© East County Sports.com
LA MESA — Many of those who have gone before him have possessed more height, superior quickness and bigger numbers.

But Helix High senior DAVID JEFFERSON is a player who had to be seen to be believed.

Averaging 17.1 points and 11.7 rebounds per game, Jefferson shot an East County best 57.8 percent (211-for 365) from the field and blocked 80 shots as a senior. Yet, few college coaches expressed keen interest.

Jefferson received lukewarm interest from a handful of colleges outside of Cuyamaca College, which has stalked him all of his senior season.

Wofford (S.C) was the lone Division I institution to make a pitch for Jefferson . Division II schools Chico State and Cal Poly-Pomona also were in touch.

The Lumberjacks of Humboldt State were the lucky winners in the bidding derby to woo Jefferson onboard.

“I really liked the guys up there because they reminded me of my Helix team,” said Jefferson . “We meshed together so well I felt like I was at home.”

The 2007 East County Player of the Year, Jefferson led the Highlanders (31-2) to the San Diego CIF Division I championship. Unheralded Helix advanced to the SoCal Regional playoffs, winning two straight as the underdog before falling in the third round.

The 6-foot-5 Jefferson played the post position for the Highlanders against players much taller than he for the majority of his senior season. He will be asked to expand his game and improve upon his perimeter shooting.

“The Humboldt coaches know that David is undersized for the position he played in high school,” Helix coach JOHN SINGER said. “But once you get to know him, see him on the court, you know he likes to compete."

“David Jefferson is a great find for Humboldt State . I’m very happy for him,” Singer said.

© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (4-18-07) — Two East County student-athletes were included in the Cal Hi Sports All-State basketball selections for the 2006-07 season.

Helix High senior DAVID JEFFERSON and Foothills Christian TROY LEAF were recognized by the state’s most prestigious sports organization. Jefferson was named to the All-Division I first team, while Leaf was named to the All-Freshmen first team.

At 6-foot-5, Jefferson was the East County Player of the Year and led the under-sized Highlanders to a 31-2 record and into the SoCal Regionals. Jefferson was East County ’s top shooter from the field, hitting 57.8 percent of 365 shots. He also blocked 80 shots and averaged 17.1 points per game.

Jefferson was first team across the board, earning berths on the All-Union-Tribune and the Breitbard San Diego Hall of Champions teams. Not to be forgotten, he was also the Grossmont South League Player of the Year.

Leaf averaged an East County-best 25.2 points per game in his freshman season. He was named Citrus League Player of the Year and was a third-team pick on the All-San Diego Union-Tribune team, although he failed to make the San Diego Hall of Champions' All-CIF team.

SOUTH 121, NORTH 114
NORTH (114) -- Kris Corso (La Costa Canyon) 7 0-0 15, Pat Eveland (San Pasqual) 4 0-0 9, Greg Grimm (Rancho Buena Vista) 4 2-4 13, Carl Hauke (Rancho Bernardo) 2 0-0 4, Caleb Stratton (La Costa Canyon) 0 0-0 0, Kurtis Voris (Mt. Carmel) 2 0-0 4, Orlan Jackman (Army-Navy) 2 1-2 5, Richard LaFleur (Escondido) 2 0-0 4, Theo Overstreet (Escondido) 0 0-0 0, Goose Peterson (Carlsbad) 2 0-1 4, Tyler Bernardini (Francis Parker) 8 2-2 21, Marquise Carter (Horizon) 6 4-4 18, Miles Hamilton (Calipatria) 3 0-0 6, Shawn Lasalita (Francis Parker) 4 2-2 11. Totals 46 11-17 114.

SOUTH (121) -- LaShard Anderson (Serra) 2 0-0 5, Domenic Cosentino (Otay Ranch) 3 1-2 8, James Hancock (Mission Bay) 5 0-0 10, Robert Hayes (St. Augustine) 2 2-2 8, David Jefferson (Helix) 7 5-5 20, JayDee Luster (Hoover) 5 1-1 11, Andrew Mikutis (Christian) 2 0-0 5, Greg Murray (Serra) 3 2-4 9, Tyrone Shelley (Crawford) 13 6-10 33, Kenton Walker (Scripps Ranch) 3 0-0 6, Todd Doxey (Hoover) 2 0-0 4, Gabriel Alcala (Hilltop) 0 0-0 0. Totals 47 17-24 121.

North All-Stars.......... 51 63 ---- 114
South All-Stars.......... 59 62 ---- 121

3-point goals ---- Tyler Bernardini (N) 3, Greg Grimm (N) 3, Marquise Carter (N) 2, Kris Corso (N) 1, Shawn Lasalita (N) 1, Pat Eveland (N) 1, Robert Hayes (S) 2, Tyrone Shelley (S) 1, Domenic Cosentino (S) 1, Greg Murray (S) 1, LaShard Anderson (S) 1, David Jefferson (S) 1, Andrius Mikutis (S) 1. Total fouls ---- North 16, South 13. Fouled out ---- none. Technicals ---- none.

Greg Grimm (RBV) won the 3-point shooting contest, hitting nine in overtime to dege Shawn Lasalita (Francis Parker), who had six. Greg Murray (Serra) won the slam dunk contest.

© East County Sports.com
BALBOA PARK (3-25-07) -- Helix High center DAVID JEFFERSON was one of 10 players honored with a first-team berth on the All-CIF team in basketball for the 2006-07 season.

Tyrone Shelley of Crawford was voted the player of the year, while John King of Scripps Ranch was tabbed coach of the year.

Joining Jefferson is Highlanders teammate LAWRENCE HURDLE, who received a second-team berth.

The San Diego Hall of Champions is pleased to announce the official All-CIF teams for the San Diego Section, which have been selected under the auspices of the Hall of Champions since 1960.

The All-CIF teams, with the exception of wrestling, are selected by a vote of a media panel with input from coaches. The All-CIF wrestling team is determined by the champions of each weight class at the Masters tournament.

For a list of honorees in all winter sports, visit the Hall's website, at www.sdhoc.com.

Asaciovas, Mikutis shine, but South
claims annual Senior Showcase, 99-96

© East County Sports.com
RANCHO SAN DIEGO (3-24-07) – Two Christian High seniors – guard ANDRUIS MIKUTIUS and forward VIKTOR ASACIOVAS – dominated the 9th annual East County Senior Showcase all-star basketball festivities Friday (Mar. 23) at Cuyamaca College.

Mikutis captured both the slam dunk and 3-point shooting competition, then directed the North Stars back from a 15-point deficit to take a late lead. However, the South rallied in the final minutes to claim a narrow 99-96 decision.

The event was hosted by Cuyamaca College head basketball coach ROB WOJTKOWSKI and sponsored by East County Sports.com.

Helix guard LAWRENCE HURDLE tallied a game-high 28 points for the South, scoring the majority of his points in the first half to claim a double-digit lead. But when the reserves took over, the North fought back, as Asaciovas collected a team-best 26 points, while Mikutis added 23.

However, a quartet of Helix Highlanders -- ERIC FORNEY, DORIAN STATON, BRANDON FOUNTAIN and Hurdle – returned to the floor to help the South eliminate the North's 7-point advantage over the final five minutes.

JAMAR RANSOME of Monte Vista poured in 20 points for the South, while COURTNEY WRATHER of Mount Miguel added 14,

The leading Grossmont Conference scorer for the North was JOHN VASQUEZ of Santana, who collected 13 points, including a trio of 3-point shots, while North League Player of the Year PETER GILSON of West Hills had 11.

Mikutis won the 3-point shooting competition by defeating Hurdle in the final round.

In the dunk competition, Asaciovas and teammate Mikutis, East County's second-leading scorer this past season, each recorded identical scores in the final round, so a tiebreaker was needed. But when a missed shot by Asaciovas hit the back of the rim and bounded long to center court, Mikutis playfully collected the loose ball and fired a halfcourt shot to the opposite basket.

Swish! -- and the game director declared Mikutis the victor to the delight of several hundred East County basketball fans.

© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (3-11-07) — This season belonged to the Helix Highlanders, who finished 31-2 and reached the Southern California Regional Division I semifinals for the first time. Along the way the Highlanders won three preseason tournaments, went undefeated in the Grossmont South League, captured their third San Diego CIF Division I title and posted a pair of regional playoff victories for the first time ever.

