This season’s basketball field is already shaping up to be especially competitive on both the boys and girls sides of the hoop. Tournament play dominates the opening month of the season, followed by league play after the new year.
The Metro Conference was well represented in the top 25 rankings heading into the Christmas weekend with six boys teams in the top 25 rankings, including three in the top 10 and five in the top 15.
All six teams are in the Metro-Mesa League, which is sure to become one of the San Diego Section’s top leagues to follow this season.
San Ysidro, reunited with prep superstar Mikey Williams in the lineup, led the high-flying group at No. 6 with a 5-3 record, followed by No. 9 Montgomery (7-3), No. 10 Otay Ranch (8-2), No. 11 Mater Dei Catholic (8-2), No. 13 Bonita Vista (6-2) and No. 21 Eastlake (7-3).
The combined record for the six teams was 41-15 – that’s a heap of winning.
On the girls side, Mater Dei Catholic entered the Christmas weekend ranked seventh with a 7-1 record while Bonita Vista (3-5) was 17th. Both teams traditionally play strong pre-league schedules.
Bonita Vista hosted Sierra Canyon, ranked by ESPN at No. 1 in the state and No. 2 in the nation, and made a trip to the East Coast to take on three teams: Shabach Christian Academy (Landover, Md.), Colonial (Orlando, Fla.) and Howard (Ellicott, Md.)
Shabach Christian was ranked 18th in the nation.
Sierra Canyon roster included senior Juju Watkins, the No. 1 player in the country, as well as junior Izela Arenas, daughter of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, and junior Mackenlyy Randolph, daughter of former NBA star Zach Randolph.
The Lady Barons came home with a 60-54 win over Colonial and a narrow 53-50 loss to Howard while dropping an 81-59 decision to Shabach Christian. Bonita Vista tipped off the quartet of high-powered opponents with a 65-51 setback to Sierra Canyon.
The Lady Barons slipped in an early Metro-Mesa League game against rival Eastlake, posting an 84-24 victory on Dec. 12. Bonita Vista tangled with La Jolla Country Day, the top-ranked team in the section and fourth in the state on Dec. 16, losing 82-46.
Sierra Canyon is currently 10-0 while LJCD is 13-1 after storming out of the chute with a 13-0 record.
“We look good this season,” BVHS coach Tristan Lamb said. “We have all of our players returning from last season. We expect to win league for the sixth straight year and making an appearance in the Open Division championship game. Last season we made it to the second round of state playoffs and were looking to go deeper this year.
Top returners for the Lady Barons (6-7) include seniors Kaylyn Buchanon-Lamb and Alyssa Alvarado and junior Mahliya Wilson.
The team’s impact newcomer is junior Shania White.
“She transferred in and she is already making an impact with her speed, defensive effort and ability to score,” Lamb said.
Championship feeling
Mater Dei Catholic finished 5-0 to capture the team title at the Frank Pekarek Sweetwater Host Lions Club Classic Dec. 19-23 at Sweetwater High School.
The Crusaders finished 3-0 in pool play with wins over Steele Canyon (83-49 on Dec. 19), Foothills Christian (69-52 on Dec. 20) and Central Union (79-44 on Dec. 21). Mater Dei Catholic defeated Valhalla (also 3-0 in pool play) in the semifinals, 85-41, on Dec. 22 and topped Hoover, 83-56, in the tourney championship game on Dec. 23.
Senior Kristian Gonzalez poured in 26 points in the semifinal win over Valhalla while junior Josiah Jefferson had 15 points. Gonzalez dropped in 25 points in the championship game win over the Cardinals, while Jefferson tacked on 19 points. Sophomore Mayseo Elliott (12) and senior Dante King (11) both scored in double-figures in the tourney final.
Gonzalez, who recently signed a national letter of intent to attend Sacramento State, earned MVP honors while Jefferson also made the all-tournament team.
