Bonita Vista High School senior Aaron Owens has endured his share of heartbreak and triumph. Last Friday’s 63-47 boys basketball victory over the visiting Southwest Raiders in the Barons’ Metro-South Bay League opener emphasized the latter.
The six-foot-foot-four Owens had, well, 1,000 reasons to be thankful.
The Barons’ gym was decked out with festive banners and signs commemorating Owens’ recent inclusion into the exclusive 1,000-point club.
He didn’t disappoint the packed house with a game-high 34 points.
“It’s a blessing” he said of celebrating his special night. “It’s been near the top of my bucket list since starting high school.”
Other items on his bucket list?
“Win league, win CIF, be the player of the year in league, go for 1,500 points,” he enumerated.
He estimates the latter item may not be beyond grasp if the Barons were to somehow manage to play 15 more games this season, including division and regional playoffs.
Bonita Vista (12-8) had eight more regular season games slated entering this week. That would leave seven playoff games. The path to 1,500 could be shorter depending on his scoring prowess.
He entered the week averaging 16.3 points per game while leading his team with 5.8 rebounds per game.
His big frame caused havoc under the basket last Friday with players bouncing off him as he opened up space beneath the hoop.
“I think I’m underestimated on my rebounding,” he said.
Owens receives nothing but praise from BVHS head coach Stevon Dean Curry and school principal Lee Romero.
“He’s been the consummate leader on the team on and off the court,” the affable Curry said. “He’s well -liked by all his teachers, his classmates. He’s exciting to watch as a player.”
He also exhibits sportsmanship of the first order.
“He lost his father coming into his freshman year,” the BVHS coach said. “Seeing how he carries himself in a way that’s graceful and humble, he’s selfless.”
Owens said he would like to continue playing basketball beyond high school, and has started to receive interest.
Romero describes the BV big man as a 4.0 student with a heart big enough to fill the campus.
Sophomore Jerry Stokes was next up in the BV scoring lineup with 11 points, including a monstrous slam dunk in the second half. The dunk was amazing in that Stokes measures up as one of the team’s shorter players at 5-9. The shockwave reverberated around the gym.
Stokes ranks second on the team with a 15.6 ppg average.
Senior Treyvon Davis dropped in five points while juniors Giovanni De Lone and Adam Mitchell each chipped in with four points.
Mitchell ranks second on the team with 4.4 rebounds per game.
Senior Khalid Deiranieh and junior Noah Soltero each led the Raiders (15-5) with 14 points. Senior Shaun Verdida added 10 points.
Southwest defeated host Otay Ranch, 70-50, two days earlier in those teams’ league opener. Dieranieh led the way with 15 points while Soltero had 15 points. Junior River Diaz tacked on 11 points.
The teams rematch Feb. 5 at Southwest High School.
The hosts grabbed the momentum from the onset in last Friday’s tilt, leading 37-22 at halftime and 46-32 through three quarters.
“It was a big win, definitely a relief,” Curry admitted. “Because of the culture that Southwest has, they’re extremely tough and play hard. During our home games the fans absolutely give us that extra push. We haven’t won a banner in 25 years. The last banner was in 1999 with Southwest versus Bonita.”
History, it’s said, has a tendency to repeat itself.
WHERE EAGLES DARE: The host Olympian Eagles handed No. 1 section ranked Montgomery a 53-47 Metro-Mesa League loss last Friday that will certainly have bearings on this year’s playoff seeding. The fourth-ranked Eagles led 29-27 af hlaftime and outscored the Aztecs 24-20 in the second half to bring down the house. Sophomore Tristan Anderson poured in 16 points while juniors Sammell Humphries and Jordan Walker both dropped in 12 points for Olympian (16-2). The Aztecs are 18-2.
