Norsemen roll by Matadors; El Cap beats UC on road

By Bill Dickens
Updated: December 10, 2015

2015-16 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL

By Bill Dickens

© East County Sports.com

SPRING VALLEY (12-10-15) — Visiting Valhalla won Wednesday’s (Dec. 9) Baron-Matador Classic contest by race-horsing past host Mount Miguel 83-65.

The Matadors have been averaging more than 70 points per game and came close to reaching that level against Grossmont Conference rival Valhalla.

Problem was, Valhalla scored at will against the seemingly defenseless Matadors, who suffered their first loss in five starts. The Norsemen, in fact, claimed a 29-11 second quarter scoring binge.

Sure-handed Valhalla got a double-double from COLE HENDERSON who tallied 25 points and 10 rebounds. He was deadly from 3-point range where he netted 5 of 6 shots. He also was 8-for-9 from the free throw line.

“We played well today, everybody got to play,” said Norsemen assistant coach DON ROLLINS. “Henderson shot at least one or two college 3s – they were deep. He had an overall very good game, and didn’t play the full 32 minutes. (Head) Coach (KEITH JACKSON) wanted to get more of our players into the game.

JOHN “The Bandaid” MURAD dropped in 8 of 14 from the field, including a pair of treys and was 2-for-3 from the free throw line for 24 points.

TREY SCHIMKE tossed in 11 points, and NATHAN YOUSIF added 10 points and 5 rebounds for the Norsemen.

MATTHEW SAKO cleared 10 balls off the glass and passed out 4 scoring passes.

“Mount Miguel attacks the basket real well but we played well tonight,” added Rollins. “We have football players still getting into basketball condition.”

DARIAN NORWOOD led the Matadors with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds.

TAJ TUCKER added 15 points, 5 assists and 3 blocks, while TREVON ALLEN pitched in with 15.

“This was a semifinal game and we didn’t pass the test,” said Mount Miguel coach JAY ROWLETT. “They just whupped us, plain and simple.

“When you score as many as 55 points in a game you should always win. We got way more than that and they still knocked us around. In our last two games we’ve given up an average of 77 points.

“You can’t win doing that. I think my kids are a little bit too interested in stats, but if you don’t play defense you can’t get any stats.”

Valhalla: Cole Henderson 25 (10 reb, 2 ast, 4 blk, 1 stl), John Murad 24 (6 reb, 3 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl), Trey Schimke 11 (2 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl), Nathan Yousif 10 (5 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl), Matthew Sako 6 (10 reb, 4 ast, 1 blk), Malique Shaw 2 (3 reb, 1 ast, 4 blk, 1 stl), Kai Komaki 1 (4 reb, 1 ast), Ty Schimke 2 (1 reb), Ivan Habib 2 (1 reb), Chris Attiq (2 reb), Daniel Bender (1 reb).

Mount Miguel: Darian Norwood 18 (10 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl), Taj Tucker 15 (2 reb, 5 ast, 3 blk), Trevon Allen 15 (1 reb), Chris Thompson 6, Marquis Neal 4 (3 reb, 2 stl), Andre Cox 3 (4 reb), Raymond Lucas 2 (2 ast, 1 stl), Justice Chima 2.

EL CAPITAN 46, UNIVERSITY CITY 32 – The winning ways continued for the El Capitan Vaqueros as they finished off the host University City Centurions 46-32, Wednesday (Dec.9) in the Game on Challenge.

Thanks to a stifling defense in limiting the Centurions to only 2 points in the first quarter, the Vaqueros’ offense took full advantage and were able to pour in 19 points of their own to lead after the first quarter. El Capitan was able to keep the momentum going in the second quarter as they were able to limit University City to 11 points for the half and take the 23-11 scoring advantage into the break.

Leading the charge for the Vaqueros and pouring in a combined 33 points on the evening was the dynamic duo of KADE KYGAR who tallied 19 points including 4 treys, and DOMINIC IUDICIANI who poured in 14 points of his own. Defensively DANNY ESTRADA contributed with 6 thefts.

In the second half the Vaqueros kept their momentum going as they were able to put up points to pull out the victory.

Coach FRANK QUINONES said, “We played very well defensively as we limited their scoring in the first half. The offense is improving every game and I was very proud of the effort tonight overall.”

El Capitan: Kade Kygar 19 (2 reb, 2 ast, 3 stl, 1 blk), Dominic Iudiciani 14 (3 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl), Devin Dulay 6 (3 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl), Donald Irvin 5 (5 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl), Danny Estrada 2 (3 reb, 1 ast, 6 stl), Colton Sandoval (2 reb).

