MaxPreps Holiday Classic Saturday: Top-ranked and hungry St. Patrick rolls

SAN DIEGO - Any notion that St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) would succumb to jet lag like another New Jersey power did last year was squealched early and cemented late in the 20th annual MaxPreps Holiday Classic boys basketball tournament at Torrey Pines High School on Saturday night.

The nation's No. 1 team put on an absolutely dominating performance with an 83-35 victory against a pretty fair Ironwood Ridge squad from Tucson, Ariz., that came in 9-1 and featured a 7-foot college-bound player in Jan Maechlen, who mustered all of four points and three rebounds.

The Celtics looked absolutely famished for a game - they've played only twice coming in due to New Jersey's ultra-late start date - and responded with a dominating effort led by their stars, 6-3 Duke-bound guard Kyrie Irving who had 24 points and 18 by 6-7 Michael Gilchrist, rated the top junior in the country by MaxPreps national basketball editor Jason Hickman.

The 48-point victory came a year after St. Anthony (N.J.) traveled the same day it opened the tournament and legendary coach Bob Hurley sustained the worst loss of his 30-plus year career, 69-40 against Bishop O'Dowd.

St. Patrick traveled Christmas day and looked fresh while racing to leads of 23-7 and 48-18 after the first two quarters.

"No excuses," St. Patrick coach Kevin Boyle said. "Travel far. ... time change. ... new venue, it all doesn't matter. You just go out and play."

Ironwood Ridge coach Brian Peabody looked like he just walked through a tornado.

"They're really, really good," he said. "They brought their 'A' game and it didn't matter if it was their first guy or last guy they all played hard, unselfish and skilled. They do all the big things and little things to be great."

Gilchrist, who did most of the defensive work on Irving, said it wasn't by any means St. Patrick's best effort, which is a little scary.

"Out of a scale of one to 10, I'd give that a six," he said. "It wasn't anything special. We just played."

Boyle demands nothing but supreme effort, especially on the defensive end. He stood the entire game, but was only particularly antimated when Ironwood Ridge had the ball.

The Celtics forced 19 first-half turnovers and 30 overall.

"Everything is built on defense," Irving said. "We put on a show with defense."

But they look awfully good on offense too when Kevin Boyle Jr. (eight assists), the coach's 5-9 senior point guard has the ball. He destributed to a host of threats, especially Irving who has great outside range and can also drive hard to the bucket.

Derrick Gordon, a 6-3 junior, added 11 points for the winners (3-0).

Irving said the Celtics were definitely hungry with all the practice time.

"We plan on winning a national championship," Irving said. "Our chemistry is really, really good and that alone should help carry us."  

Due to New Jersey rules, the Celtics can only play three games (everyone else plays four), so they advance straight the to the semifinals to face the Monday's winner between Centennial-Eisenhower on Tuesday.

Taft 87 (Los Angeles) 87, Mesa (Ariz.) 55

There was considerable buzz - and understandably so - every time Mesa point guard Jahi Carson touched the ball.

The lightning bug 5-11 junior weaved around and through some of the most talented and tenacious guard in Southern California. The Oregon State-bound standout guard was as good as advertised with a game-high 25 points and four assists.

But Taft coach Derrick Taylor or his staff ever really worried because one guard against the stable of Toreadors just can't win and Mesa never really threatened after keeping it close for the first 12 minutes.

Pierson Williams, a 6-4 senior, had 19 points, USC-bound Bryce Jones added 16 and Texas-bound Deandre Daniels and Landon Drew contributed 14 each as Taft improved to 8-1. 

Taylor said this is one of his deepest teams ever and that showed during a 30-point fourth quarter when the team's 10th, 11th and 12th players looked superior to most teams starters.

"It might be our deepest team ever," said Taylor, who has coached 24 years at Taft, the last 10 as head coach.

Mesa (8-1) played without 6-6 Tulsa-bound post Blondy Baruti, out with a leg injury. Carson was terrific and made one absolutely spectacular double-spin, acrobatic over his shoulder catch in the first half. But Taft did force him to make eight of the team's 30 turnovers. The Toreadors simply wore down Mesa.