Helix center David Jefferson takes the ball hard to the basket to lead the Scotties over Escondido for the CIFSDS Division I crown. (Photo by Greg Eichelberger)

Helix senior DAVID JEFFERSON was named East County Sports.com Player of the Year while earning a first-team berth for the second straight season.

Helix senior guard LAWRENCE HURDLE, a second team pick a year ago, earned a first-team berth this season, while Highlanders senior guard BRANDON FOUNTAIN was recognized for the first time and made the top five.

Helix’s JOHN SINGER was named East County Sports.com Coach of the Year for the second time in the last three seasons.

East County Sports.com Rookie of the Year honors went to Foothills Christian freshman guard TROY LEAF, who led the region with a 25.2 scoring average.

At 6-foot-5, Jefferson was the centerpiece for the under-sized Highlanders, who won 29 in a row before falling to Westchester in the SoCal Regional semifinals. Jefferson was East County ’s top shooter from the field, hitting 57.8 percent of 365 shots. He also blocked 80 shots and averaged 17.1 points per game.

A third-team pick as a junior, Monte Vista guard ROSHUN WYNNE was named to the All-East County Sports.com first-time as a senior.

Christian High senior ANDRIUS MIKUTIS moved up from second team All-East County Sports.com a year ago to first team in his final season.

© East County Sports.com
LOS ANGELES (3-11-07) — In his 26 years of coaching Helix Highlanders basketball, JOHN SINGER has reached his share of milestones. His 501 wins (against 198 losses) make him the second-winningest boys basketball coach in San Diego CIF history.

Singer’s 12 Grossmont League championships and three SDCIF crowns also tell of his man’s storied career. But few seasons have been more rewarding than this year’s campaign where the Highlanders presented their hard-working mentor with achievements not even he expected.

“I am so proud of what this team accomplished,” said Singer, who saw his visiting Highlanders fall to Westchester 64-46 in Saturday’s (Mar. 10) Southern California Division I semifinals. “At the same time I’m sad to see it end. We just got beat by a better team.”

Singer’s latest Helix squad won three tournament championships (Hilltop, Red Bluff and Spartan Classic), captured the Grossmont South League crown with a perfect 10-0 record, rode a four-game sweep to the SDCIF Division I title and posted the first two SoCal Regional victories in school history. This club also put together a 29-game winning streak.

“I’m not going to gauge this season on this last game,” Singer said. “I’m viewing the season from a totality standpoint. We had a unique group of kids who made a lot of things go well.”

Against Westchester (24-6), the Highlanders (31-2) fought to a 17-17 draw after one quarter. The second period, however, was much slower paced before the Comets eventually picked up the tempo for a 9-1 run and a 26-18 advantage at the break.

Helix, which gave away a decisive size advantage to the Comets, somehow remained in contention for three quarters, trailing only 39-32 with eight minutes to play.

When DAVID JEFFERSON – the Highlanders’ tallest player at 6-foot-5 – fouled out early in the final period, Helix’s chances for an upset wilted.

Jefferson finished with an amazing 19 rebounds, 11 points, 5 blocks and 5 steals.

“David has been a huge guy for us all year, and when we lost him we were finished,” Singer admitted. “ Westchester had three or four guys bigger than David, but he held his own for as long as he could.”

Westchester broke the game open with a 25-14 scoring edge in the fourth quarter.

“There is a reason why these guys go to the SoCal finals and to state every year,” Singer said. “They are easily the best team we’ve played. When you get to this level, it’s a different caliber of competition. These guys play nothing but basketball and they do it year-round.

“They were more physical, more powerful and deeper across the board.”

Senior BRANDON FOUNTAIN, known more for his defensive prowess, led the Highlanders with 12 points. The 6-foot guard hit six of 11 shots from the floor and nabbed 5 rebounds.

LAWRENCE HURDLE added 9 points and 4 assists for Helix.

“Those three seniors (Jefferson, Fountain and Hurdle) have been with me for four years, and I’m really going to miss them,” Singer said. “They’ve been a rock for us.”

Helix’s troubles began long before game time. The Highlanders’ charter bus began leaking antifreeze near Del Mar, which forced them to stop. A replacement bus picked the team up and continued the sojourn north, but not before a one, hour, 20-minute delay.

Singer said the Highlanders arrived at Westchester little more than a half hour before game time.

“Usually, we have a 45-minute shoot around, but that didn’t happen this time,” the coach said. “We got a quick warm up, and then the game started.

“I’m not saying that cost us the game, because they were the better team.”

When the Highlanders ran onto the floor for the first time they were greeted by a loud round of applause from the Helix faithful that made the trip to Inglewood .

“It was nice to see all those Helix people up there,” Singer said. “Some of the parents came down to talk to their kids and asked why we were late. That’s understandable, but it’s just one more thing that took us out of our pregame routine.”

Helix statistics: Brandon Fountain 12, David Jefferson 11, Lawrence Hurdle 9, Donnie McGowan 8 (6 rebs), Dorian Staton 3 (5 rebs), Tyonte Hosley 2, Eric Forney 1. Kareem Abukar 7 rebounds, 3 assists.

© East County Sports.com
LA MESA (3-9-07) -- With apologies to the BILL WALTON-led championship teams of 1969 and 1970, the Helix Highlanders have advanced farther into postseason play than ever before.

Senior center DAVID JEFFERSON produced game-highs of 28 points, 15 rebounds and 7 blocks in easily out-playing opposing center Joseph Richard, powering the Highlanders to a surprisingly easy 78-63 verdict over San Bernardino's Arroyo Valley High in Thursday's (Mar. 8) CIF Southern California Division I regional quarterfinals.

The Highlanders (31-1), winners of a school-record 31 victories, advance to the Southland Final Four for the first time ever, traveling to Los Angeles to meet second-seeded Westchester (23-6) on Saturday (Mar. 10). The L.A. City Section champion Comets, located west of Interstate-5 from the Forum in Inglewood, advanced by topping L.A. Dorsey, 90-75.

Jefferson's point production was second only to a 31-point effort in the Scotties' first game of the season against Orange Glen. But it was his defense against Richard which allowed Helix to expand a 33-24 halftime lead into a comfortable 23-point cushion.

Jefferson got into the head of the bigger Richard by blocking four of his shots, including two within a step of the basket. But his decoy technique early in the third quarter proved significant.

Instead of going for the rejection, Jefferson faked going up, but Richard adjusted his shot anyway and badly bricked a 3-footer. Jefferson rebounded and sent an outlet pass to LAWRENCE HURDLE, who collected one of his five assists on a fastbreak layin by BRANDON FOUNTAIN and a 41-26 lead.

Moments later, Jefferson skied high for an offensive rebound and a two-handed slam dunk in one motion to ignite the sellout Caledonia Gym crowd. Fountain then found Jefferson for a driving layin while being fouled by Richard -- his fourth -- triggering a 14-3 stretch to mount a 63-40 advantage.

"I didn't even think I could jump that high," mused Jefferson . "But we were all so pumped up, it just happened."

The scoring run was capped on a steal tapped away by both KAREEM ABUKAR and Hurdle, as DONALD McGOWAN collected the ball and politely rewarded Abukar with the return pass for another transition layin in the beat-down of the San Andreas League titlists.

Helix closed the triumph by hitting 11 of 17 foul shots.

"That's how it's been with us all year," said Jefferson . "We're not a tall team and we always seem to play teams taller than us, but I tried to use my four years of knowledge to overcome that."

It's been a recurring theme this postseason.

"Especially when we played a big team like San Diego ," added Jefferson . "I just tried to play physical and do what I could."

Meanwhile, Fountain again was saddled with Helix' toughest defensive assignment.

"Brandon always guards the other team's best player and he shut another guy down," added the senior center. "And when Lawrence got that steal in the third quarter, it was a momentum boost for us."

Hurdle helped dictate the defensive effort in the opening minutes, standing his ground while taking an elbow to the chest, yet gaining the offensive foul call on the Hawks (24-7).

