BOYS: Markees on Scottie marquee
- Updated: April 28, 2021
2021 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL
EastCountySports.com staff report
LA MESA – Helix junior guard Markees Williams was rewarded for his energy in the second half, making four three-pointers on the way to 23 points as the Highlanders pulled away from the visiting Mount Miguel Matadors, winning 62-36 in a Grossmont Conference game on Tuesday evening.
Williams, who also had five assists, three rebounds, and three steals, had 10 points in the first half, including a three-pointer in the first quarter, as the Highlanders built a sizable early lead only to see the Matadors shrink the margin to 25-21 by halftime.
Helix led 21-5 at the end of the first quarter.
Mount Miguel also scrambled to keep things interesting in the third quarter but the Highlanders proved to be more active than the Matadors, especially Williams and senior Isaiah Thomas.
Thomas had eight points, 11 rebounds, and a couple of assists.
Bona O’Quinn was a master at cleaning up the offensive glass in the second half, finishing with a pair of putbacks and totaling 10 points and six rebounds for Helix.
Akhwon While, of Helix, had a pair of threes in the second half and ended with 10 points.
Junior Jaysen Brown led the Matadors with 10 points, knocking down one three-pointer in each half.
Mount Miguel senior big man Kaleb Wilson came off the bench to score seven points and grab seven rebounds.
Senior John Brooks had a three-pointer in the second half on the way to seven points for Mt. Miguel.
STEELE CANYON 55, EL CAPITAN 40 – The Vaqueros came out hot, leading 11-6 at the end of the first quarter. El Cap still led 22-18 at halftime.
In fact, the Vaqueros held Steele scoreless over the first 5:09, leading 9-0 until the Cougars made a free throw.
El Cap led 11-1 but the Cougars’ Josh Tendvahl made a three with just under a minute-and-a-half to play in the first quarter for SC’s first field goal.
Angel Raposa had a three-pointer one minute into the second quarter to cut the El Cap lead to 11-8.
However, the Cougars outscored the Vaqueros 18-4 in the third quarter to take the lead.
Junior Arthur Simpson made a tough shot for a basket, then Raposa ripped away the ball in the backcourt and picked up the loose ball and put it in for the lead, causing an El Cap timeout just two minutes into the third.
Moments later, Tendvahl twice followed his own miss to finalize a bucket and a three-pointer lead at the five-minute mark of the third.
Steele Canyon closed the third with 10 points over the final 3:30 as Simpson made a traditional basket-and-one after Joey Cleaves started the rally with a basket.
Sophomore Alex Jenkins knocked down a triple for SC with two minutes to play in the third as the hosts went up by double digits.
Early in the fourth, Jenkins went up with an offensive rebound only to be fouled on his easy putback attempt. His conversion put the Cougs up 42-30.
Jenkins found room for another long three with his lefty stroke with 5:30 to play, then was on the receiving end of a pass for an easy bucket for a 48-34 lead.
Jenkins led the way with 15 points, while Simpson added 12, and Raposa finished with eight.
SANTANA 49, WEST HILLS 46 – The host Sultans upset the Wolf Pack in a non-league contest on Tuesday evening, ending the city series this year at 1-all.
Ethan Wolchko scored 13 points, while teammate Alden Rasmussen added 12 points to lead Santana.
Senior Aiden Baker had a pair of three-pointers in the second half for Santana.
Senior Carson Burton had a three-pointer in the fourth quarter for Santana.
Senior Kienan Cates scored six of his eight points in the second quarter for the Sultans.
Santana started slowly, scoring just five points in the opening period.
But that’s when West Hills senior Kyle Dobyns got going.
Dobyns scored 26 points in the game, making three three-pointers in the contest.
Brendan Greene added eight points for West Hills.
The Pack couldn’t find the bucket late on a series of offensive rebounds, as the ball kept rolling off the rim.
“The trap game got us,” West Hills head coach Tim Barry said. “After an amazing week of hoops, we had the ultimate letdown. Nothing went our way but we battled to five ourselves a chance to win in the last minute. I know our seniors aren’t satisfied with a split versus our crosstown rival.”
West Hills will face Steele Canyon in a Grossmont Hills League game on Friday.
GRANITE HILLS 77, EL CAJON VALLEY 48 – Granite Hills improved to 9-1 overall with the non-league win over the visiting Braves.
ST. AUGUSTINE 92, CHRISTIAN 54 – The Saints ran past the Patriots at Ryan Center.
Saints were off to a blistering start, outscoring the hosts, 35-14, in the first quarter.
Christian trailed 57-33 at the half.
EL CAMINO 71, FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 50 – The Wildcats, ranked fifth in the county, down the Knights, who were led by Anthony Lambert’s 17 points.
Lambert connected on 5-of-11 three-pointers.
Derrien Carter-Hollinger, a senior, added 16 points for FCHS. He also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds and handed out a team-high five assists.
LIBERTY 59, THE CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL 43 – Senior Jayden Swanson scored 24 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for the Lions. He made four three-pointers in the game.
Seniors Tyler Snell and Jonah Belprez both added 11 for Liberty Charter.