Observation: The 6-5 Jones has a NBA body and explosion. Former NBA standout and Atlanta Hawks assistant Larry Drew told Taylor that Jones has better explosion than many NBA guys now. ... Larry Drew is the father of Landon Drew, who is a 5-10 sophomore. ... Taylor is a taskmaster who is relentless in his pursuit of details. He was upset Taft forced 19 first-half turnovers but turned them into only 14 points ("that' should be 40 points," Taylor said. ... Bishop O'Dowd, which plays Taft in Monday's 7 p.m. quarterfinals, is in deep trouble unless its guard play improves.

Price (Los Angeles) 74, McClymonds (Oakland) 48

Cal-bound Allen Crabbe, a 6-6 guard with fantastic leaping ability and long shooting range - a good combination - was the class of this lopsided affair with 25 points. Crabbe had a spectacular follow dunk only to be outdone by teammate and fellow Cal-bound standout Richard Solomon, a 6-9 senior, who toma-hawked one down from the right baseline.

Gary Williams and Jeffrey Parker had 10 points each for McClymonds (5-4).

Observation: Clearly, McClymonds isn't the same squad that won back-to-back Northern California Division I titles the last two years. And the Warriors were doomed with 6-9 Jamaree Strickland picked up three quick fouls and finished with three points.

But, barring injury, you can all but ticket Price (11-0) to a state Division IV title-game appearance. They have all the pieces and then some. If they get 6-10 Norvel Pelle, a transfer from Dominguez-Compton, eligible the Knights could compete for a state title at any Division.

Newark Memorial 50, Fairfax 34

The Cougars (7-1) did a fantastic job defensively against the perennial Los Angeles City power, allowing a combined 19 points in the first, third and fourth quarters.

Kendall Andrews had 18 points and Jisuan Randle scored eight of his nine points in the fourth quarter.

Fairfax (8-2), ranked 24th in the country last year, lost two of the country's top 50 players Renardo Sidney and Solomon Hill to graduation.

Observation: Any team coached by Harvey Kitani is going to play tough and strong defense, but the Lions just don't have the horses. They have eight wins early, but have beat up on some out-of-state squads. Their other loss was 81-45 to Long Beach Poly.

Newark Memorial is always superbly coached and the Cougars make up for a lack of size with superb defense and rebound. But there doesn't apear to be enough firepower to hang with some of the elite teams here. 

Bishop O'Dowd 63, Leuzinger 62

Brandon Ashley, a 6-foot-8 forward considered one of the best sophomores in the country, made his first start a good one for the Dragons (7-1) with 24 points and nine rebounds including two free throws with 5.9 seconds left to win it.

Ashley has missed four games and played parts of only three others because of a broken left ring finger sustained six weeks ago that required surgery.

James Thomas keyed a fourth-quarter flurry for O'Dowd, drilling two 3-pointers and feeding Ashley for a hoop keying a 11-4 run to start the quarter.

A slam dunk and driving jumper by Jordan Barton, gave O'Dowd a 61-58 lead, Leuzinger countered with a jumper by Elvin Smith and two free throws from Chayson Williams, to take a 62-61 lead with 24.7 seconds left.

O'Dowd made a turnover, but Ashley stole the ball right back with 11 seconds left and was fouled with 5.9 ticks left.

After a timeout, Ashley bounced in the first half of a one-and-one and swished the second before Aqeel Quinn missed an 8-foot runner at the buzzer.

Observation: Don't be fooled by Leuzinger's 4-6 record. The Olympians had their talented backcourt of Quinn and Colroy Gordon together for the first time. Remarkably, they've lost five games by a total of nine points including 60-59 to Taft.

With Ashley, 6-5 Barton and 6-6 sophomore Richard Longrus, O'Dowd is loaded up front, but backcourt play continues to be a concern. The Dragons had a lot of trouble with fullcourt pressure.. 

Eisenhower 93, Foothills Christian 80

In an entertaining, up-and-down, 3-point shootout, the defending California Division II state champs had just a little more firepower.

Bryan Bock led five players in double figures with 20 points for Eisenhower, while Bernard Ireland had 18, Alex Varner 17, Kirby Gardner 16 and Keyon Sayles 10.  

Three Knights had 21 points, Troy Leaf, Jvonte Brooks and Kalob Hatcher, while teammate Steve McElroy chipped in 11.

Both teams played earlier in the day, with Eisenhower beating Compton 69-48 and Foothills Christian edging La Verne Lutheran 83-80.

Eisenhower advances to National division quarterfinals on Monday, while Foothills moves to the American division.

