Trevor Ariza Classic: Day II highlights
LOS ANGELES – The second day of the Trevor Ariza Tip-Off Classic, hosted by the veteran NBA forward’s prep alma mater, Westchester, was highlighted by a terrific opening round game between Renaissance Academy and Long Beach Poly. And,…
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Continue ReadingLOS ANGELES – The second day of the Trevor Ariza Tip-Off Classic, hosted by the veteran NBA forward’s prep alma mater, Westchester, was highlighted by a terrific opening round game between Renaissance Academy and Long Beach Poly.
And, despite trailing by 10 points at intermission, the Wildcats won their fifth game in a row by edging the Poly Jackrabbits, 52-50.
Six-foot-eight sophomore Koat Keat (who is from the Sudan) continued his sizzling play with 30 points – including a go-ahead dunk and two free throws with 19 seconds remaining – and 13 rebounds for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats opened their seasons with losses to Windward and Harvard-Westlake but have since knocked off Taft, Gardena, Orange Lutheran and St. John Bosco before toppling Poly.
Poly’s highly-recruited junior, 6-6 Peyton Watson, couldn’t quite convert a contested, left-handed layup attempt that would have sent things into overtime just before the buzzer.
Renaissance Academy will face St. Bernard in a Thursday night (7:30) championship quarterfinal.
St. Bernard improved to 3-0 with his 85-54 win against Hart Tuesday night.
L.A. Dorsey transfers (from the Class of 2021) Damion McDowell and Reese Dixon-Waters combined for 40 points while senior point guard Nick Bowden (pictured) dropped in 14.
The other Thursday quarterfinal (at 6) will pit the host Comets (which blitzed Horace Mann, 73-20, Tuesday night for Coach Ed Azzam’s 900th victory) against Santa Monica.
The Vikings pulled away down the stretch to beat Gardena Tuesday afternoon, 60-50.
In Wednesday night’s championship bracket quarterfinals, Heritage Christian and Bishop Montgomery hook up at 6 with Etiwanda and Washington Prep following at 7:30.