajon Valley: Ronne Readus 12 (14 reb, 3 blk), Dmir Witherspoon 5 (1 reb), Greg Jones 4 (1 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk), Ahmad Sulyman 1 (1 ast, 2 stl), Hussein Al-anezi (3 reb), Jeremiah Davis (1 ast, 2 stl).