Knights win; Norsemen eliminated
- Updated: February 26, 2019
2019 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL
EastCountySports.com staff report
SPRING VALLEY – The Foothills Christian High boys basketball team made the Mount Miguel High gym its home in the first round of the CIF State SoCal Division I regional playoffs on Tuesday night.
And the Knights played to their crowd in a 70-56 win over El Camino Real behind an awesome performance from University of Montana-bound senior D.J. CARTER HOLLINGER, who scored 26 points.
Senior JAREN NAFARRETE added 16 points, putting the nail in ECR’s coffin late with a couple of three-pointers in the fourth quarter.
Fifth-seeded Foothills Christian led 51-45 at the end of the third quarter.
Carter-Hollinger opened the game with a steal and ensuing slam and then got an alley-oop pass from teammate YASSINE GHARRAM early in the third for a slam to extend a 37-32 halftime lead to a nine-point advantage.
Carter-Hollinger also had six rebounds and five assists.
JADEN LEBEL had a three-pointer late in the first half for FCHS to help Foothills take the halftime lead. He also had a trey late in the first quarter.
The score was tied 20-all after one period.
Gharram had a three-pointer with gave FCHS a 51-45 lead at the end of three.
Foothills Christian will be on the road against Santa Margarita (24-10) on Thursday at 7.
The Knights are the state’s 13th-ranked team, while the Eagles are ranked sixth in the state, according to the computer power rankings entering the week.
CENTRAL VALLEY CHRISTIAN 55, VALHALLA 46 – The Cavaliers made the long trip from Visalia to the Thunderdome and picked up the upset win in the CIF State Division IV SoCal regional, holding off a last-ditch effort by the Norsemen.
Valhalla closed the CVC lead to 51-46 with 41 seconds to go in the game.
The No. 9-seed knocked down a pair of three-pointers in the final minute of the third to lead 43-34 after three quarters.
Valhalla trailed 15-9 at the end of the first quarter and 23-18 at halftime.
Valhalla’s historic season ended at 28-5.
