Knights tune for Army-Navy clash with romp at Parker

By ECS Staff
Updated: January 27, 2016

2015-16 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL

By James McHugh

© East County Sports.com

SAN DIEGO (1-27-16) — Foothills Christian got another double-double from McDonald’s All-American T.J. LEAF on Tuesday night (Jan. 26). The UCLA bound senior poured home 30 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the Knights’ 97-64 victory at Francis Parker. The Knights still have two Coastal League games remaining this week.

LUIS SALGADO had 23 points for the Knights as well, upping his CIF career record to 295 triples over his four year career. Freshman guard JAREN NAFARRETE was also in double digits for Foothills with a career high 11 points in the Knights’ rout of Parker. Foothills Christian had a balanced scoring attack after the efforts of Leaf, Salgado and Nafarrete along with five other players contributing to the cause.

Foothills now moves to 5-0 in Coastal League play and will face their toughest task Wednesday night (Jan. 27) when they take on Army Navy at Cuyamaca College at 7:30 p.m. Foothills Christian defeated Army-Navy 69-52 at the Under Armour Holiday Classic back in December. The Knights and Warriors are ranked No. 1 and No. 6 in the San Diego Section headed into the first of two league meetings.

Before the game T.J. Leaf will be presented with his McDonald’s All American jersey in a special presentation to take place at 6:30 pm. Leaf became the fourth ever selection to the Boys’ game this season and one of two San Diego Section players to be selected in 2016, along with Horizon’s Dijonai Carrington on the girls side.

After back-to-back games the Knights will travel to Horizon this Friday (Jan. 29) to begin their second round of Coastal League play. Foothills Christian is 14-3 overall and ranked No. 1 in the CIF Open Division Power Rankings.

“We got these three games in four nights’ stretch started right,” assistant coach TROY LEAF said after the win. “We had a good team effort and we got out of there injury free and put a solid game together. Now we can move forward to a very good Army-Navy team tomorrow night.”

Foothills Christian: T. J. Leaf 30 (12 reb, 7 ast), Luis Salgado 23 (4 ast, 3 reb), Jaren Nafarrete 11 (4 ast, 1 reb), Omajae Smith 9 (2 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl), Kale Baldado 8 (2 reb), Nikko Paranada 6 (5 ast, 2 reb, 2 stl), T.J. Lowery 5 (3 reb, 1 ast), Jordan Van Ommering 3 (5 reb, 1 stl), Jordan Starr 2 (6 reb, 6 ast).