Metro-Mesa League Standings
Olympian 3-0, 17-2
Victory Christian Academy 2-0, 10-9
Montgomery 1-1, 19-2
Mater Dei Catholic 0-2, 7-13
Eastlake 0-2, 8-12
Metro-South Bay League
Bonita Vista 2-0, 13-8
Southwest 2-1, 16-5
Mar Vista 2-1, 10-10
Otay Ranch 0-2, 6-15
San Ysidro 0-2, 2-19
Metro-Pacific League
Chula Vista 0-0, 16-5
Sweetwater 0-0, 8-11
Castle Park 0-0, 7-11
Hilltop 0-0, 7-12
AARON OWENS, BONITA VISTA:
Portfolio by Phillip Brents
SAN DIEGO SECTION BASKETBALL RANKINGS
(MaxPreps through Jan. 12)
BOYS BASKETBALL
Division I
1. Montgomery 17-1
2. Carlsbad 13-2
3. San Marcos 15-3
4. Mission Bay 13-4
5. Torrey Pines 13-5
6. Santa Fe Christian 15-4
7. Cathedral Catholic 13-6
8. Francis Parker 11-7
9. La Jolla Country Day 11-9
10. San Diego Cavers 11-2
11. Sage Creek 9-7
12, Mission Hills 11-6
13. Rancho Buena Vista 11-6
14. La Costa Canyon 9-8
15. University City 8-7
16. Victory Christian Academy 8-8
17. St. Augustine 5-12
18. Vista 10-7
19. El Camino 7-9
20. Mater Dei Catholic 7=10
21. Scripps Ranch 8-10
22. Del Norte 8-10
23. Hoover 7-10
24. Lincoln 4-11
Division II
1. Olympian 13-2
2. Mira Mesa 13-2
3. Madison 12-6
4. Christian 11-5
5. Bishop’s 12-6
6. Bonita Vista 11-7
7. La Jolla 14-2
8. Poway 13-5
9. Westview 11-7
10. Eastlake 8-9
11. Vincent Memorial 7-5
12. Monte Vista 11-8
13. Patrick Henry 8-12
14. Helix 5-14
15. Steele Canyon 9-9
16. Canyon Crest Academy 8-10
17. Mt. Carmel 5-13
18. Otay Ranch 6-12
19. Ramona 4-11
20. St. Joseph Academy 7-10
21. San Ysidro 2-16
Division III
1. Pt. Loma 14-2
2. Southwest 14-4
3. Calexico 12-5
4. Maranatha Christian 10-8
5. Rancho Bernardo 8-9
6. Fallbrook 11-6
7. Central Union 9-7
8. Imperial 7-7
9. Coronado 8-9
10. Valhalla 9-7
11. Oceanside 9-8
12. Canyon Hills 8-9
13. Mt. Miguel 6-8
14. Clairemont 7-10
15. High Tcch High Chula Vista 7-9
16. High Tech High San Diego 4-10
17. Valley Center 5-11
18. El Capitan 6-13
19. Mission Vista 3-13
20. San Dieguito Academy 0-13
21.Orange Glen 0-19
Division IV
1. Crawford 12-3
2. Brawley 11-8
3. Kearny 12-5
4. Tri-City Christian 4-6
5. Army-Navy Academy 8-7
6. Del Lago Academy 7-7
7. Foothills Christian 10-9
8. Escondido Charter 7-11
9. Calipatria 6-7
10. Morse 9-8
11. Granite Hills 6-10
12. West Hills 7-10
13. Mar Vista 7-9
14. Calvin Christian 6-6
15. Palo Verde Valley 5-11
16. Coastal Academy 7-8
17. El Cajon Valley 5-9
18. San Pasqual 2-12
19. Grossmont 3-15
20. San Diego Jewish Academy 1-11
21. Rock Academy 0-15
Division V
1. Pacific Ridge 16-1
2. Escondido 12-3
3. High Tech Mesa 7-4
4. Chula Vista 14-5
5. Santana 9-7
6. Preuss UCSD 10-7
7. O’Farrell Charter 10-8
8. Sweetwater 8-9
9. High Tech North County 7-4
10. Holtville 5-7
11. Bayfront Charter 7-5
12. Castle Park 7-11
13. Classical Academy 3-9
14. Hilltop 5-11
15. Guajome Park Academy 3-6
16. Southwest El Centro 3-12
17. Logan Memorial Education Campus 5-12
18. Mountain Empire 4-3
Division V-AA
1. Cambridge School 7-4
2. Southern California Yeshiva 6-4
3. San Diego Academy 9-4
4. Monarch School 3-6
5. Escondido Adventist Academy 4-7
6. Warner Springs 4-5
7. Ocean View Christian Academy 4-7
8. CLVCC 4-6
9. Liberty Charter 4-11
10. Horizon Prep 7-6
11. Cristo Rey 1-8
12. Bonsall 2-9
13. West Shores 0-7
14. School for Entrepreneurship & Technology 1-6
