Instead of giving up a pointless layup as the last seconds passed and the win was certain, Sierra Canyon forward Maximo Adams sprang and blocked a jumper from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame guard NaVorro Bowman Jr.
The play demonstrated the Trailblazers’ defensive tenacity throughout the game, which culminated in a 63-54 victory in Saturday’s Trinity-Mission League Showcase primetime game at the Intuit Dome.
Seven schools in The Times Top 25 rankings participated in the six-game spectacular, which began at midday. The most important outcome was the final, where both teams were vying for a bye and two days off in the Mission League competition, which begins on Sunday.
Gavin Hightower was named the most valuable player after scoring 21 points before fouling out with 1:01 remaining. Sierra Canyon (20-4, 6-1), ranked No. 6 by The Times, gained 18 points from Adams.
According to Hightower, an Iona commit, “We’re thrilled that we won, we know how good we can be, and having the extra time off is amazing because we’ll probably see that team again and this gives us a couple days in the gym to clean up our mistakes.” Playing in a venue like this is a boon. It’s all about having fun and being self-assured, but we really need the break because we practice hard every day.
Sierra Canyon’s Bryce Cofield ended with 15 points.
“We play defense,” Cofield remarked. We are accustomed to performing in front of large crowds on large stages. It’s all about basketball after the first few minutes of getting your worries out of your system.
The fifth-ranked Knights (20-5, 5-2) were led by Tyran Stokes with 23 points, followed by Bowman with eight. On Tuesday, the teams will probably play each other again in the league tournament semifinals.