East County Sports

Knights’ Nafarrete going for title No. 2

2019 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL

FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 68, VISTA 59

EastCountySports.com staff report

SPRING VALLEY – Foothills Christian senior guard JAREN NAFARRETE might be getting overlooked by college scouts.

On Wednesday night, Nafarrete showed why he shouldn’t be because of his incredibly steady performances on prep basketball’s biggest stages.

Nafarrete led Foothills Christian with 19 points as the Knights defeated Vista, 68-59, in a San Diego CIF Open Division semifinal win over the Vista Panthers.

Nafarrete had back-to-back three-pointers late in the third quarter to put the Knights up by 12 points.

But the Panthers’ Jordan Hilstock scored 26 points to keep his club in the contest, along with the officials’ whistles. Hilstock made hay at the foul stripe, going 15-for-15 on the night.

Junior YASSINE GHARRAM paced the rest of a balanced scoring effort with 16 points, while senior DERRICK CARTER-HOLLINGER added 14 points and sophomore DERRIEN CARTER-HOLLINGER contributed 11. Junior JALAI O’KEITH added six points for FCHS.

Derrick Carter-Hollinger and Gharram started up the second half with field goals that put the Knights up by 10.

The Knights’ lead dwindled to a bucket with under three minutes to play in the game.

Gharram and Nafarrete had late field goals to up the lead to six. The pair were also solid at the line during the foul game.

The score was tied at the end of the first quarter 13-all after Derrien-Carter Hollinger and Naferrete opened the game with a three pointers.

The Knights will face Torrey Pines in the San Diego Section CIF Open Division championship game on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at RIMAC Arena.

The Falcons defeted the Knights 90-89 in double overtime back on Dec. 22.

Nafarrete already has won one Open Division championship as a member of the Knights. As a freshman, FCHS defeated Cathedral Catholic behind 36 points from T.J. LEAF.

This is the third Open Division championship game appearance for Foothills Christian.

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