McGowan added the finishing touches with six of his 14 points in the final period. Hurdle added 13 points, while Fountain was a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor for 10 points.

Walton's teams, coached by GORDON NASH, captured consecutive San Diego Section titles, but were prevented from advancing any further since the CIF did not offer a state championship tournament at the time.

Helix scoring: David Jefferson 28, Donnie McGowan 14, Lawrence Hurdle 13, Brandon Fountain 10, Kareem Abukar 6, Eric Forney 4, Dorian Staton 2, Redd Narcisse 1.

PACIFIC HILLS 95, FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 90 (3 OT) – BRAD LEAF called Thursday’s (Mar. 8) CIF Southern California Regional quarterfinal “the best high school basketball game I’ve ever seen.”

And Leaf, who coached Steele Canyon for four years earlier in the decade, saw his teams involved in some uncanny donnybrooks as well.

“It was back and forth all night,” said Leaf. “It was a real crowd pleaser.”

The bottom line is, Leaf viewed the hard-fought loss for his Knights (24-6) as a stepping stone to the future.

“For a program in only its second varsity season, this was a huge success – huge,” Leaf emphasized. “We only lose one senior, everyone else is back. Next year can only be better.”

Freshman TROY LEAF, the East County scoring leader, tallied a game-high 39 points, including 5 triples and 8 of 9 free throw shooting.

With 5 seconds left in regulation, Foothills Christian had a chance to win, but ZACH KAUL’s shot at the buzzer failed to make the mark.

In the end, Pacific Hills (23-8) of West Hollywood outscored the Knights 14-9 in the third 4-minute overtime to advance to the Division V semifinals.

Foothills Christian had several opportunities to fold, but did not. In the first overtime an intentional foul against Pacific Hills allowed Troy Leaf to hit a free throw to send the game into the second 4-minute overtime.

In the second overtime Foothills Christian appeared to be finished as the Knights trailed by 5 with 42 seconds to play. Leaf hit a 3-pointer to close the gap. Then on a scramble with 8 seconds left, Leaf came up with the ball and fired it to Kaul with 3 seconds left. In a single motion Kaul caught the pass and fired up the shot to hit a basket and tie it at 81-all.

Thus the game continued into a third extra 4-minute session.

Not that Foothills Christian didn’t have its chances, but two key turnovers spelled the end for the Knights.

“Our hugest flaw was we just couldn't get that one huge dagger to fall,” said Foothills Christian assistant coach JAMES McHUGH. “We'd go up by one and the next two shots would rim out. We'd make a great steal and then the shot would rim out. We just couldn't get that one shot to put us over the top.”

Kaul finished with 23 points, including 4 triples, which raised his East County leading total to 104.

KALOB HATCHER canned 16 points, dished 11 assists and made 8 steals for the Knights.

Hatcher’s thefts allowed him to tie JayDee Luster’s single season steals record of 189 set by the Hoover kingpin last year.

Foothills Christian scoring: Troy Leaf 39, Zach Kaul 23, Kalob Hatcher 16, Aaron Hale 8, Brandon Hale 2, Ronnie Richards 2.

© East County Sports.com
LA MESA (3-07-07) — Nobody in the immediate circle of Helix basketball followers could recall the last time the Highlanders won a game in the Southern California Regionals.

On the other hand, nobody was overly concerned.

What mattered was the Highlanders geared up to wipe out a 50-27 deficit in dealing visiting Perris a 65-62 loss Tuesday night (Mar. 6) and advanced to Thursday’s (Mar. 8) SoCal Division I Regional quarterfinals against Arroyo Valley at 7 p.m. at Caledonia Gym.

The Highlanders’ victory over the Panthers could be dubbed the “Amazing Race.”

Despite a lackluster start, which allowed the Highlanders to fall farther behind than they’ve been in any game this season, Helix broke the downward spiral in the middle of the third quarter.

Realizing that they were on the brink of elimination, the Highlanders (30-1) picked up the pace and began dictating policy to once-imposing Perris (19-11).

The Highlanders, in fact, outscored Perris 38-12 over the final 12:04 to present coach JOHN SINGER with his 500th coaching victory. The veteran of coaching 26 boys basketball seasons, Singer has an amazing 500-197 (a winning percentage of .717) record, 12 Grossmont League championships and three SDCIF titles (four if you include his tenure as girls coach).

“Even though he doesn’t show it, we knew getting that 500th win meant a lot to Coach Singer,” said Helix junior DONNIE McGOWAN, who scored 7 of his 10 points off the bench in the fourth quarter.

KAREEM ABUKAR, steadiest of the Helix scorers with 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting including three connections above the arc, kept the Highlanders hopes alive in a lackluster first half and then helped nail down the win in the final quarter.

Abukar, who dished 7 assists, scored seven of his points in the last quarter, including a pair of free throws that extended a one-point Helix edge to three with 4 seconds left.

While the two juniors provided the spark, the Highlanders’ surge to a 28th straight win could not have been completed without a helping hand of the seniors.

DAVID JEFFERSON, a 6-5 senior who was surrounded by a trio of taller Panthers every time he touched the ball, was twice called for goal-tending. Both calls were questionable.

Rising to the occasion has been Jefferson ’s specialty all year. He came up big when the game was on the line again Tuesday night when he tipped in a LAWRENCE HURDLE miss to break a 61-61 tie with 18 seconds left. Jefferson finished with 13 points, 9 rebounds and five blocks.

“Our guys did all the things at the end the way they do it all the time,” Singer said. “They worked clock, good looks, made shots, drew fouls . . . nobody got greedy. We woke up and started playing Helix basketball.”

“That 4th quarter was about as good as we can play. I could not have told them how to play any better,” Singer added.

Jefferson said the Highlanders returned to form in the second half after Singer delivered a spicy pep talk at intermission.

“He told us in some words, chewed us out . . . and we took that to heart and just came out and did it,” said Jefferson of the Highlanders’ reaction to Singer’s halftime chat.

BRANDON FOUNTAIN finished with 9 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Hurdle scored only six points, but chipped in a couple of key 4th quarter baskets in the comeback drive.

Jefferson scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half. Hurdle hit two clutch baskets in the stretch run and ERIC FORNEY contributed a key effort off the bench with 7 points and 8 rebounds.

Not so in the first half.

After enjoying a brief 5-0 lead, the Highlanders seemed to do more watching than playing as the Panthers rode a 24-9 scoring streak to sit on top by 10 points. Perris continued to pour it on until the latter stages of the game.

“I don’t know what we were doing in that first half,” admitted Singer. “We just weren’t aggressive. Coming out after halftime I was kicking myself thinking what is it going to take to wake this team up. “Where are you guys?’”

Singer now knows the answer.

Helix scoring: Kareem Abukar 18 , David Jefferson 13, Donnie McGowan 10, Brandon Fountain 9, Eric Forney 7, Lawrence Hurdle 6, Dorian Staton 2.

© East County Sports.com
LA MESA (3-05-07) — Helix’s JOHN SINGER wasn’t concerned about his pending 500th career coaching victory, nor was he apprehensive about where his Highlanders would be seeded in the Southern California Regional playoffs.

When Singer arrived at Sunday’s (Mar. 4) seeding announcement meeting, he said, “Just give us who we play and I’ll try to find out something about them and go to work on trying to beat them.”

For the record, Helix was seeded 3rd in the Division I playoffs that begin Tuesday night (Mar. 8) when the SDCIF champion Highlanders (29-1) host the Perris (Riverside County) Panthers (19-10) at 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, Foothills Christian, a neophyte to the Southern California Regionals, is seeded 4th in Division V and will host the Pacific Hills Bruins (22-8) of West Hollywood Thursday night (Mar. 8) at Santana High. Tipoff is 7 p.m.

Singer’s Highlanders, who have won 27 games in a row, will have some experience in their lineup when they take on Perris.

DAVID JEFFERSON, LAWRENCE HURDLE and BRANDON FOUNTAIN were all members of the Highlanders 2005 Division I championship team. They were all sophomores at the time when the Fairfax Lions devoured the Highlanders 84-53 in the opening round of the SoCal Regional playoffs.

The aforementioned trio are seniors now in a lineup laden with versatility.