15. Julian 1-7
16. Borrego Springs 0-7
GIRLS BASKETBALL
1. Francis Parker 10-7
2. Mission Hills 9-6
3. La Jolla Country Day 10-6
4. Cathedral Catholic 11-3
5. Lincoln 10-5
6. El Capitan 16-3
7. Westview 9-6
8. Rancho Bernardo 15-2
9. Grossmont 13-3
10. Bishop’s 12-5
11. Imperial 12-4
12. Otay Ranch 14-3
13. Rancho Buena Vista 11-6]
14. Torrey Pines 11-5
15. Christian 11-4
16. Montgomery 12-5
17. Victory Christian Academy 6-11
18. Vincent Memorial 11-4
19. Carlsbad 9-8
20. Scripps Ranch 8-5
21. San Marcos 9-8
22. Fallbrook 9-5
23. Mater Dei Catholic 7-8
24. West Hills 9-6
25. Escondido Charter 9-7
26. Horizon Prep 9-1
27. Oceanside 6-6
28. St. Joseph Academy 12-7
29. Coronado 8-1
30. Morse 10-6
31. Mira Mesa 13-4
32. University City 9-8
33. Helix 8-6
34. Granite Hills 7-7
35. La Jolla 13-6
36. Santana 14-2
37. La Costa Canyon 9-8
38. Patrick Henry 12-4
39. Mt. Carmel 8-8
40. Cambridge School 9-2
41. Poway 6-12
42. Central Union 9-7
43. San Dieguito Academy 7-5
44. Tri-City Christian 3-2
45. Hoover 9-7
46. El Cajon Valley 8-4
47. Escondido Adventist Academy 7-4
48. Palo Verde Valley 8-4
49. Valley Center 6-7
50. Olympian 8-10
51. High Tech High San Diego 8-8
52. El Camino 6-6
53. Sage Creek 6-10
54. San Diego 5-11
55. School for Entrepreneurship & Technology 5-4
56. Mountain Empire 4-1
57. Warner Springs 7-2
58. Vista 6-11
59. Steele Canyon 7-12
60. Hilltop 11-6
61. Canyon Hills 9-7
62. Kearny 10-6
63. Brawley 7-11
64. Del Lago Academy 8-6
65. Madison 4-4
66. San Pasqual 4-3
67. San Diego Academy 5-4
68. Calexico 5-10
69. Del Norte 5-13
70. Santa Fe Christian 6-11
71. Crawford 7-10
72. Mission Vista 4-11
73. Eastlake 4-13
74. Foothills Christian 4-2
75. Rock Academy
Divisional Rankings
Division I: 1. Francis Parker, 2. Mission HIlls, 3. La Jolla Country Day, 4. Cathedral Catholic, 5. El Capitan, 6. Westview, 7. Rancho Bernardo, 8. Grossmont, 9. Rancho Buena Vista, 10. Torrey Pines
Division II: 1. Bishop’s, 2. Imperial, 3. Otay Ranch, 4. Montgomery, 5. Vincent Memorial, 6. West Hills, 7. St. Joseph Academy, 8. Mira Mesa, 9. University City, 10. Granite HIlls
Division III: 1. Lincoln, 2. Christian, 3. Escondido Charter, 4. La Jolla, 5. Central Union, 6. San Dieguito Academy, 7. Hoover, 8. Valley Center, 9. High Tech High San Diego, 10. El Camino
Division IV: 1. Horizon Prep, 2. Patrick Henry, 3, Cambridge School, 4. Tri-City Christian, 5. El Cajon Valley, 6. Escondido Adventist Acadeny, 7. Hilltop, 8. Canyon Hills, 9. Kearny, 10, Brawley
Division V: 1. Coronado, 2, Santana, 3. Mountain Empire, 4. Del Lago Academy, 5. San Pasqual, 6. O’Farrell Charter, 7. High Tech Mesa, 8. Southwest San Diego, 9. Castle Park, 10. Coastal Academy
Division V-AA: 1. School for Entrepreneurship & Technology, 2. Warner Springs, 3. San Diego Academy, 4, Foothills Christian, 5. Liberty Charter, 6. Borrego Springs, 7, West Shores
Metro-Mesa League Standings
Montgomery 2-0, 14-6
Victory Christian Academy 2-0, 8-13
Mater Dei Catholic 1-1, 9-9
Olympian 1-2, 9-12
Bonita Vista 0-3, 5-15
Metro-South Bay League
Otay Ranch 0-0, 15-5
Hilltop 0-0, 11-6
Chula Vista 0-0, 7-11
Eastlake 0-0, 4-16
Metro-Pacific League
Southwest 2-0, 10-7
Mar Vista 2-0, 3-10
Castle Park 2-1, 8-10
San Ysidro 0-2, 3-15
Sweetwater 0-3, 3-9
