Hoophall West: Cali Tops Arizona!

On the ultimate day of video games at Hoophall West in Scottsdale, Ariz., California’s two high ranked groups within the FAB 50 took on Arizona’s two greatest and got here away with two key victories. Two different extremely California golf equipment go right down to non-AIA golf equipment on Saturday afternoon.

Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) confronted Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) within the nightcap of the three-day Hoophall West and was trying to maintain its unbeaten file intact and provides California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) groups their second consecutive win over highly-regarded Arizona golf equipment. The Wolverines, the defending CIF open division state champs, did simply that in upping their file to 7-0 with a 61-53 victory over a crew that got here into the occasion ranked No. 29 within the FAB 50 National Team Rankings because the defending Arizona Interscholastic Affiliation (AIA) open division champs.

Perry, which defeated Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.) within the first ever AIA open title recreation final March, received off to a scorching begin. It took a fast 17-4 lead, then Harvard-Westlake proceeded to go on a 25-10 run to shut the primary half. The Wolverines ultimately took the lead at 29-27 on a traditional 3-point play by Harvard-bound Robert Hinton with 21.9 seconds remaining within the first half. The run ultimately received as much as 31-10 till Perry star junior ahead Koa Peat made two free throws with 6:15 to go and Harvard-Westlake main 35-29.

Harvard-Westlake led 48-37 after three intervals of play. Perry (4-2) minimize its deficit down to a few factors (54-51) with 1:47 to go on a nifty dime from Peat to senior Jonas Cedarlind for a rating, however Nikolas Khamenia sealed the win with a clutch 3-pointer to make it 59-51 with 40 seconds remaining within the recreation.

USC-bound guard Trent Perry completed with 24 factors, 9 rebounds and 4 assists for Harvard-Westlake, whereas Hinton completed with 19 factors and Khamenia including 9 factors. All of Khamenia’s factors got here within the fourth interval.

Peat completed with 18 factors, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks for Perry, who will look to rebound from losses to No. 14 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) and the Wolverines when it performs Sunnyslope on December 8 and St. Mary’s (Phoenix, Ariz.) on December 11.

Harvard-Westlake will do battle with state-ranked golf equipment St. Pius-St. Matthias (Downey, Calif.). and Campbell Corridor (North Hollywood, Calif.) earlier than it heads to the Les Schwab Invitational in Oregon after Christmas. There the Wolverines may probably meet Perry as soon as once more with FAB 50 No. 7 Columbus (Miami, Fla.) one other potential roadblock to a tourney title and an unbeaten file heading into 2024.

Within the first of two massive time California vs. Arizona matchups, St. John Bosco, presently ranked No. 20 within the FAB 50, upped its file to 3-0 on the younger season with a 75-68 workmanlike victory over FAB 50 bubble membership Sunnyslope. The Braves relaxed at instances, however did sufficient to down a crew that recorded a win over Corona (Centennial, Calif.) in November, however misplaced to fellow Arizona membership Millennium (Phoenix, Ariz.) on Thursday on the occasion.

St. John Bosco led 26-11, however ultimately misplaced the lead 43-42 with 4:40 remaining on a 3-pointer by sophomore ahead Christian Simmons. Sunnyslope and Bosco went backwards and forwards and the Vikings final lead got here at 54-53 proper beneath seven minutes remaining within the recreation. Loyola-Chicago commit Jack Turner of St. John Bosco rapidly answered with a bucket and the Vikings solely scored 5 extra factors afterwards till the ultimate 30 seconds of the sport after they scored 10 factors when the competition was not unsure.

Junior ahead Kade Bonam led St. John Bosco with 23 factors, seven rebounds and three blocks. Fellow junior Elzie Harrington, certainly one of nations’s greatest 2025 guards, added 16 factors, 5 rebounds and eight assists. High-notch sophomore (2026) guard Brandon McCoy Jr. chipped in 15 factors and 6 rebounds for a St. John Bosco membership that’s presently No. 2 in California amongst CIF colleges behind Harvard-Westlake. The 2 colleges will not be assembly throughout the 2023-24 common season, however in the end may within the CIF Southern Part open playoffs in February.

California did lose two video games earlier on Sunday, nevertheless it wasn’t to Arizona Interscholastic Affiliation (AIA) golf equipment.

Desert Mountain, which defeated Notre Dame Prep (Scottsdale, Ariz.) on Thursday at Hoophall West, rebounded for a buzzer-beating loss to Pinnacle (Scottsdale, Ariz.) on Friday night time to file a 81-74 additional time win over FAB 50 No. 38 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.). With 16.9 seconds to go, Desert Mountain sophomore guard Kaden Home transformed a driving standard 3-point play (the place he missed the free throw) to provide Desert Mountain a 69-67 lead. On the following possession, nonetheless, Sierra Canyon senior ahead Noah Williams (23 factors) tied the sport on a driving lay-up with 8.9 seconds remaining.

In additional time, Sierra Canyon racked up the private fouls removed from the purpose with its aggressive trapping and was outscored, 12-5. Williams and junior ahead Bryce Cofield (18 factors) each fouled out in additional time. Justin Pippen, one of many West Area’s greatest unsigned level guards, additionally had 23 factors.

Home continued to indicate why he is among the finest sophomore level guards within the nation together with his driving assaults and never-say-die perspective, ending with 27 factors, 4 rebounds and 14 assists. His brother Kalek Home, additionally a sophomore, added 21 factors for the Wolves amongst 4 double-digit scorers.

California took one other setback earlier Saturday afternoon when Centennial (Corona, Calif.), the three-time defending CIF Southern Part open champions, misplaced its third recreation of the season to FAB 50 No. 14 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.), 76-66, in a nicely performed recreation. The Huskies had a 39-35 halftime lead and led 47-40 and it appeared just like the guests from New York have been in main hassle when Kentucky-bound Boogie Fland landed awkwardly on a lay-up he made. Amazingly, Stepinac made a 10-0 run with its star guard on the bench and took a 50-49 lead after three intervals.

Six-foot-7 2024 ahead Braylan Ritvo, a terrific glue participant who can knock down the surface shot, stored Stepinac within the recreation within the first half when Centennial’s Isaiah “Slim” Rodgers went bonkers. The proficient 6-foot-3 sophomore level guard had 20 factors within the first 16 minutes and completed with 31 factors, together with 7-of-9 3-pointers.

Ritvo, who will see his recruitment choose up as his senior season progresses, helped Stepinac go to 2-0 on its younger season by scoring 30 factors, together with 8-of-10 3-point pictures. Fland re-entered the sport with 20 seconds left within the third interval and hit some well timed pictures and free throws within the remaining stanza to complete with 27 factors.

Ronnie Flores is the nationwide Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He may be reached at [email protected]. Remember to observe him on Twitter: @RonMFlores