With at least a half-dozen current and former NBA players looking on, Scotty Pippen and Cassius Stanley lead the Trailblazers to their first state Open Division crown.
Video: Sierra Canyon wins CIF Open title
Watch the Trailblazers break open tight game in spectacular fashion and cut down the nets in Sacramento. SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The stars were out in their brightest forms Saturday at the Golden 1 Center.
There
were the older-school NBA guys such as Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, Kenyon Martin and
Derek Fisher, watching their younger kin. There was the league's new
generation, too: De'Aaron Fox and Justin Jackson.
The kids on the court weren't too bad either. They were there to decide the CIF Open Division champion.
The local fans came to root the local team — a scrappy, fearless, cohesive
Sheldon (Sacramento) squad without a Division 1 player on its roster.
Sierra Canyon's Cassius Stanley soars in for a dunk during the first half.
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
They came to see if the local kids could hang with all the NBA offspring who play for national No. 21
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth), which also featured one of the nation's top juniors
Cassius Stanley, perhaps the most spectacular player on the court.
In the end, Sierra Canyon broke open a close game to pull out a 75-62 victory, behind 23 points from Stanley and 21 points by
Scotty Pippen Jr..
Duane Washington Jr. added 14 points and
Kenyon Martin Jr. had 11 points, 13 rebounds and a huge block down the stretch to turn around the game.
"Everyone said we couldn't do this," Stanley said. "Everyone said we were just an AAU team. But tonight we proved everyone wrong."
Sierra Canyon was tested hard by Sheldon, which held the lead for more than 12 minutes of the game, which was tied 11 times. There were 14 lead changes.
But in the end, the Trailblazers (27-4) just had too much firepower. They ouscored the home team 19-6 in the fourth quarter.
Scotty Pippen of Sierra Canton scores two of his 21 points for Sierra Canyon.
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
led the way with 20 points for Sheldon,
Dom Johnson had 11 and
Kaito Williams 10.
The game, though close, was marred with foul trouble. Both teams were in foul trouble by the middle of the second quarter.
It see-sawed back and forth and was tied at 56-56 heading into the fourth. A three-pointer by Pippen with 1:52 left, gave Sierra Canyon a 70-62 lead that seemed to clinch it.
Pippen, a 6-1 guard, and Stanley, a 6-8 forward, are both juniors.
"Hopefully we'll be back here again next year," Pippen said. "And hopefully with the same result."
The action underneath the hoop was fierce as Sheldon's Dom Johnson can attest.
Photo by David Steutel
Scottie Pippen and Kenyon Martin look on courtside before Saturday night's game.
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
Sierra Canyon coach Andre Chevailer proudly hoist the state championship trophy.
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
Coach Andre Chevailer hands the trophy to his excited players.
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
Sierra Canyon players raise the championship trophy while celebrating.
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
Scotty Pippen takes a family photo with the trophy.
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
Sierra Canyon's Duane Washington cuts off a piece of the net at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
