Highlanders work double OT to knock off Norsemen

By ECS Staff
Updated: February 17, 2016

2015-16 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL

By Adam Paul

© East County Sports.com

LA MESA (2-17-16) — Barn burner was the name of the game in La Mesa, Tuesday (Feb. 17) as the Helix Highlanders outlasted the visiting Valhalla Norsemen in a war of attrition known as a Grossmont Hills League outing,75-69, in double overtime.

Things didn’t look good early on for the Norsemen as sharp shooter COLE HENDERSON picked up two quick fouls which forced him to sit the entire first half. The Highlanders tried to take advantage of this but Valhalla persevered as they only trailed 17-12 after the first quarter. The Highlanders outscored Valhalla 18-13 in the second period thanks to MALIK TAMBWE, who scorched with 12 of his 26 points to take the 35-25 into the break.

Trailing in the third quarter, Valhalla fought back into the contest as Henderson scored his first points of the contest with about two minutes to go and finished with 7 of his 13 points to help the Norsemen take the third period 22-18 and only trailed 53-47. Both teams in the fourth period went back and forth and unfortunately with 1:40 left, NATHAN YOUSIF for Valhalla would collect his fifth and eliminating foul on a very questionable charge call. He would tally 14 points on the night. At this point the Highlanders led 63-61.

The Highlanders couldn’t put things away which would give Valhalla one more chance at tying the contest. The Norsemen left things in the hands of JOHN MURAD who took the ball and dribbled all the way to the basket and laid it up and in to tie the score at 63-63 with 1.4 seconds left. Helix would have a last chance but the long heave didn’t fall and thus the contest would head into overtime.

In the first overtime period both teams went at each other but couldn’t pull away from each other. Finally at the 1:35 mark, Henderson gave Valhalla its first lead on a layup 65-63. It wouldn’t last as Helix was able to tie things up and they would actually have a chance to win but Henderson was able to force a jump ball which led to Valhalla having a chance to win. However they couldn’t convert as both teams were tied 67-67 and headed into a second overtime period.

In both overtimes, the Highlanders would take advantage of the fact that the officials called many fouls on the Norsemen which would lead to their best players fouling out of the contest. Both overtime periods, Valhalla was called for 10 while Helix was called for 0. The second overtime period saw Helix outscore Valhalla 8-2 to give the contest its final outcome.

For the Highlanders, JUSTIN FLISHER tallied 14, JAYLEN ARNOLD scored 14 and DYLAN LEE canned 13 on the night. In fact both Flisher and Arnold rolled double-doubles as both corralled 12 boards apiece. Tambwe as well rolled a double-double as he grabbed 10 boards.

The Norsemen had a double-double of their own as Henderson grabbed 12 boards to go with his points. Yousif dished out 4 assists to go with his 14 points. The other reason Valhalla was able to get back into the contest was JORDAN ELLIS also poured in 14 points.

Valhalla: Nathan Yousif 14 (3 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk), Jordan Ellis 14 (3 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk), Cole Henderson 13 (12 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk), John Murad 11 (4 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl), Kai Komaki 11 (2 reb), Matthew Sako 4 (8 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl), Malique Shaw 2 (4 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk).

Helix: Malik Tambwe 26 (10 reb, 2 stl, 4 blk), Justin Flisher 14 (12 reb, 1 ast, 3 stl), Jaylen Arnold 14 (6 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk), Dylan Lee 13 (3 reb, 3 ast), Carson Baker 4 (10 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk), Amari Green 2 (5 reb, 2 ast), Ilyas Beltz 2 (1 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl), Isaiah Wooden (1 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk).