Highlanders, Knights score tourney wins

By Ramon Scott
Updated: December 19, 2018

Foothills Christian on Tuesday night. / photo by SDPreps

2018 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL

EastCountySports.com staff report

NATIONAL CITY – The Helix Highlanders are taking baby steps, according to head coach JOHN SINGER, but they took a big leap over Kearny on Tuesday at the Lions Club tourney at Sweetwater High.

Helix dusted the short-handed Komets, 75-27, calling of the dogs, so to speak, after three quarters after scoring 68 points in building an insurmountable lead early.

JAHARI HILL led Helix with 19 points, including 11 in the first quarter.

Senior MAURICE HOLMES added 17 points and KAI JESSIE contributed 13.

“Holmes is our best player with a lot of youth around him, playing their first year of varsity,” Singer said.

In the first quarter, SAMMY STEWART poked the ball away from a Kearny ballhandler, then KEISHON TRICE picked up the loose ball and forwarded it to Holmes, who jammed it home for a 23-9 lead with one minute to play in the first quarter.

Helix’s ISAIAH VELASCO had a steal and layup in the second quarter as the rout was on.

“The team played well and were very unselfish,” Singer said. “We are taking baby steps on improvement. It will take time and effort.”

FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 73, MATER DEI CATHOLIC 55 – at the Grossmont Winter Tournament, junior YASSINE GHARRAM had 24 points to lead the Knights, who led 18-13 after one quarter and 37-29 at halftime.

Gharram buried four three-pointers in the second quarter to send Foothills Christian on the way to victory.

The Knights improved to 5-2.

EastCountySports.com