December 15th 2024.
It was a highly anticipated rematch between two powerhouse teams, No. 2 Archbishop Riordan and No. 1 Salesian, in the 70th annual Gridley Invitational Tournament. Last year, Salesian had emerged victorious in the NorCal Open Division title game, but this time it was Riordan's turn for redemption.
The game was a close battle from the start, with both teams displaying their impressive skills on the court. But it was Texas A&M-bound guard Jasir Rencher who stole the show with his clutch performance. With only 12 seconds left on the clock, he sunk a game-winning three-pointer, securing the win for the Crusaders.
Riordan had a strong start, holding a 12-point lead at halftime. However, Salesian came back with a vengeance in the third quarter, outscoring Riordan 18-4 and taking a two-point lead. The game was neck and neck in the final period, with both teams giving it their all.
In the end, it was turnovers and missed free throws that proved to be the downfall for Salesian. Despite having a chance to take a four-point lead in the final minute, they missed both free throws. Rencher's three-pointer sealed the deal for Riordan, and Salesian's missed free throws in the final seconds only added to their frustration.
Junior Andrew Hilman led Riordan with 18 points, closely followed by Rencher with 12 points and John Tofi with six. On the other side, Isaiah Davis had a team-high 13 points for Salesian, while Carlton Perrilliat and Elijah Stanley each contributed eight points.
Unfortunately, Salesian's impressive 6-1 record was now tainted with a loss, but they had no time to dwell on it as they prepared to host Vallejo in their next game. Meanwhile, Riordan improved to 6-0 and was set to take on O'Dea in the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic on Dec. 26.
In another exciting matchup, No. 4 De La Salle took on Santa Margarita in the Chris Vontoure Spartan Classic. It was a historic win for De La Salle, as they claimed their 25th victory in the tournament. The star of the game was David Balogun, who scored a whopping 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. His teammate Braddock Kjellesvig added 10 points, while Oklahoma-bound forward Alec Blair chipped in with eight.
De La Salle's next challenge would be against Mountain House, while Santa Margarita would have to regroup and prepare for their next game.
In the 40th annual Stonebarger Tournament, Campolindo faced off against No. 12 Liberty for the second consecutive year. Despite Liberty holding an eight-point lead early in the third quarter, it was Campolindo who emerged victorious in the end. Senior Gavin Rendle led the way with 16 points, followed by Ren Marchetti and Noah Mesfin with 11 points each.
Jaiden Miller was the top scorer for Liberty with 14 points, and Mekhi Reed added 11 points, but it wasn't enough to secure the win. Liberty's record now stood at 4-1 as they prepared to face Antioch next, while Campolindo remained undefeated through six games and looked forward to their upcoming game against Piedmont.
In other high school sports news, the Menlo School held on to a narrow lead to defeat Santa Teresa, Salesian and Dougherty Valley enjoyed signature wins at the NorCal Ultimate Challenge, and the community mourned the loss of long-time St. Ignatius basketball coach Bob Drucker, who left behind a legendary legacy.
The action wasn't limited to the boys' teams as the girls' basketball team, No. 6 Acalanes, also put on an impressive display. They won their sixth consecutive game, beating Caruthers at the Recognize Game Classic at Oakland Tech. Junior point guard Cameron Thornton led the team with 20 points, while Ariana Hallstrom and Dulci Vail added 17 and 16 points, respectively.
Acalanes would now take on Benicia in their next game, hoping to continue their winning streak and maintain their spot among the top teams in the league.
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