ROUNDUP: Wild, wild Hills will be fire

By Ramon Scott
Updated: February 7, 2018

Steele Canyon's GRANT CHILDS

2018 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL

EastCountySports.com staff report

LA MESA – The red-hot Steele Canyon Cougars threw a wrench in the Helix Highlanders’ title engine Tuesday night and restarted the Grossmont Hills League championship chase with a stunning 83-61 win in La Mesa.

The Cougars got themselves, and nearly every other team in the league for that matter, back in title contention by knocking off the Scotties.

Senior THOMAS FISHBURNE exploded for 26 points for the Cougars, while GRANT CHILDS added 10 points for Steele.

The Cougars led 41-29 at halftime.

Helix is now 5-2 in the Grossmont Hills League, while Steele Canyon, Grossmont, Granite Hills and West Hills are all at 4-3, just one-game back with three games to play.

“Steele Canyon is a good team,” Helix coach BRENNAN CASSADY said. “They out-played us in every category.”

The Highlanders were without steady senior star guard AMARI GREEN, a key cog in the Scotties’ motor.

“Amari was out with a concussion suffered in practice,” Cassady said. “But make no excuses, we got beat by a team that played a lot better than us tonight.”

Sophomore MAURICE HOLMES led the Highlanders with 13 points, while teammate CARSON BAKER added nine points and nine rebounds.

Steele Canyon will travel to face Granite Hills in a huge matchup on Friday at 7 p.m.

Helix will host Valhalla on Friday night at 7 p.m.

WEST HILLS 67, GRANITE HILLS 57 – Senior Player of the Year candidate CAM BARRY scored 35 points and the Wolf Pack welcomed themselves back into Grossmont Hills League title contention with the road victory over the Eagles.

The Wolf Pack jumped on Granite quickly, opening up a 31-11 lead in the second quarter.

The Eagles methodically got back into the game, but West Hills hung on.

Barry added 11 rebounds and five assists.

ADAM DILLON chipped in with 11 points for West Hills (4-3 GHL, 14-8), including 3-of-5 on three-point attempts.

Senior CHRIS SCHROEDER had eight points and five rebounds for the Wolf Pack.

“The SMITH brothers (seniors MOSES and XSAVIER) were what we focused on defensively,” said West Hills assistant TIM BARRY.

Moses Smith finished with 15 points as did Eagle teammate AUSTIN BALLO.

DAVID COFFEY had 14 for the Granite Hills (4-3 GHL, 14-8).

West Hills will host Grossmont (4-3 GHL) in a huge game this Friday at 7 p.m., while the Eagles have a home blockbuster of their own with the Steele Canyon Cougars, also on Friday at 7.

GROSSMONT 58, VALHALLA 51 – Grossmont woke up in the second half and wound up in a four-way tie for second place in the incredibly contentious Grossmont Hills League title chase.

Valhalla looked for upset knockout of the Foothillers in the first half, jumping out to a 9-3 lead, as the Norsemen led 16-5 at the end of one.

Valhalla led 23-14 with three minutes to go before intermission, then led 31-22 at halftime.

Grossmont opened the third quarter with 22-5 run over the first 6:30 to take a 44-36 lead.

Grossmont led 46-40 at the end of three.

The Hillers were up 53-44 with just over three minutes left in the game, though Valhalla whittled it down to 53-46 with 1:36 to go.

Grossmont led 55-48 with 36 seconds to play.

Grossmont (13-11) improved to 4-3 in the GHL and is now just one-game behind league-leading Helix with three games to play.

The Foothillers travel to face West Hills on Friday in a huge matchup at 7 p.m.

Valhalla will try to play spoiler once again, this time at Helix, on Friday at 7.

MADISON 70, EL CAPITAN 54 – The Vaqueros dropped a non-league game on the road at Madison.

The Vaqueros battled early, holding several leads in the first half.

However, the Warhawks led at halftime, 36-29.