“Those guys are our leaders,” said Singer. “They are the leaders of a very unselfish group. They set the tone for a neat group of kids. Everybody we have is pretty professional about their minutes.”

Singer’s squad did not create a dogpile after the Highlanders won the SDCIF Division I championship by beating Escondido 81-66 Saturday night (Mar. 3) at USD’s Jenny Craig Pavilion.

“We have a quiet group of interchangeable guys,” Singer said. “They know what it takes to win, but they don’t go nuts when we do.”

Singer noted that Fairfax is once again the top-seeded team in Division I. Westchester (23-6) is seeded No. 2. If the Highlanders are successful against Perris, they will travel to Westchester on Saturday night (Mar. 10).

For Foothills Christian, in just its second year of varsity competition, a major key as to how far they advance depends on the health of freshman scoring leader TROY LEAF.

Leaf, who is averaging an East County-best 24-8 points per game, pitched in 18 points – all in the first half – as the Knights clipped Calvin Christian 68-64 in the SDCIF Division V championship game Friday (Mar. 2) at USD.

“Getting these extra two days off really helps us because that allows Troy that much extra time for his ankle to heal,” said Foothills Christian coach BRAD LEAF.

Early scouting reports on Pacific Hills indicates that Foothills Christian should be able to win a high-scoring affair.

© East County Sports.com
ALCALA PARK (3-4-07) -- All of the perceived concepts about what makes for a championship team simply don't apply to the Helix Highlanders.

The Usual Suspects...

Members of the 2006-07 CIF-San Diego Section Division I boys basketball champions from Helix High School pose with their awards. (Photo by Greg Eichelberger)

...and the Crowd Goes Wild

The Scotties' Dorian Staton (15) receives congratulations from official and unofficial members of the cheerleading troop. (Photo by Greg Eichelberger)

In Saturday’s (Mar. 3) surprisingly easy 81-66 conquest of Escondido at USD’s Jenny Craig Pavilion the Highlanders had six players finish in double scoring digits and another pitch in nine points.

It’s tough to defense balance like that.

“We don’t have to have one person score 30 points a game to be successful,” said Helix senior center DAVID JEFFERSON, averaging more than 18 points per game. “We have people who can shoot, we have people who can dribble and a lot of people who can play defense. And the funny thing is they don’t think we have people who can score.”

No individual records were set during Saturday’s conquest of Escondido , but the Highlanders found untapped scoring muscle from reserves ERIC FORNEY (12 points) and DONNIE McGOWAN (10 points). Between the two they missed only one of 9 shots from the field, grabbed 12 rebounds and dished 5 assists.

Starters KAREEM ABUKAR and defensive ace BRANDON FOUNTAIN shared the high-point honors for Helix with 13 apiece.

Sharing the headline victory for the Highlanders was Helix veteran coach JOHN SINGER celebrating his 499th victory (against 197 losses) of his 27-year career.

Instead of focusing exclusively on their championship victory, the Helix players quickly turned their attention to Singer. Hugs, handshakes . . . Singer’s players gave their coach a physical salute as well as an autographed basketball with No. 499 in dominant position.

Singer admitted balancing a ball on his home mantle won’t be easy, but noted he has a place for memories he has gathered as a player and coach.

“I have a little thing that I’ve got some stuff in my house that I keep,” Singer said. “There are some balls the kids have given me after 300 (wins) and 400 wins that I’ve got.”

Singer hinted that retirement may be near as he noted that he relishes the opportunity to watch his boy (John Jr.) and girl (Hayley) play basketball in their youth.

“I want to do that, but I still have the fire, still love to take a group of kids and bring them together,” Singer said. “That has always been my goal.”

Mission accomplished this season.

Although Escondido scored the most points against Helix all season, the Highlanders’ defense still managed to make contributions to Helix’s 27th straight win.

So when Helix turned it up a notch defensively after Escondido scored on its first five possessions of the Division I final, any chance the Cougars had to stay close were quickly vanquished. The Highlanders closed the first period on a 17-4 run.

And when the Highlanders drained 10-of-14 shots (71 percent) to open the second half, the lead stretched to as many as 23 points at 59-36 on a baseline jump shot by Abukar.

Jefferson was the focal point. Along with his presence inside, the senior grabbed seven boards, blocked seven shots, registered several assists and even went a perfect 4-for-4 at the foul line.

With the triumph, Helix will host a first-round South regional contest in the CIF state championships. The date and opponent will be determined Sunday (Mar. 4).

Escondido's Theo Overstreet collected 19 points, but the Cougars (26-5) didn't have nearly the firepower to offset the red-hot Scotties.

Helix scoring: Brandon Fountain 13, Kareem Abukar 13, David Jefferson 12, Dorian Staton 12, Eric Forney 12, Donnie McGowan 10, Lawrence Hurdle 9.

© East County Sports.com
SAN DIEGO (3-2-07) — When Foothills Christian embarked on its second varsity season the Knights were considered primary contenders for the San Diego CIF Division V championship. Coach BRAD LEAF’s young team proved early in the season that they might progress enough to be considered favorites.

The Usual Suspects...

Members of the 2006-07 CIF-San Diego Section Division V boys basketball champions from Foothills Christian High School pose with their awards. (Photo by Greg Eichelberger)

...and the Crowd Goes Wild

Fans and supporters of the Knights offer their congratulations. (Photos by Adolfo Villanueva)

Then adversity struck when freshman sensation TROY LEAF injured an ankle during a practice the night before the division semifinals. Young Leaf missed the semifinal game against Vincent Memorial but felt strong enough to go in Saturday’s (Mar. 2) championship game against Calvin Christian.

The 6-foot-1 guard sparked a 2nd quarter comeback with 14 points as Foothills Christian went on to edge Calvin Christian 68-64 at USD’s Jenny Craig Pavilion.

The victory marked the first SDCIF championship in Foothills Christian’s brief history.

“If Troy doesn’t step up in that first half with 18 points, it’s game over,” said coach Leaf. “But he got hot, got rollin’.”

Troy Leaf’s ability to hit 5 of 9 shots from the field – including a pair of triples – and 2 free throws must have been interpreted as a courageous stand by a player who was performing only at 50 percent.

“The other guys got confidence after that, and that was nice,” coach Leaf said.

Sophomore ZACH KAUL, who picked up three fouls in the first 6½ minutes, managed to stay in the game. Kaul sat out for a couple of minutes then returned to the floor and never left again.

Kaul collected 17 points, 4 steals and 3 assists. More than half his points came on shots from the above the arc as he hit 3 of 8 triples.

“The plan was basically someone had to step up in the second half, and that man was obviously KALOB (HATCHER),” said Kaul.

Hatcher, who leads the state in assists and ranks second in the nation with 306 scoring passes, scored 14 points, recorded 5 steals and 5 assists for the Knights (24-5).

Kaul was being modest, as he too helped fill the void of Leaf’s absence.

The Knights were 8 for 19 from 3-point range. Kaul raised his season total to an East County-best 100. But the biggest treys of the evening belonged to DAVID CARTER and BRANDON HALE, as they came in the final four minutes when the Knights moved in front to stay.

Young Leaf, who is averaging 25 points a game, did not score in the second half although he played 7 minutes. It was obvious that his ankle was bothering him.

A Calvin Christian player collided with Leaf, sending both to the floor in the final seconds of the first half, sending both to the floor.

“Their guy kicked Troy ’s foot and it certainly didn’t help,” said coach Leaf.

Foothills Christian is guaranteed a berth in the Southern California Regionals next week and will probably play a home game (at Granite Hills) in the opening round. Just which day that will be is up in the air – it will either be Tuesday (Mar. 6) or Thursday (Mar. 8).

The availability of Troy Leaf is also day-to-day.

Foothills Christian scoring: Troy Leaf 18, Zach Kaul 17, Kalob Hatcher 14, David Carter 10, Aaron Hale 6, Brandon Hale 3.

© East County Sports.com
LA MESA (3-1-07) — Helix senior DAVID JEFFERSON grabbed Highlanders coach JOHN SINGER in a bear hug as the final seconds ticked away in Wednesday’s (Feb. 28) San Diego CIF Division I semifinal played before a turnaway crowd at Caledonia Gym.

