ROUNDUP: Patriots set to face Hillers

By Ramon Scott
Updated: April 18, 2021

Christian High goes up with a shot on Saturday. / photo by Robert Davila

2021 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL

EastCountySports.com staff report

SPRING VALLEY – The Christian High Patriots had four players score in double figures and held off a mild rally by the host Steele Canyon Cougars in the third quarter to take a 71-53 win on Saturday night.

SIx-foot-4 sophomore Patrick Perez led the Patriots with 19 points.

Perez let his presence be known early, scoring in double digits in the first quarter alone. He had 15 points in the first half.

Christian High senior Shawn Jackson-Ascura added 17 points.

“My job is to play defense and get the offense going,” Jackson-Ascura said. “We like to play fast and aggressively and get up and down the court, just have fun.”

Junior Junior Nelson added 16 points for CHS, while sophomore Hunter Provience came home with 11 points. The pair combined for 16 first-half points.

Nelson made four three-point field goals and recorded five steals.

“The Cougars ran a press and we were able to break it and move the ball really well,” Nelson said. “I was able to set up my offense where I was able to get open looks and find my teammates when I didn’t have opportunities to score. I had a tough defensive assignment against their top player, so my teammates really helped me defensively tonight.”

The Patriots led 20-8 after one quarter and extended that lead to 38-20 by halftime, but the Cougars made their best run of the night, outscoring Christian 22-16 in the third.

“Guys played hard we are for each other and handled some adversity” Christian High head coach Tim Brown said. “We are a super young team but as we get guys back into the lineup we will be going 10 or 11 deep the rest of the way.”

Junior guard Angel Rasposa led the Cougars with 16 points.

Christian led 66-46 with under five minutes to play.

The Patriots will meet Grossmont on Tuesday in a good matchup test for both clubs at the Ryan Center at 6:30.

GROSSMONT 52, UNIVERSITY CITY 45 – The Foothillers held the Centurions to just two points in the second period to take a 24-13 halftime lead.

The Foothillers only had six players score in the contest but the balanced effort and the great defense proved enough for Grossmont to pick up another victory, the Hillers’ eighth of the season in nine starts.

Junior Elijah Williams led the way for Grossmont with 11 points.

Senior Noah Velasco and junior Sergio Franso both finished with 10 points for GHS.

Junior Aaron Velasco added nine points for the Hillers.

UC put forth a mild rally in the fourth, outscoring Grossmont, 20-14.

VALHALLA 69, MONTE VISTA 56 – Joe Avalos knocked down four three-pointers and finished with 28 points for the Norsemen in the road win at the Monarchs.

Josue Amaya also had a three-pointer and finished with 12 points for the Norsemen.

Junior Calvert Esho added 10 points for Valhalla, while also finishing with a team-high 12 rebounds and three steals.

Valhalla improved to 9-1 on the season.

OLYMPIAN 54, LIBERTY 47 – The Eagles outscored the Lions, 35-25, in the second half to overcome a deficit.

Liberty fell to 6-4 overall.

Friday

VALHALLA 64, OTAY RANCH 42- Joe Avalos scored 20 points and teammate Josue Amaya added 17 as the busy Norsemen led 42-23 at halftime to defeat the visiting Mustangs.

Avalos made six three-pointers in the contest. He also grabbed eight boards.

Junior Calvert Esho added 11 points for the Norsemen, while also contributing 14 rebounds.

GRANITE HILLS 71, SANTANA 60 – The Eagles kept things rolling on Friday night with the win over the Sultans as Derek Edmund led the way for Granite Hills, which improved to 6-1 overall.

It was the Eagles’ second win over the Sultans this season.

SAN DIEGUITO ACADEMY 62, HELIX 43 – Helix’s Markees Williams had a steal and three-point buzzer-beater from just inside midcourt as Helix trailed just 29-27 at halftime.

Helix, which fell to 4-5, also got good play from sophomore Darnell Clady, who recorded three steals in the game in which he converted into layups at the other end.