Hilke helps Monarchs move closer to title
- Updated: May 22, 2021
2021 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL
MONTE VISTA 75, SANTANA 56
EastCountySports.com staff report
SANTEE – Monte Vista junior Isaiah Hilke has been known as a pretty good baseball player in these parts for a few years. Now, he’s starting to have a big impact on the basketball court.
Hilke, who had a walk-off base hit in a Monte Vista baseball victory to start his week on Monday, capped off Friday night by scoring 16 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and recording six steals to help Monte Vista make a big statement in the Grossmont Valley League banner race by drubbing the host Santana Sultans, 75-56.
Hilke had a bucket from down low with three seconds to play in the first quarter that give Monte Vista a 13-10 lead.
“We had to come out strong on defense and stop their main scorers (Alden Rasmussen and Carson Burton),” Hilke said. “We had to push the ball on offense and get the ball to our shooters and get it inside. We had a good defensive game and we were able to knock down ourhots when we needed to.”
The Monarchs’ Brandon Tully shook off a re-aggravation of a nagging injury in the first quarter to scored 15 points after returning to the game.
Tully had three three-pointer field goals.
Cameron McKan added 14 points for Monte Vista, including a three-pointer in the first quarter.
“Coach (Mike Tully) just said to play hard and stay focused on the game,” McKan said, “The game was much needed and secured our league championship in my opinion. We played hard as a team and finished hard as a team.”
Armondo Rasing had a pair of threes in the second quarter en route to 11 points for the game for the Monarchs, which put up 25 points in the second quarter.
One of Rasing’s shots extended Monte Vista’s lead to 18-10 in the second.
Deron Whitley helped put the Sultans away in the third quarter with four field goals. He also had a team-high four assists for the game.
Robert Morales made a three-pointer for Monte Vista.
Senior guard Ethan Wolchko scored a bucket on a nice pass from Rasmussen for the Sultans early on as Santana was in the game early with an 8-5 lead just over three minutes into the game.
Monte Vista (10-14), which has already split the season series with fellow title contender Mount Miguel, closes out its season against El Cajon Valley next Friday is 6-1 in the Grossmont Valley League.
