Sierra Canyon proves to be an excessive amount of for Taft in Division I regional basketball opener

A couple of hours earlier than a Sierra canyon-hosted Division I regional basketball opener that changed into a celebration on the go Taffeta crowd in Chatsworth, Toreador’s head coach Derrick Taylor answered the cellphone in exasperation.

A boy on campus, he defined, purchased tickets to Tuesday night time’s sport in opposition to the Trailblazers and bought them for $25. A tip to Sierra Canyon had taught him that it was a freshman on his workforce.

“What can I say,” Taylor stated. “Capitalism at its greatest.”

Everybody on campus was thrilled, as evidenced by the roar that rippled by way of the Sierra Canyon fitness center after Bishop Brooks hit a three-pointer to open the sport. Everybody was excessive. Taylor wasn’t. This was a adorned coach with the advantage of hindsight within the days when he and Sierra Canyon coach Andre Chevalier battled it out within the Metropolis Part, he and former Cleveland coach Chevalier competed to tackle the very best youngsters within the San Fernando Valley Pull.

So everybody walks into the fitness center in opposition to Sierra Canyon, Taylor stated, and is intimidated. He’s not tonight. Not are reigning Metropolis Part champion Toreadors. They might screw up if the Trailblazers tried to play tough or run with them in the event that they tried to play quick.

“I’m simply going to play it by ear, see which one of many types works,” Taylor stated. “Now, if neither works, sure, s-, name 911. There’s a seizure.”

After a forwards and backwards first quarter, the sirens got here within the second as Taft simply couldn’t run with Sierra Canyon in transition, the Trailblazers blasted the lights and dominated the paint in an 84-47 victory.

Senior Jimmy Oladokun led the best way with 16 factors with future College of San Diego coach Steve Lavin on court docket, Ashton Hardaway added 15 with a pair of deep threes, and Noah Williams had 14 and Bronny James had 13.

Twenty years in the past, when the highschool basketball panorama ran by way of the Metropolis Part, the tables have been turned. Chevalier was a younger coach making an attempt to beat Taft, his Cleveland program brimming with expertise like future NBA participant Nick Younger, and Taylor had a closet stuffed with future Division I athletes.

Twenty years later, Chevalier rose by way of the non-public college ranks, now it’s his flip to captain a roster stuffed with future collegiate expertise as non-public and prep colleges reign. And aside from a quick stint at St John Bosco, Taylor has remained at Metropolis because the expertise pool is scarce.

“While you suppose again on it, you all the time surprise _ what if it stayed the identical?” Taylor stated in regards to the altering sport. “I don’t cry about it…you adapt to it, otherwise you get consumed by it and also you get bitter.”

In entrance of a packed Valley crowd _ hometown youngsters like Taft alumnus and “Final Probability U:S2” star Demetrius Calip II have been in attendance _ Taft bombed off and not using a second thought, enjoying the Trailblazers laborious in a 26-20 first quarter. However James yo-yoed in a step again three to push the result in 10 within the second quarter, and the Trailblazers have been out, Taft merely not closing quick sufficient to shooters in transition and halfcourt.

Chevalier patrolled the sidelines in a swimsuit and tie, a noticeable change in outfit from his traditional Sierra Canyon tracksuit. In a remaining stretch of the season and the Southern Part’s playoff run decimated by accidents and inconsistency, Sierra Canyon had gone 3-7 over the previous 10 video games, and wanted a palate cleanser within the state league.

The mindset, Chevalier stated after his outfit change sport, was all enterprise.

“Change the mojo,” he smiled. “Do one thing else.”

In handshake strains after an eventual blowout victory, Taylor pulled his former rival apart, the 2 exchanging remaining phrases the day after an earlier dialog about “the place we’re from,” Chevalier stated.

“It’s clearly the altering of the guard — the non-public colleges have sort of taken over,” Chevalier stated of Taylor. “So it’s just a little bit totally different. However I nonetheless respect him for what he did. It’s not straightforward to win a championship, and he did this 12 months.”

Sierra Canyon advances to the second spherical of the DI sequence to face Etiwanda on Thursday.

In different video games, top-seeded Sherman Oaks Notre Dame took the lead within the second half to beat Fairfax 84-68. Dusty Stromer scored 21 factors and Caleb Foster and Mercy Miller added 20 every. Dante Ogbu added 13 factors. Darius Carr scored 27 factors for Fairfax. Notre Dame hosts Manhattan Seashore Mira Costa on Thursday. Mira Costa defeated San Diego Montgomery 49-45.

The largest perpetrator of the night time was King/Drew from the Metropolis Part. The No. 16 seed in Division II, King/Drew defeated top-seeded Anaheim Canyon 73-65. No. 2nd seed Tesoro acquired 26 factors from Carson Brown in a 60-51 victory over Bakersfield Centennial.

In Division IV, Van Nuys Grant defeated Newport Harbor Sage Hill 59-59 on a three-pointer by DJ Good points with 5.6 seconds remaining.

In Ladies’ Division I, Orange Lutheran rallied for a 62-59 victory over Metropolis Part Open Division champion Westchester. Granada Hills defeated Torrance Bishop Montgomery 59-57 behind Marianne Boco’s 25 factors. No. 16 West Hills Chaminade upset No. 1 Ontario Christian 88-65.

Ladies soccer

Marina 2, Bakersfield Centennial 0: Samantha Esparza and Sarah Sumrall every had targets in a Division III opener.

Coronary heart 2, El Camino Actual 0: The highest-seeded Indians grew to become the primary workforce to attain in opposition to Metropolis champion ECR after 15 straight shutouts to win their Division II regional opener. Gianna Costello and Macey Edemann every scored targets.

Bishop Amat 4, Cleveland 1: Lenea Guerrero scored three targets in Bishop Amat’s Division III victory.

Birmingham 2, Montclair 1: Tony Macedo and Oscar Vargas scored targets within the Division I sport.

Basketball

2 St John Bosco, Lakewood 1: The Braves improved to 4-2. Colin Caycedo struckout six and gave up 5 hits in 6 2/3 innings. Zach Woodson had each RBIs.

Harvard-Westlake 6, St. Francis 1: The Wolverines (4-1) opened the Mission League sport with a street victory. Thomas Bridges struckout 10 batters in 4 2/3 innings. Eli Weinbach had a two-run double.

Arcadia 4, Claremont 2: Gabe Lopez improved to 3-0 in 4 1/3 innings. Ian Hoffstetter struckout 5 batters in 1 2/3 innings. Jerry Carlos had two hits and two RBI’s.