Helix center David Jefferson (right) takes to the basket for two points in the Highlanders' 52-42 triumph over San Diego in the CIF semifinals. (Photo by Chris Edwards)

Least not to the Highlanders, who are only 2 points shy of being undefeated as they head into Saturday’s (Mar. 3) SDCIF Division I final against Escondido (26-4) at USD’s Jenny Craig Pavilion at 8 p.m.

Helix guard LAWRENCE HURDLE, who led all scorers with 18 points – most of it coming on 11 of 15 free throw shooting – was so excited that he called the conquest of the Cavers the Highlanders’ biggest win of the year.

Although Hurdle and his teammates were mobbed by the overflow crowd – as if they’d won the NCAA championship – once the team regrouped and retreated to the locker room Singer was quick to point out that Helix still has business to take care of.

Not to be a killjoy, Singer brought his jubilant players back to reality.

“Yeah, this is a nice win and we’ll celebrate it for a few hours and then start thinking about a game much bigger than this,” he told his crew. “We haven’t won anything yet.”

The smaller Highlanders (28-1) took a swift 5-0 lead and maintained control throughout the evening, forcing the Cavers (22-6) to play catch-up.

“If you look at the match-up on paper you might think San Diego would manhandle us with all their size,” Singer said. “But you’ve gotta give it to our kids, they were fighting like little tigers out there.”

Despite their decisive height advantage – the Cavers’ starters averaged 6-foot-6 compared to the Highlanders, who were giving away an average of 6 inches per man – San Diego was unable to dominate inside.

Helix’s constant pressure forced the Cavers into 17 turnovers, and somehow managed to grab a 40-30 advantage on the boards.

“I knew their shooting was suspect but I was worried about them pounding us on the glass and getting second and third opportunities,” Singer said. “But that didn’t happen. We got five guys on the glass and even ( San Diego ’s) tremendous size couldn’t deny us.”

In Singer’s 30 seasons of coaching all he’s ever talked about is ‘defense first.’ This game was a perfect example of that philosophy, as the Highlanders shot only 31 percent from the floor (15 of 49).

Not surprisingly, the tenacious Highlanders rarely gave up an uncontested shot to the giant Cavers. San Diego shot only 28 percent (12 of 43). Had the Cavers not connected on 16 of 19 free throws, the Highlanders might have authored a rout.

Statistics aside, the tension and electricity that comes from playoff games was definitely in the air. Although the Highlanders led by as many as 13 points, they could never lower their guard as San Diego’s talent level let it be known that the Cavers could erupt at any moment.

While Helix had 11 assists on its 15 baskets, the Cavers had only 6 on their 12 buckets.

“We knew we were up against it, but our guys never argue with each other. They know the value of togetherness,” said Singer.

Probably the biggest transition basket of the night belonged to KAREEM ABUKAR who diluted the Cavers’ comeback energy by turning a steal into a lay-up that gave Helix a 43-38 advantage with 4:36 remaining. San Diego ’s 6-10 freshman Jeremy Tyler fouled out in his attempt to block Abukar’s shot.

Hurdle scored 8 of Helix’s final 9 points – 6 of those points coming from the free throw line.

“We frustrated them with our pressure defense,” said Helix senior guard BRANDON FOUNTAIN, who does not receive the accolades he deserves for his defensive prowess. “They always put me on the other team’s biggest scorer and tonight it happened to be (6-8) Jamelle Horne. He’s a great player, but I think he and their team came into the game kind of big-headed.”

Fountain scored 10 points and grabbed 8 rebounds.

“They had the bigger team but we had the bigger heart,” he said.

The Highlanders have won SDCIF crowns two of the last five years: Division I in 2005 and Division II in 2002. In a different twist, Helix’s girls will also be playing for the Division I championship Saturday night when they take on Eastlake (27-4) at USD at 6 o’clock.

Helix scoring: Lawrence Hurdle 18 (5 ast.), David Jefferson 11, Brandon Fountain 10, Kareem Abukar 7 (6 reb.), Dorian Staton 6 (4 reb., 2 blk.).

Foothills Christian guard Kalob Hatcher (left) scores over Vincent Memorial's Jose Neri in the Knights' 69-54 triumph in the CIF semifinals. (Photo by Greg Eichelberger)

© East County Sports.com
LA MESA (2-25-07) — The Helix Highlanders, who are only two points away from being undefeated, are living up to their No. 1 ranking.

Helix center David Jefferson (left) scores inside to help defeat Otay Ranch, 71-50. (Photo by Greg Eichelberger)

After eliminating Otay Ranch 71-50 in Saturday’s (Feb. 24) San Diego CIF Division I quarterfinal, the Highlanders will find out if they are suited for the gold ring.

Helix (27-1), which has not lost a game since December 5th – a 56-54 loss to Rancho Buena Vista, a team that has since been eliminated – will take on the giants of San Diego High in Wednesday’s (Feb. 28) Division I semifinals in La Mesa.

The Highlanders, who will give away a decisive height advantage to the Cavers (22-5), always seem to find a way to win, no matter what the odds.

Facing a San Diego lineup that includes 6-foot-10 freshman Jeremy Tyler, 6-8 Jamelle Horne and 6-6 Enrique Vazquez, the Highlanders – who’s tallest starter is 6-5 senior DAVID JEFFERSON – will be completely overmatched on paper.

Fortunately for the Highlanders, the games are played on hardwood and don’t involve rocks, paper or scissors.

Helix coach JOHN SINGER, who celebrated his 497th coaching win at Otay Ranch’s expense, said he wanted to relish this win rather than dwell on the Cavers.

After a slow start the Highlanders put the vise grips on the Mustangs’ free-wheeling offense to lead 36-29 at intermission.

A 19-7 third quarter scoring squeeze vaulted Helix into a 55-36 advantage.

LAWRENCE HURDLE led the Highlanders with 20 points, 5 assists and 5 steals as Helix made 27 of 51 shots from the field (53 percent).

BRANDON FOUNTAIN, the centerpiece of Helix’s gnarly defense, had one of his better offensive nights with 15 points.

Although the Highlanders’ offensive numbers were nothing spectacular, the fact that they had six players score 8 points or more proved that they are a balanced team that is tough to defend.

Even though Hurdle was at the scoring pinnacle for Helix, he was more pleased by his defensive play.

“Coach Singer keeps pushing us to play harder defense,” said Hurdle. “He tells us all the time that offense will come if we play defense.”

Jefferson did not have a big numbers night against the taller Mustangs (17-8), but he scored 5 of his 9 points in the pivotal third quarter. For the night, Jefferson blocked 3 shots, grabbed 8 rebounds, dished 4 assists and made 3 steals. That is further proof that at Helix, quality play is not measured by high point totals.

After Otay Ranch sprinted to an early 14-6 lead, the Highlanders dug in. Back-to-back 3-point buckets by DORIAN STATON and a three-point play by BRANDON FOUNTAIN gave Helix an 15-14 advantage after one quarter.

The Mustangs would only lead one time after that as the Highlanders’ grinding defense eventually knocked Otay Ranch off its offensive track.

Anthony Cosentino topped Otay Ranch scorers with 17 points – 12 of them coming in the first quarter – and 8 rebounds.

Helix scoring: Lawrence Hurdle 20, Brandon Fountain 15, David Jefferson 9, Donnie McGowan 9, Dorian Staton 8, Kareem Abukar 8, Eric Forney 2.

FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 95, SD JEWISH ACADEMY 47 – Following a two-week hiatus between games, the Knights' shooting was more than just rusty, missing their first nine shots from the floor.

So when head coach BRAD LEAF inserted senior DAVID CARTER into the lineup just two minutes into Friday's (Feb. 24) San Diego CIF Division V quarterfinals, the anticipated rout was again on.

In the best outing of his career, Carter immediately stole an inbounds pass and scored Foothills' initial basket, springboarding the Knights to their first-ever postseason victory.

Carter was at the center of the team's postgame ceremony honoring the ballclub's lone player to graduate this school year.

"It was a special night for David. We honored him after the game and coach Leaf had some great things to say about him," noted assistant coach JAMES McHUGH. "To top it all off, David played the best game of his career."

