The Olympian High School boys basketball team moves up from the South Bay League to the Mesa League this season after punishing teams for a 30-4 record in 2016-17 that included a runner-up finish in the San Diego Section Division IV championship game and three rounds of state playoff games.
The Eagles are off to a 10-5 start in 2017-18 under returning head coach Marty Ellis.
The team lost two seniors off last season’s titanic team but seems to be rebounding nicely this season.
Senior Isaiah Williams (15.6 points per game), sophomore Gio Martinez (11.6 ppg) and freshman Steven Deutsch (10.1 ppg) have keyed the team through the early part of the season in scoring.
Williams has been a factor under the basket by averaging 14.5 rebounds per game. Deutsch can shoot from long range after dropping 38 three-pointers in 14 games.
Williams dropped in 20 points while Martinez had 15 points and Arvin Cagampan had 14 points in a 66-50 win over Kearny to close out a 3-1 showing at the Spartan Classic on Dec. 30.
Ellis said the ability of his team to play defense likely will determine how much success it reaps this season. The two-round format in league play will help in the team’s adjustment to a tougher schedule.
“Once you play a team once, you can make adjustments the next time you see them,” Ellis said.
Olympian dropped its Mesa League opener, 84-67, at Montgomery on Jan. 3.
The Aztecs, off to a 13-3 start, will be a team to watch this season after finishing 5-0 at its own holiday tournament. Montgomery defeated Mount Miguel, 85-75, in the championship game of the 35th Aztec Holiday Classic on Dec. 30.
Five players finished in double-digit scoring for the tournament hosts. Timothy Crawford led the group with 29 points while Kyle Paranada had 20 points, Sebastian Morgan had 14 points, Rahin Williams had 12 points and Ze’Tiam Burton had 10 points.
Williams and Crawford each had nine rebounds.
The ninth-ranked Aztecs improved to 2-0 in league play after edging visiting Otay Ranch, 83-81, last Friday. Montgomery trailed by five points with just over a minute to play until Williams scored on a lay-up with two seconds left.
Paranada led Montgomery with 22 points while Williams contributed 18 points.
Tariq Deadmon led the Mustangs with 26 points while Chris Stanek had 23 points.
Paranada tops the Aztecs in season scoring (20.3 ppg), followed by Crawford (17.4 ppg), Williams (12.6 ppg) and Morgan (9.7 ppg). Williams and Crawford are averaging 6.9 and 6.7 rebounds per game, respectively.
Montgomery entered the week averaging 77.3 points per game.
Eastlake finished 3-1 at the Aztec Holiday Classic with wins over Castle Park, Calexico and Coronado before being toppled in the tournament semifinals, 65-47, by Mount Miguel.
The Titans (9-7) tipped off Mesa League play last Friday with a 96-72 win at San Ysidro.
Seniors Grant Holman and Brian Leonhardt, both standout baseball players, bring their athleticism to the court for the school’s basketball team.
Holman (6-6, 220) plays center while Leonhardt is the team’s power forward. Holman is a defensive threat under the basket.
Leonhardt led the Titans in the win over the host Cougars with 30 points while Kevin Bateman added 17 points. Holman scored 14 points while teammate Jarret Isaacson had 11 points.
Kailen Rains led San Ysidro (6-13) with 23 points. Alex Vazquez and Raheem Nowlin each had 17 points for the Cougars.
PREP SPORTSLINE
Boys Basketball
Mesa League
Friday, Jan. 5
Montgomery 83, Otay Ranch 81
Eastlake 96, San Ysidro 72
Mater Dei Catholic 89, Bonita Vista 65
Wednesday, Jan. 3
Otay Ranch 94, San Ysidro 67
Montgomery 84, Olympian 67
Non-League
Friday, Dec. 5
Chula Vista 57, High Tech High Chula Vista 56
Hilltop 63, West Hills 59
Girls Basketball
Mesa League
Friday, Jan. 5
Bonita Vista 81, Mater Dei Catholic 76
Eastlake 67, Hilltop 22
Montgomery 50, Otay Ranch 32
Boys Soccer
Mesa League
Friday, Jan. 5
Eastlake 1, Bonita Vista 0
Castle Park 2, Chula Vista 1
Non-League
Friday, Jan. 5
Mira Mesa 1, Olympian 1
Lincoln 3, Mar Vista 1
Health Sciences 7, High Tech High Chula Vista 2
Girls Soccer
South Bay League
Friday, Jan. 5
Sweetwater 1, Mater Dei Catholic 1
Mar Vista 2, Castle Park 1
Southwest 1, San Ysidro 0
Wednesday, Jan. 3
Hilltop 1, Mar Vista 1
Girls water polo: Eastlake Lady Titans win trio of games at Winter Classic tournament
Eastlake High School’s girls water polo team won its final three games in this year’s Winter Classic Dec. 14-16, defeating Serra, Steele Canyon and Mission Bay, to finish 3-2 in the pre-Christmas tournament.
The Lady Titans defeated Poway and Steele Canyon in a pair of non-league games on Dec. 19 and Dec. 20 to run their winning streak to five games (and overall record to 8-6) to end the first semester.
Eastlake entered the week fourth in the San Diego Section Division II power rankings behind University City (6-4), Scripps Ranch (8-3) and Grossmont (5-5). Bonita Vista (1-1) was seventh while Otay Ranch (4-2) was 10th. Hilltop (2-3) entered the week 14th in the Division II power rankings while Mater Dei Catholic (3-0) was 18th.
San Ysidro (2-2) entered the week second in the Division III power rankings while Chula Vista (4-5) was fourth, Olympian (2-3) was seventh and Southwest (0-1) was ninth.
Mar Vista (0-4) entered the week 19th in the Division I power rankings.