— ADAM PAUL

GROSSMONT 40, BISHOP’S 21 – Grossmont put the defensive clamps on host Bishop’s in Wednesday’s (Dec. 9) Game on Challenge encounter in La Jolla.

Six-foot-10 UC-Irvine bound TOMMY RUTHERFORD collected 26 rebounds to go along with 17 points to spark the Foothillers to their fourth win in as many starts. He also found time to dish four assists.

“He got every rebound out of our 1-2-2 zone,” Grossmont coach FRANK FOGGIANO said. “He just dominates. He’s our defensive leader in the zone, calls out our rotations.”

JEREMIAH APPLETON knocked down 15 points and handed out 5 assists.

Grossmont: Tommy Rutherford 17 (26 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl), Jeremiah Appleton 15 (3 reb, 5 ast, 4 stl), Ryan Shirley 3 (3 reb), Matt Murray 2 (4 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl), Branik Brown 2 (1 reb, 1 stl), Hunter Gaines 1 (3 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl).

LA JOLLA COUNTRY DAY 62, SANTANA 51 – Looking to bounce back from their recent close loss to University City, the Santana Sultans traveled inland to take on the La Jolla Country Day Torreys in a Game on Challenge tournament game, Wednesday (Dec. 9). The Sultans, who were able to keep the game close, eventually ran out of gas in the final period, bowing 62-51.

Santana gave the Torreys, who are a perennial Top 10 team in the county, a run for their money for almost the entire game, keeping things close in the first half as they only trailed the Torreys by three at the break 27-24.

The Sultans came out in the second half on fire as they were able to match La Jolla Country Day in the third period 15-15, but unfortunately the Torreys streaked away in the fourth period 20-12.

Leading the Sultans was FRANKIE GUTTIERREZ who poured in 18 points and dished 5 assists.

Santana: Frankie Guttierrez 18 (3 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl), Mitchell Miller 8 (3 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl), Trent Baugh 8 (4 reb, 1stl), Cooper Mendoza 6 (1 reb), Sage Hicks 5 (7 reb, 1 ast), Noah Nunez 4 (1 reb, 1 blk), John Bobof 2 (1 reb, 1 ast), Daulton Barry (2 reb, 5 ast)

— ADAM PAUL

CRAWFORD 59, EL CAJON VALLEY 30 – It just wasn’t the El Cajon Valley Braves’ night as they hosted the Crawford Colts in the Game on Challenge tournament, Wednesday (Dec.9) and dropped the decision 59-30.

The first quarter of the game was pretty even as it was only a four point contest 13-9 in favor of the Colts after the first. Unfortunately the momentum shifted and it was all Crawford the rest of the evening as they stifled the Braves defensively in the second period as El Cajon couldn’t buy a basket. Crawford took advantage of the Braves woes and couldn’t miss and were able to extend their lead to 41-12 at the half.

Trying to keep the Braves in the game was AHMAD SULYMAN who led in scoring for El Cajon with 14 points and also grabbed 7 boards, and RONNE READUS who chipped in with 9 points and corralled 9 boards. Despite these two efforts, the Braves couldn’t overcome their shooting woes as they only made 11-for-40 from the field and also gave the Colts too many opportunities as they committed 22 turnovers.

El Cajon Valley: Ahmad Sulyman 14 (7 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl), Ronne Readus 9 (9 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk), Jeremiah Davis 4 (2 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk), Dmir Witherspoon 2 (3 reb), Hasan Alhasan 1 (2 reb, 1 stl), Daniel Stokes (2 reb), Hussein Al-anezi (1 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl).

— ADAM PAUL

CANYON CREST 54, HELIX 52 – Four Helix Highlanders reached double scoring digits in the most balanced scoring attack of the young season, in Wednesday’s (Dec.9) Hilltop Tournament, yet still came up short, falling to the Ravens 54-52.

The turnabout in this contest, which resulted in Helix’s fourth loss in as many starts, was the second quarter when Canyon Crest claimed a 15-4 scoring advantage.

“We didn’t play competitively enough for 32 minutes to win it,” said Helix coach JOHN SINGER. “We should have won this game.”

AMARI GREEN set the scoring pace for Helix with 16 points, including a pair of treys.

JAMAR WYNN pitched in with 10 and also drained a pair of triples.

JUSTIN FLISHER was 4-for-4 from the free throw line on his way to a 10-point contribution.

MALIK TAMBWE also tallied 10 markers.

Helix: Amari Green 16, Jamar Wynn 10, Malik Tambwe 10, Justin Flisher 10,

Brandon Parker 4, Cameron Mutter 2.