East County Sports

Scotties, Patriots win tournament titles

2019 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL

 

EastCountySports.com staff report

 

SAN DIEGO – Helix High senior Sammy Stewart had a pretty good finish to 2019.

Stewart, who may have turned in the biggest play of the Highlanders’ football season with a game-deciding pick-six touchdown with two minutes remaining in the San Diego CIF Open Division semifinals against St. Augustine back on Nov. 15, earned tournament MVP honors on Monday at the 30th annual Holiday Hoops Classic at the Mount, hosted by Mt. Carmel High, as the Scotties captured the tournament title with a 62-58 win over Serra.

Stewart scored all seven of his points in the fourth quarter on Monday to help lift the Highlanders to the narrow victory.

“I was surprised to win Tournament MVP but I worked hard,” Stewart said. “The team worked hard.”

Isaiah Robinson led the Highlanders in the championship game with 17 points, including three three-pointers.

Helix senior Maurice Holmes, who was named to the all-tournament team, has 16 points in the finale.

“I’m so proud of my guys for fighting through that game and coming out victorious,” Holmes said. “We have found ways to win and that’s all we have to do. Sammie was great last night. The ‘Road Dogs’ are coming for a second CIF Championship in four years.”

Xavier Otis also has a strong game, putting up 12 points for Helix (11-6).

Robinson had a pair of three-pointers in the first quarter as the Highlanders took a 16-10 lead after one period. He added another trey in the second period.

“I think this is what we needed to give us that boost into league,” Robinson said. “We’ve been playing for each other and when we do that, I don’t think anyone can beat us.”

Holmes also had a triple in the second quarter, but Serra took a 29-28 lead into intermission.

Otis had seven points in the third quarter.

 

CHRISTIAN 51, BRIGHTON (Utah) 48 – The 14th-ranked Patriots won the Governors Division championship game at The Holiday Classic, which was contested at St. Augustine High.

Christian High senior Kobe Sanders was named Governors Division MVP at The Holiday Classic.

Christian High senior Kobe Sanders was named Governor’s Division tournament MVP.

Jake Tawhiao led Christian (11-2) with 13 points in the title game on Monday.

Christian posted its lowest-scoring quarter of the year, trailing Brighton, 13-2, after the first quarter, after shooting just 1-for-15 from the field.

The Patriot coaching staff made some defensive adjustments, bringing in Kobe Price off the bench, who ignited the defensive spark the Patriots needed.

Despite going 0-for-9 from three-point range in the first half, the Patriots found themselves only down three at halftime.

Tawhiao led the surge in the second half and added three rebounds, three assists and three steals in the contest.

Sanders shot his way out of his first-half slump, finishing with 12 points and six rebounds, knocking down key shots when it mattered most.

Vincent Warren, Pat Roberts, Dasean Lynch, and Price all added six points and contributed vitally to a fun and exciting championship victory.

The Patriots went 4-0 in the tournament.

 

Yassine Gharram with Torrey Pines coach John Olive on Tuesday.

ARCHBISHOP MITTY 79, FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 58 – The third-ranked Knights fell to Archbishop Mitty despite a close contest for the first quarter-and-a-half.

Nico Meza led the Knights with 15 points in the contest at The Holiday Classic.

Knights senior Yassine Gharram was named to the All-Tournament Team.

The game was a consolation game in the National Division at the prestigious event.

KEARNY 79, EL CAJON VALLEY 44 – The Braves fell to the Komets after leading 15-12 heading into the second quarter.

The Komets went on a 24-7 spurt in the second period to take a 36-22 lead into halftime.

The Braves had three three-pointers in the contest but fell to 3-10 overall.

MONTGOMERY 71, MOUNT MIGUEL 19 – The Matadors fell to 0-6 on the season, dropping a contest at the 37th Annual Aztec Holiday Classic.

 

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