Centennial (Corona) 75, Franklin (Seattle, Wash.) 53

Gelaun Wheelwright, the No. 100 rated junior in the country, had 24 points, Michael Caffey 16 and Dominique Dunning 15 as Centennial had little trouble with perennial Washington power, which got 15 points by Rio Adams, who is considered one of the West Coast's top sophomores.

OTHER SATURDAY SCORES

American Division
La Costa Canyon 68, Birmingham 67
Miramonte 63, Huntington Beach 52
St. Joseph Notre Dame 55, Simi Valley 48
Los Alamitos 51, Windward 46
Los Osos 56, Roosevelt 48
Oakland 68, Campbell Hall 63
Long Beach Jordan 69, James Logan 67

Senator's Cup Division
San Diego Cathedral 51, The Rock 48
Desert Vista 52, Folsom 38
Pacific Hills 70, Mayfair 60
Maranatha 58, Community Charter 56
Yale 65, Los Angeles Cathedral 33
Francis Park 72, Washington Prep 57
Cienga 64, Spanish Springs 60

Governor's Cup Division
Santa Margarita 65, Upland 54
Poway 56, Catalina Foothills 55
Brea Olinda 72, Temecula Valley 69
Carlsbad 80, Ribet Academy 64
Vista Del Lago 67, Tesoro 41

Mayor's Cup
Torey Pines 74, Rim of the World 60
Westview 53, Yuciapa 50
La Jolla Country Day 61, Rancho Buena Vista 56
Flintridge Prep 64, Palm Desert 59
Cowichan 57, St. Josph Santa Maria 55
La Jolla 63, Bakersfield Christian 39

MONDAY'S SCHEDULE

National Division
At Torrey Pines HS
Leuzinger vs. Mesa, 9:30 a.m.
McClymonds vs. Fairfax, 11:05 a.m.
La Vern Lutheran vs. Ironwood Ridge, 12:40 p.m.
Franklin vs. Compton, 2:15 p.m.
Price vs. Newark Memorial, 5:25 p.m.
Bishop O'Dowd vs. Taft, 7 p.m.
Centennial vs. Eisenhower, 8:35 p.m.

American Division
At La Costa Canyon HS
James Logan vs. Cienga, 9:30 a.m.
Campbell Hall vs. Roosevelt, 11:05 a.m.
Windward vs. Simi Valley, 12:40 a.m.
Huntington Beach vs. Birmingham, 2:15 p.m.
Foothills Christian vs. Long Beach Jordan, 3:50 p.m.
Oakland vs. Los Osos, 5:25 p.m.
Los Alamitos vs. St. Joseph Notre Dame, 7 p.m.
La Costa Canyon vs. Miramonte, 8:35 p.m.

Senator's Cup Division
At Cathedral HS
Washington Prep vs. Los Angeles Cathedral, 11:05 a.m.
Community Charter vs. Mayfair, 12:40 p.m.
Folsom vs. The Rock, 2:15 p.m.
San Diego Cathedral vs. Desert Vista, 3:50 p.m.
Francis Parker vs. Yale Secondary, 5:25 p.m.
Maranatha vs. Pacific Hills, 7 p.m.
Chaparral vs. Spanish Springs, 8:35 p.m.

Governor's Cup Division
At Rancho Bernardo HS
Ribet Academy vs. Temecula Valley, 11:05 a.m.
Catalina Foothills vs. Upland, 12:40 p.m.
Carlsbad vs. Brea Olinda, 3:50 p.m.
Poway vs. Santa Margarita, 5:25 p.m.
College Park vs. Ponderosa, 7 p.m.
Rancho Bernardo vs. Vista Del Lago, 8:35 p.m.

Mayor's Cup Division
At Westview HS
Tesoro vs. Bakersfield Christian at Rancho Bernardo, 9:30 a.m.
St. Joseph Santa Maria vs. Palm Desert, 12:40 p.m.
Rancho Buena Vista vs. Yucaipa, 2:15 p.m.
TBA vs. College Park at Rancho Bernardo, 2:15 p.m.
St. Mary's vs. La Jolla, 3:50 p.m.
Torrey Pines vs. Temescal Canyon at Torrey Pines HS, 3:50 p.m.
Cowichan vs. Flintridge Prep, 5:25 p.m.
La Jolla Country Day vs. Westview, 7 p.m.

MaxPreps Holiday Classic Official Site 

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