The 8th-seeded Lions stayed close to Foothills throughout the first period, only trailing 22-19. But when KALOB HATCHER drained consecutive 3-point shots in the second period, the Knights raced to a 51-29 halftime cushion.

Freshman guard TROY LEAF launched three straight treys in the third period, part of his game-high 33 points, including a pair of bombs with defenders in his face to get the crowd into the contest. And when Leaf garnered a steal for a breakaway capped by a slam dunk, Knights fans starting looking forward to Wednesday's (Feb. 28) semifinals.

Foothills (22-5) will host Vincent Memorial of Calexico in a 7 p.m. tipoff at Granite Hills. The fourth-seeded Scots (12-7) advanced by nipping Tri-City Christian, 55-51.

Along with key steals by Carter and Leaf, Hatcher topped them both with a game-best 10 steals, moving into the third place on the all-time San Diego Section single-season list with 169.

AARON HALE added 13 points and 14 rebounds for Foothills, while Leaf also registered a double-double by grabbing 16 boards. Meanwhile, Hatcher recoded a triple-double with 29 points, 11 assists and 10 steals.

Foothills scoring: Troy Leaf 33 (16 reb.), Kalob Hatcher 29 (11 ast., 10 stl.), Aaron Hale 13 (14 reb.), Zach Kaul 8, David Carter 7 (5 stl.), Ronnie Richards 3, Nick Duenez 2.

Top: Roshunn Wynne of Monte Vista; Bottom: Hoover guard Todd Doxey. (Photos by Adolfo Villanueva)

HOOVER 65, MONTE VISTA 56 – Playing at Hoover is always a tall order these days, but the visiting Monte Vista Monarchs went toe-to-toe with the third-seeded Cardinals in Saturday’s (Feb. 24) San Diego CIF Division II quarterfinal.

Guided by senior JAMAR RANSOME’s ability to hit his first six shots from the field, the Monarchs held a 29-27 edge with a minute to go before intermission.

But Hoover (17-13) got the tying basket to make it 29-29 at the break, and then outscored the Monarchs 15-5 in the third period to take control.

Once again Monte Vista (18-11) stormed back into contention, chopping the Hoover advantage to a single point in the fourth quarter.

Although he fouled out with 4 minutes left, Monte Vista’s RYAN HOUSER made 6 fourth-quarter points.

“When we made the run in the fourth quarter, Houser was the spark,” Monte Vista coach KEVIN MAHADY said. “After we lost Houser, (long-ball shooter) Mike Watkins cramped up and we had to play people out of position.”

Those complications, plus the fact that Hoover outscored the Monarchs 21-3 on three-pointers, was too much to overcome. Five different Hoover players hit treys.

Ransome turned in a powerful game with 23 points, 13 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 blocks.

Senior floor leader ROSHUN WYNNE added 17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.

“Ransome and Wynne are very fine players and will be hard to replace,” said Mahady.

Houser, a junior, finished with 9 points and 6 rebounds.

Commenting on his first year as the Monarchs head coach, Mahady said “It was a great run. I’m disappointed we didn’t win tonight, I really thought we were going to win. But I couldn’t be happier with the group of kids we had, they are all good people. We only lose four seniors, two of them starters.”

Monte Vista scoring: Jamar Ransome 23, Roshun Wynne 17, Ryan Houser 9, Mike Watkins 5, Alex Robinson 2.

ARMY-NAVY 57, CHRISTIAN 55 – The visiting Christian High Patriots let this one get away. When leading scorer ANDRIUS MIKUTIS fouled out with 2:45 remaining, the Patriots were in charge of a 6-point lead in Saturday night’s (Feb. 24) San Diego CIF Division IV quarterfinal against Army-Navy in Carlsbad .

The Warriors’ Marcus Williams stole a pass with 25 seconds to go and then beat the Patriots on transition for the winning basket.

“It should have never come down to that,” said Christian coach KEN BAILEY. “We had many opportunities to put the game away in the final minutes.”

Christian (13-13) missed the front end of four one-and-one free throw opportunities in the last two minutes, as well as turning the ball over three times, during that costly span.

Mikutis finished the final game of his two-year Christian career with 20 points, 8 rebounds and four assists.

The 6-foot-7 VIKTOR ASACIOVAS was powerful inside against a tall Army-Navy lineup, totaling 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Junior guard DANIEL HAZLETT added 16 points, most of them coming on his 55th, 56th and 57th three-pointers. But Hazlett, East County ’s leading free throw shooter, converted only 1 of 4 chances from the charity stripe.

“We had the game in our hands until late,” said Bailey. “But hey, we don’t want to take anything away from Army-Navy, so hats off to them.”

At 6-foot-7, Orlan Jackman led the Warriors with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Army-Navy (17-8) advances to the SDCIF semifinals for the first time in 22 years.

Christian scoring: Andrius Mikutis 20, Viktor Asaciovas 17, Daniel Hazlett 16, Brad Johnston 2.

LA JOLLA 74, MOUNT MIGUEL 49 – It wasn’t the way coach JAY ROWLETT and his Matadors wanted to see the season end – a San Diego CIF Division III quarterfinal loss Saturday night (Feb. 24) at La Jolla .

On the up side, however, the Matadors – who finished 17-13 – had to be pleased by the marked improvement over last year’s 7-20 squad.

In Saturday’s season-ender COURTNEY WRATHER scored 18 points despite missing much of the second quarter with his third foul.

No. 3 seeded La Jolla (15-13), which led 32-20 at the half, went on a 12-0 run to break the game open in the third quarter. The Vikings led by 20 points with 3 minutes left in that period.

Mount Miguel’s troubles began early when junior TRAVON CAPLES sprained an ankle in the first quarter and missed most of the first half. Caples totaled 13 points, as did LARON RUSH, who also twisted an ankle in the third quarter and subsequently missed the whole fourth quarter.

No statistics were supplied by Coach Rowlett.

Mount Miguel scoring: Courtney Wrather 18, Laron Rush 13, Travon Caples 13, OC Basey 4, Devyn Moore 1.

© East County Sports.com
EL CENTRO (2-22-07) — The Monte Vista Monarchs’ trek to the desert certainly did not heat up their shooting, as they connected on just a smidgeon better than 27 percent of 59 shots from the floor.

In spite of their unusually low-shooting accuracy, Monte Vista (18-10) eked out a narrow 46-44 victory over the Imperial Valley League champions in Wednesday’s (Feb. 21) San Diego CIF Division II opener.

The Monarchs scored only 5 points in the first quarter and trailed 22-18 by intermission.

“We were ice cold in the first quarter and down by 11 in the second,” said Monte Vista coach KEVIN MAHADY.

Scotties Block Party

Helix center David Jefferson moves into position (top) to reject this Chula Vista shot (middle), then moments later it's Donald McGowan's turn to say no to the Spartans. (Photos by Chris Edwards)

But an 11-4 run to close the opening half put Monte Vista back in contention.

“We just couldn’t stop their big guy,” said Mahady, speaking of Southwest’s Gabriel Castro, who scored 16 of his game-high 24 points in the first half. “He’s a real bull.”

Monte Vista adjusted its defensive strategy, assigning RYAN HOUSER to defend Castro. It proved to be a wise move, as Castro no longer dominated the game.

“Of all the things we did, putting Houser on Castro was probably the key to our victory,” Mahady noted.

Despite having an off-shooting night, senior guard ROSHUN WYNNE led the Monarchs with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals and 1 block.

His senior sidekick JAMAR RANSOME struggled even more with his shooting but managed to connect on 7 of 9 free throws for 13 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals and a pair of blocks.

“To shoot this poorly and still win says a lot about the character of this team,” Mahady said. “We picked up the tempo in the third quarter, but we still couldn’t shake them.”

A key offensive moment for Monte Vista was a 3-point play executed by GEOFF HARTMAN that gave the Monarchs a 7-point advantage with less than 4 minutes to play.

“It was a turning point in the game, but was one of those things that you wouldn’t see reflected in the box score,” said Mahady.

Mahady was pleased by the school’s support, those students and fans who traveled to the Imperial Valley to root for the Monarchs.

