No. 9
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) used a big run late to knock off perennial power
Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 60-53 in California's Southern Section Open Division playoffs Tuesday night. The host Trailblazers improved to 2-0 in the pool play format thanks to a 16-3 surge over the final 4:23 of the game to erase a six-point deficit.
McDonald's All-American and future UCLA Bruin
Amari Bailey fueled the Sierra Canyon (24-3) comeback with 10 points over the final 3:25 to finish with a team-high 16 points. Another Trailblazer star,
Bronny James, scored 10 points of his own in the first half but sat out the final 20 minutes with a hip injury. Teammates
Shy Odom and
Isaiah Elohim combined for 19 points.
Bronny's father LeBron James sat front row, among the 400 or 500 jammed into Sierra Canyon's small gymnasium.
Senior
Jack McCloskey led Mater Dei (25-4) with 19 points and four assists. Junior forward
Zack Davidson added 16 points and 10 rebounds. The Monarchs dropped to 0-2 in pool play.
See highlights from the section playoff thriller in the video.
Both teams continue pool play Friday with Sierra Canyon taking on
Harvard-Westlake (Studio City) and Mater Dei meeting
Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks).
UCLA-bound Amari Bailey put the finishing touches on this one with a slam dunk for Sierra Canyon in the final 15 seconds.
Photo by Louis Lopez
Sierra Canyon's Kijani Wright (11) and Mater Dei's Tee Bartlett are on the floor for a loose ball.
Photo by Louis Lopez
Mater Dei's Jack McCloskey (10) set the tone with 15 first-half points.
Photo by Louis Lopez
Bronny James had 10 points in the first 12 minutes before a hip injury kept him out the rest of the way.
Photo by Louis Lopez
Sierra Canyon's Ramel Lloyd (12) was active all night and finished with 10 points.
Photo by Louis Lopez
Amari Bailey goes in for two of his team-high 16 points.
Photo by Louis Lopez
Mater Dei 6-10 freshman Tee Bartlett blocks out Sierra Canyon McDonald's All-American Kijani Wright.
Photo by Louis Lopez
LeBron James watches intently from courtside during Sierra Canyon's late comeback win over Mater Dei.
Photo by Louis Lopez
