The San Ysidro High School boys basketball team finished 8-24 last season, 0-12 in Mesa League play. The Cougars finished 11-17 overall, 2-10 in league play, the previous season.
Teams are quickly finding the San Ysidro team they are facing this season bears little resemblance to those teams from prior seasons.
The Cougars have grown up.
“They were varsity as freshmen, they were getting beat by 50 and 60 points,” SYHS head coach Terry Tucker said. “Now they are juniors and they’re here to get it done.”
And they are getting it done.
San Ysidro improved to 2-0 in South Bay League play, 11-1 overall, after defeating host Castle Park, 107-22, last Friday.
The score is not a misprint.
The win over the Trojans (0-2 in league, 0-7 overall) marked the third time this season the Cougars had topped the 100-point mark and the fifth time the team had eclipsed 90 points in a game.
Freshmen D.J. Dudley, the team’s impact addition, scored 28 points in last Friday’s game while adding 10 rebounds, 10 assists and eight steals. Junior Kailen Rains led all scorers in the game with 29 points while collecting six assists and seven steals.
Junior Philix Kilbourne added 17 points and 13 assists while junior Jason Martinez tacked on 13 points and eight rebounds. The visitors totaled 28 rebounds and 28 steals in the game.
Tucker called Dudley one of the top freshmen players in Southern California.
The group wasted little time in making a statement on the court. San Ysidro bounded out to a 28-2 first quarter lead and led 57-13 at halftime. The Cougars put the game out of reach with a torrid 34-6 scoring run in the third quarter.
Watching the team play brought back memories of Sweetwater’s 2013-14 team that advanced to the section championship game with a 28-0 record.
The 2018-19 San Ysidro team is fast on its feet, reacts well to the ball and turns defensive turnovers into instant points in an almost endless scoring parade.
In other words, they are highly entertaining to watch.
“These kids have grown up together; they enjoy playing with each other,” Tucker said.
Tucker feels the team still has room to grow.
“They all will be back next year,” the San Ysidro coach said. “We want to win Division III (in the section finals); we want to win state.”
Prior to dropping a 68-44 encounter to San Marcos, a contender to qualify for this year’s Open Division playoffs, in Wednesday’s opener of the San Diego Holiday Classic, the Cougars’ lone loss had been 76-70 to Valhalla on Dec. 4 at the Mariner Melee at Mar Vista High School.
Both San Ysidro (11-2) and Valhalla (8-2) occupy the top spots in the San Diego Section Division III rankings posted by MaxPreps. Del Norte (10-4) is ranked third, followed by Tri-City Christian (6-4) in fourth and Sweetwater (5-3) in fifth.
San Ysidro and Sweetwater will meet twice in South Bay League play. The teams will battle one another on the court in their first meeting Jan. 9 at Sweetwater and rematch Feb. 1 at San Ysidro.
Sweetwater topped visiting Hilltop, 68-30, last Friday to win its league opener behind 18 points and nine rebounds from sophomore Craig McMillan, 17 points from sophomore Jimmy Mattox, 12 points and 13 rebounds from senior C.J. Jackson and 10 points from Ariene Velasco.
Lai Zumstein led Hilltop (0-2 in league, 3-10 overall) with 12 points.
Southwest matched the Cougars’ 2-0 start to league play with a 73-31 victory against visiting Mar Vista last Friday.
League play resumes Jan. 4.
Tip-ins
Top Division I teams include St. Augustine (10-1), Foothills Christian (7-2), Torrey Pines (10-3), Poway (11-3), Santa Fe Christian (9-3), San Marcos (8-4), Montgomery (7-1) and Vista (9-4).
Montgomery topped visiting Lincoln, 71-56, in a non-league game last Friday.
Red alert: Sweetwater advances to Torrey Pines final
Sweetwater topped Flintridge Prep of La Canada, 58-53, in Friday’s Mayors Division semifinals in the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic. The Red Devils, who secured their seventh consecutive victory, will play Rancho Buena Vista in Saturday’s division championship game at Sage Creek High School. Tip off is 8:05 p.m.
McMillan poured in 31 points and grabbed 18 rebounds to key Sweetwater’s victory. The Red Devils improved to 8-3 on the season.
In games on Thursday, Sweetwater defeated Las Vegas Desert Pines, 58-56, to improve to 7-3 on the season while Otay Ranch improved to 10-5 on the season by capturing a cliff-hanger over St. Monica 62-61.
In a pair of Mayors Division openers in Wednesday’s Torrey Pines Holiday Classic, Sweetwater defeated St. Monica, 58-51, behind 13 points each from McMillan and Ariene Velasco while Otay Ranch outscored Torrance 81-70.
Aztec Territory
Tournament host Montgomery will play Mount Miguel in Saturday’s championship game of the 36th annual Aztec Holiday Classic after breezing past Point Loma, 90-67, to round up pool play.
Rahin Williams dropped in a game high 37 points before fouling out while Kyle Paranada scored 16 points as the Aztecs won their 10th consecutive game. Montgomery led 22-7 after the first quarter and 43-20 at halftime. The teams combined for 52 points in the third quarter — 32 by the hosts to pull ahead 65-40.
Mount Miguel defeated visiting Eastlake, 78-68, on Friday to advance to meet the Aztecs.
Montgomery improved to 9-1 after defeating Vincent Memorial, 101-44, on Wednesday and Southwest El Centro, 78-28, on Thursday to tip off play in the 36th annual Aztec Holiday Classic.
Kyle Paranada leads Montgomery with a 23.0 season scoring average while teammate Rahin Williams is averaging 14.1 points per game.
South Bay League Standings
(Through Dec. 21)
San Ysidro Cougars 2-0
Southwest Raiders 2-0
Sweetwater Red Devils 1-0
Mar Vista Mariners 1-1
Castle Park Trojans 0-2
Chula Vista Spartans 0-2
Hilltop Lancers 0-2
Wednesday, Dec. 19
Southwest 72, Chula Vista 47
San Ysidro 78, Hilltop 33
Mar Vista 50, Castle Park 42
Wednesday, Dec. 21
San Ysidro 107, Castle Park 22
Southwest 73, Mar Vista 31
Sweetwater 68, Hilltop 30