“I was surprised by the number of our people that came down here,” the coach said. “Our people made as much noise as the home team fans did. I know that gave our kids added energy.”

In a sort of a payback, Mahady and his staff took the Monarchs to the El Centro Sonic Burger following the game.

“That’s all our kids could talk about – a chance to eat at Sonic Burger,” Mahady said. “I told them before the game if we won, we would eat at Sonic Burger.”

And so they did.

Monte Vista scoring: Roshun Wynne 21, Jamar Ransome 13, Mike Watkins 6, Geoff Hartman 3, Alex Robinson 2, Ryan Houser 1.

HELIX 74, CHULA VISTA 31 – Those who question whether the Helix Highlanders are worthy of their No. 1 San Diego CIF ranking should take note of the manner in which the Grossmont South League champions destroyed visiting Chula Vista (15-11) in Wednesday’s (Feb. 21) San Diego CIF Division I playoff opener.

“Our guys were so focused after we challenged them to step up to the challenge of the playoffs,” said Helix assistant coach ANDY MERIDETH.

The Highlanders (26-1) took a 39-13 halftime lead on their way to their 24th consecutive victory against a Chula Vista team they beat 63-44 earlier in the season.

Even though there is a contingent of doubters of Helix’s validity, the Highlanders made believers of the Spartans (15-11), denying Chula Vista even a single field goal in the first quarter and limiting the Spartans to only two buckets in the opening half.

“Our kids were just relentless, just amazing on defense,” said Merideth. “Our defensive rotation was the best I’ve ever seen it.”

Chula Vista’s focus was on controlling senior center DAVID JEFFERSON. The Spartans made their point, as Jefferson tallied just 7 points and 10 rebounds while missing much of the action due to foul problems.

Enter Helix’s depth.

Senior guard LAWRENCE HURDLE hammered down a team-best 19 points, snagged 5 rebounds, dished 3 assists and made 3 steals.

Not to be overlooked was the double-double of defensive specialist BRANDON FOUNTAIN, who connected on 5 of 7 floor shots for 10 points and hauled in 10 rebounds.

“We’re not going to beat you with one guy,” Helix head coach JOHN SINGER said. “That’s the great thing about this team. We’re probably eight or nine deep.”

Nine Highlanders contributed to the Helix scoring.

“We jumped them right away,” said Singer of the Highlanders who hustled to a 22-5 first quarter lead.

Senior DORIAN STATON enjoyed one of his finest outings on the court, punching in 12 points on 5 of 8 shooting while logging 6 assists and 4 steals.

Brandon Fountain of Helix skies above a trio of Chula Vista defenders in the Scotties' blowout victory, 74-31, at Caledonia Gym. (Photo by Chris Edwards)

“Staton got us some early points to get us going,” Singer said.

“I was very impressed how we approached this game,” Singer said. “Our three rocks – Jefferson, Fountain and Hurdle – know their purpose. But now our other kids are learning their roles, which makes us a stronger team.”

Senior ERIC FORNEY bounced off the Helix bench to hit 5 of 8 shots from the floor for 10 points while garnering 6 rebounds.

DONNIE McGOWAN pitched in with 7 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and one steal for Helix.

“People think that if they take Jefferson out of his game that we we’re in trouble,” said Merideth. “But they need to know that we have a lot of guys that know their roles and how to contribute.”

Next test for Helix comes Saturday night (Feb. 24) when Otay Ranch visits the Helix campus for a 7 p.m. quarterfinal contest.

Helix scoring: Lawrence Hurdle 19, Dorian Staton 12, Brandon Fountain 10, Eric Forney 10, Donnie McGowan 7, David Jefferson 7, Andray Jackson 4, Kareem Abukar 3, Demond “Red” Narcisse 2.

MOUNT MIGUEL 63, SAN MARCOS 49 – Senior guard COURTNEY WRATHER scored 29 points to lead Mount Miguel past San Marcos in Wednesday’s (Feb. 21) opening round of the San Diego CIF Division III playoffs.

It was the third time that Wrather has scored 29 or more points in a game this season. The senior guard connected on half of his 18 shots – including 3 triples – from the floor. He was accurate on 8 of 11 free throws.

It was Wrather’s 10 points that sparked Mount Miguel (17-12) to a 19-12 opening quarter lead.

“Wrather would probably have had even more points had he not cramped up and missed most of the third quarter,” said Mount Miguel coach JAY ROWLETT.

Mount Miguel led 43-26 after three quarters.

“This was a key win for us because TRAVON CAPLES and ARTHUR HOBBS were both sick. Because of that we got tired at the end,” said Rowlett.

Caples finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Senior LARON RUSH also turned a double-double of 10 points, 10 rebounds and 7 blocks.

“Rush played like we envisioned him playing all year,” Rowlett noted. “He was the anchor of our defense, which was outstanding in the first half.”

San Marcos (10-15) scored 23 points in the fourth quarter, after the fact.

Mount Miguel scoring: Courtney Wrather 29 (5 reb., 4 ast.), Travon Caples 11, Laron Rush 10, Devyn Moore 6 (3 ast., 3 stl.), A.J. Stanford 4, Matt Miles 3.

CHRISTIAN 70, CANYON CREST ACADEMY 47 – VIKTOR ASACIOVAS and DANIEL HAZLETT had the host Christian Patriots seeing 20-20 during Wednesday’s (Feb. 21) San Diego CIF Division IV romp over Canyon Crest Academy (7-19) at the Ryan Athletic Center.

That is, Asaciovas and Hazlett each scored 20 points to send Christian (13-12) into Saturday’s (Feb. 24) quarterfinals at No. 4 seed Army-Navy in Carlsbad.

“This was Viktor’s best game of the season,” said Christian assistant coach ADAM COPP, who was in command of the Patriots during the absence of head coach KEN BAILEY.

“Our objective was to pound the ball inside and we were able to do that with success. They had no answer for Viktor. I don’t have the exact stats, but we had to shoot at least 50 percent as a team.”

Hazlett helped open up the Patriots’ inside game by hitting a trio of triples.

Christian claimed a 21-10 first quarter lead as Hazlett scored 7 points and Asaciovas scored 6 to pave the way.

The Patriots led 40-22 at the half and then broke the game open with a 23-10 scoring spree in the third quarter.

ANDRIUS MIKUTIS turned in another powerful performance of 18 points and 18 rebounds.

“Andrius really turned it on at the end,” Copp said.

The Patriots pressed the Ravens early.

“It wasn’t like we were causing a lot of turnovers, but we made them force some shots,” Copp said. “Canyon Crest lives and dies by the 3. When they missed we got a lot of rebounds and fast breaks.”

Not one to brag, Copp was pleased to note that “At least I can say I’m undefeated as a playoff coach.”

Christian scoring: Viktor Asaciovas 20, Daniel Hazlett 20, Andrius Mikutis 18, Danny Mitchell 4, Michael Stowers 2, Brad Johnston 2, Jordan Graves 2, Brad Sandusky 2.

ESCONDIDO 93, GRANITE HILLS 66 – There are those who believe that the Escondido Cougars (24-4) are the best team in the San Diego Section. Based on Wednesday’s (Feb. 21) Division I opening round romp over visiting Granite Hills, that opinion has some validity.

The second-seeded Cougars pounced on the Eagles in the opening quarter to lead 27-9, and then extended that advantage to 52-28 by halftime.

Granite Hills claimed an early 4-2 lead before Darrell Catchings helped sway the momentum Escondido’s way, leading the Cougars to a 15-point advantage four minutes into the contest.

Escondido coach Paul Baldwin credited Catchings for helping the Cougars’ offense catch fire.

Ironically, Catchings was only one of the two Cougars who did not reach double figures. All five of the Escondido starters scored 14 points or more to carry the Cougars to a school record 17 straight victories.

Despite a slow start, the Granite Hills put together a 10-2 run to slice Escondido ’s advantage to 31-19 in the second quarter. But that was the only sign of dominance exhibited by the Eagles.

The Cougars led by as many as 31 points in the fourth quarter settling on the final margin.

