Prep basketball: Sit-out transfer period ends with start of Christmas tournaments
The day after Christmas is for more than seeking bargain Christmas sales or making returns on gifts. It’s also the first chance for high school basketball players who had to sit out the first half of the season after transferring to make their debuts.
At the Classic at Damien, Loyola got an immediate lift in a 67-51 win over Bakersfield Christian on Friday. Its two leading scorers were sit-out period players. Deuce Newt, a transfer from Campbell Hall, scored 24 points and Omari Cuffe, a transfer from St. Pius X-St. Matthias, had 17 points.
No team has waited more patiently than Corona Centennial’s girls’ basketball team. Knowing its top transfer students wouldn’t be eligible until Dec. 26, the Huskies didn’t play any games until Friday’s 90-31 win over Camarillo. Perhaps this is the trend of the future. Centennial is 1-0 and expected to be a Southern Section Open Division playoff team.
Can you say built for the playoffs?
Boys’ basketball
Crean Lutheran 62, Meridian (Id.) Owyhee 59: The Saints knocked off a team that beat Harvard-Westlake last week in Hawaii. Hunter Caplan scored 20 points.
Crespi 73, Layton (Utah) Christian 70 (OT): The Celts won in overtime. Isaiah Barnes had 28 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
Redondo Union 110, Fresno Clovis North 56: SJ Madison had 30 points for the Sea Hawks.
St. John Bosco 56, Utah American Fork 39: Christian Collins led the Braves with 27 points.
Arcadia 64, Mayfair 59: Owen Eteuati-Edwards had 22 points for Arcadia, setting up a Saturday showdown with San Gabriel Academy.
San Gabriel Academy 66, Palisades 57: Freshman Zach Arnold contributed 14 points for San Gabriel Academy.
Moorpark 57, Fairfax 47: Sophomore Logan Stotts had 16 points for Moorpark.
Bogart (Ga.) North Oconee 65, St. Pius X-St. Matthias 64: Freshman Darrellreon Morris had 21 points in a buzzer-beater loss.
Milken 65, Bishop Alemany 55: Grayson Coleman scored 24 points for 7-7 Milken. Sophomore Ethan Frank, a transfer from Crespi, made his season debut for Milken, scoring nine points and getting seven rounds.
Etiwanda 53, San Joaquin Memorial 50: Armaun Pollock’s 14 points helpd the Eagles (15-0) stay unbeaten.
Mira Costa 55, La Costa Canyon 44: The Mustangs improved to 14-1 with a win in Carlsbad. Jayden Kainsinger scored 20 points.
La Habra 63, Washington Prep 48: Acen Jimenez finished with 27 points for La Habra.
St. Francis 68, Burroughs 23: Luke Paulus had 23 points for St. Francis.
Bishop Montgomery 73, Sylmar 41: Twins Terron and Tarron Williams combined for 30 points and 18 rebounds.
Harvard-Westlake 70, Germany Urspring 44: Joe Sterling made seven threes and finished with 31 points.
Brentwood 62, Taft 52: Ethan Hill finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
Mater Dei 98, Otay Ranch 50: Zain Majeed, a transfer from IMG Academy, had 20 points in his debut for Mater Dei.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 55, Idaho Lake City 45: Josiah Nance, back from injury, had nine points for the Knights as they slowly get him back into shape. NaVorro Bowman led the way with 17 points.
Thousand Oaks 68, Davis Sr. 61: The Lancers stayed unbeaten behind Dylan McCord, who made seven threes and had 36 points.
Viewpoint 67, Washington Roosevelt 43: Solomon Clanton Jr. had 21 points.
Rolling Hills Prep 51, California 50: Carter Fulton had 27 points for 11-2 Rolling Hills Prep.
Calabasas 85, Eastside 58: Tristan Cordero had 28 points and Calvin Goetz 27 points for the Coyotes.
JSerra 68, Democracy Prep 64: Early Bryson scored 23 points and Jaden Bailes 22 points in San Diego.
St. Bernard 65, Washington Mount Si 64: Brandon Granger had 34 points for St. Bernard.
Girls’ basketball
Troy 57, King/Drew 46: Mei-Ling Perry led the way with 24 points for 10-3 Troy.
Sierra Canyon 82, Rancho Cucamonga 36: Sophomores Rosie Oladokum and Cherri Hatter each scored 18 points for the Trailblazers.