Hillers can Eagles; Helix gets buzzer win
- Updated: May 31, 2021
Helix junior Markees Williams. / P.J. Panebianco
2020-21 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL
EastCountySports.com staff report
EL CAJON – The Grossmont Foothillers finishing strong in the fourth quarter to earn a nice road win at Granite Hills in the season finale on Friday night.
The Eagles started the evening with a shot at sharing the Grossmont Hills League championship, needing a win and a Valhalla loss, which would’ve given both teams a 6-3 record.
Junior Elijah Williams scored 16 points for the Foothillers.
Grossmont’s Trenton Giles. / P.J. Panebianco
Junior Sergio Franso added 11 points for Grossmont.
Six different Foothillers made three-pointers in the game.
Grossmont led 17-14 at the end of the first quarter.
Franso made a pair of threes in the second quarter to put the Hillers up 37-33 at halftime.
It may have been Grossmont’s defense in the fourth quarter that earned the victory, limiting Granite to just seven points.
“Trenton Giles played great defense throughout the game,” Grossmont head coach Jacob Ober said.
Enrique Ross made a three-pointer in the fourth quarter for Grossmont.
Grossmont senior Cameron Zamora took a charge then hit back-to-back threes with teammate Aaron Velasco in a crucial third-quarter sequence.
Grossmont’s Jonathan Towne scored all eight of his points in the second quarter.
Joseph Sagmani led Granite Hills with 110 points, including a three-pointer.
Freshman Derek Edmund had a pair of three-pointers in the fourth quarter for Granite Hills.
Deon Spear had thot hand early for the Eagles with six first-quarter points.
Granite Hills (13-5), the fifth-seed, will host the 12th-seeded Calexico Bulldogs (3-2) in a San Diego CIF Division III opener on Tuesday at 7.
Tenth-seeded Grossmont (13-10), meanwhile, will be on the road for its Division II contest at seventh-seeded Westview (12-12) on Tuesday at 7.
HELIX 51, STEELE CANYON 50 – Helix junior Markees Williams drove the ball straight to the hoop and lofted in a buzzer-beating shot with that dangerous left hand for the Highlanders to win the season finale on the road against the Cougars.
Helix spread the floor on backcourt inbound play with 4.2 seconds left and Williams was able to outrace his defender to the basket, although a pair of Cougars awaited. However, the agile Williams got into the air and guided the ball accurately to the goal.
Steele Canyon led 45-44 with three minutes left in the game when Alex Jenkins scored with a left-handed drive to the bucket for a three-point lead.
Then, moments later, Thomas hit a turn-around jumper to bring Helix to within 47-46.
Jenkins made a basket and a foul conversion to give the Cougars a 50-49 lead with just under a minute to play.
Devin Albert hit a three-pointer with 1:40 to go in the game to give Helix a 49-47 lead.
Isaiah Thomas made a three-pointer to draw Helix to within 45-42 in the fourth quarter.
Thoams had a steal and got it to Williams, who pulled up for a jumper late in the third quarter.
Williams made a basket to tie the game at 30-all in the third quarter with five minutes to play.
Ahkwon White made a three-pointer to bring Helix (12-10, 5-5 GHL) to within 26-24 in the second quarter.
Thomas made a three-pointer early in the first quarter.
Junior Camrien Hunt led the Cougars with 15 points, while junior teammate Angel Raposa added 13 points.
A.Z. Simpson made a pair of three-pointers and had six rebounds for Steele Canyon (11-10, 5-5 GHL).
Thirteenth-seeded Helix will meet fourth-seeded Bonita Vista (12-6) on the road in a San Diego CIF Division I playoff game on Tuesday at 7.
Eleventh-seeded Steele Canyon will play sixth-seeded San Dieguito Academy (10-7) in the San Diego CIF Division III first round on Tuesday at 7.