BRIAN HUMPHRIES was Granite Hills top weapon, finishing with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

“Humphries played a great game on both ends of the floor tonight,” said Granite Hills coach RANDY ANDERSON. “He was our true leader.”

Sophomore DEAN MILLER added 20 points and 9 rebounds for the Eagles, while DERICK EDWARDS cleared 12 rebounds and tallied 9 points.

Turnovers killed the short-handed Eagles, who were missing two starters. Granite Hills turned the ball over 20 times in the first half and 29 in the game.

Granite Hills netted 8 three-pointers, including 3 by Humphries. Miller was 6 for 6 from the free throw line, as the Eagles finished 12 for 13 as a team.

“ Escondido shot really well,” said Anderson, noting that the Cougars canned 10 three-pointers. “They are a good team. We had too many turnovers. Their zone press really hurt us.”

Granite Hills scoring: Brian Humphries 21, Dean Miller 20, Derick Edwards 9, Wayne Martin 9 (4 ast.), Ian Birmingham 7.

MT. CARMEL 66, GROSSMONT 58 – Veteran coach FRANK FOGGIANO was not pleased with the officiating in Wednesday night’s (Feb. 21) San Diego CIF Division II playoff opener at Mt. Carmel. But the coach of the Foothillers blamed himself for not making second-half defensive adjustments earlier than he did.

Trailing 48-31 after three quarters, Foggiano’s Foothillers left their traditional zone and applied full court pressure on the Sundevils (15-12). The switch was effective, as the Sundevils turned over the ball and Grossmont’s transition produced 27 fourth quarter points.

“I should have made the change sooner,” said Foggiano.

Foggiano pointed to the free throw line, where Mt. Carmel made 19 of 29 chances compared with Grossmont’s 9 of 13 connections from the charity stripe.

“We did not attempt a free throw in the first half,” said Foggiano, whose Foothillers trailed Mt. Carmel 29-21 at the break. “It was five minutes into the third quarter before we attempted our first free throw shot. There’s something wrong with that.”

The scrappy Foothillers might have pulled this one out had they been afforded a fifth quarter.

“We had them on the run, had control of the game,” said Foggiano.

But Grossmont (16-11) could not keep Mt. Carmel ’s point guard Tyler Fricke off the free throw line. Fricke made 9 of 13 free throws in the final quarter on his way to scoring a game-high 23 points.

Mt. Carmel also landed 7 three-pointers, which included three by Fricke and another three by Josh Hall.

“Based on our scouting reports, we decided to try to take away the inside, which we were able to do,” Foggiano said. “But then they hurt us from the outside and from the free throw line.”

Junior IAN COCHRAN led Grossmont with a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds. Guard MICHAEL GRAHAM punched in 14 points, while RICHARD OGUNSALU contributed 13 points and 8 boards.

“Four of my main players return next year,” Foggiano said. “This was a good game for them because they got a lot of good experience.”

Grossmont scoring: Ian Cochran 16, Michael Graham 14 (3 stl.), Richard Ogunsalu 13, Khalid Waters 6 (3 stl.), Alex Chiappone 6 (4 reb.), Justin Rutherford 3.

Santana's Tyler Blackledge (in purple) pulls up in front of Cathedral Catholic's Rob Erickson. (Photo by Adolfo Villanueva)

Steele Canyon forward Andrew Timm (right) scores on a short jumper against Hilltop. (Photo by Abbe Beckner, iCrew Digital) More Photos at Hilltop High School WEBSITE

Santana (11-17) made the playoff grade, but found itself trailing host Cathedral Catholic (10-17) in Wednesday’s (Feb. 21) first round, 24-2, after the opening eight minutes.

“We showed our age in the first quarter,” said Barry. “We had a lot of nerves out there tonight and Cathedral took full advantage of it.”

Santana actually outscored the Dons 46-44 over the final three quarters. A moral victory for sure, but too little, too late.

In spite of their lackluster start, the Sultans scrambled back to within 54-41 with 5:50 remaining.

Sophomore KEVIN ENGELKE scored a career-high 19 points, which included 6 for 6 free throw shooting. He also topped the Sultans in rebounding with 8.

“Engelke played a great game tonight,” Barry noted. “He was our floor leader.”

Santana scoring: Kevin Engelke 19, Tyler Blackledge 12 (7 reb., 3 ast.), Kyle Salzman 4, Jesse Vargas 4 (2 ast., 3 stl.), Brett Romero 3, Anthony DeBarrows 2, Ryan Garlin 2 (6 reb., 2 ast.), Chris Sodergren 2.

HILLTOP 53, STEELE CANYON 39 – Steele Canyon’s turbulent season came to an end in Wednesday’s (Feb. 21) San Diego CIF Division II playoff opener against No. 4 ranked Lancers (20-6) at Hilltop.

Although the visiting Cougars (11-16) were outscored in each of the first three quarters, the game was still up for grabs entering the final period.

“We are a good enough team to beat those guys, but we just didn’t have enough people step up offensively,” said Cougars coach BERNIE BALIKIAN.

The Lancers sealed Steele Canyon ’s fate with a 12-3 scoring advantage in the final quarter.

“We missed sooo many lay-ups,” said Balikian of his Cougars, who connected on only 27 percent of their floor shots, including 2 of 17 shooting from above the arc. To make matters worse, the Cougars converted only 7 of 15 free throw attempts.

Senior TONY MINNIFIELD paced the Cougars with 14 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals.

RILEY BALIKIAN, who netted the Cougars’ only 2 triples, finished with 10 points and 3 assists.

Hilltop couldn’t find the mark from the free throw line either, as the Lancers canned only 5 of 19 attempts from the charity stripe.

Where Hilltop really cleaned Steele Canyon ’s clock was on the boards, as the taller Lancers took home a 45-29 advantage.

“We gave up too many offensive rebounds off missed free throws,” said Balikian.

Steele Canyon scoring: Tony Minnifield 14, Riley Balikian 10, Elijah Carter 5, Jebari Robinson 4, Josiah Smith 4 (5 reb.), Andrew Timm 2.

WESTVIEW 52, WEST HILLS 24 – It wasn’t exactly a storybook ending for the Grossmont North League champion Wolf Pack Wednesday night (Feb. 21) in the opening round of the San Diego CIF Division II playoffs.

The Pack, in fact, scored a season low. Only in the second quarter did West Hills score as many as 8 points.

“There was lid on the basket at our end,” mused Wolf Pack coach JEFF ARMSTRONG, who saw his team shoot only 25 percent from the floor. “It seemed like nothing would fall.”

This tale of woe for West Hills (17-11) can best be measured by the fate of senior PETER GILSON, who was limited to a career-worst one point.

“Westview had a guy in front of Peter and another behind him,” Armstrong said. “They did a good job of keep the ball out of Peter’s hands.”

Gilson, who was averaging close to 18 points per game, was 0 for 5 from the floor and 1 for 3 from the free throw line.

Westview (13-15) dictated the lethargic tempo.

“They were very deliberate, for sure,” said Armstrong. “They worked the clock, which caused us to extend our defense. I don’t know how many times they shot with two or three seconds left.”

The visiting Wolverines led only 22-13 at halftime before breaking the game open with a 17-6 run in the third quarter.

“Westview had a good transition game and we didn’t execute in our halfcourt set,” Armstrong said.

TIM NOWLIN led the Wolf Pack in points with 5 and rebounds with 4.

One of the highlights for West Hills was the defensive coverage against the Wolverines’ outside shooters. They limited Chase Fraser and Ian Larsson to three points apiece.

“We knew from our scouting reports we had to defense those two guys,” Armstrong said. “And we did that.”

Despite the resounding season-ending loss, Armstrong emphasized the positive. For instance the Wolf Pack captured its fourth GNL title in five years.

“I told the kids it’s real easy to have tunnel vision and focus on just this last game,” he said. “Hey, we had a great year, and for me as the coach, it was the most enjoyable group of kids in my 27 years. This was a classy group of young men. If I had a group like this every year, I could coach for a real long time.”

West Hills scoring: Tim Nowlin 5, Blaine Hoffard 4, Troy Nowlin 4, Chase Senter 3, Taylor Robbins 3, Garrett Cabral 2, Tony Lynn 2, Peter Gilson 1.