NEWARK, CA – In a close game with seven ties but only three lead changes Cal-Hi Sports pre-season No. 23 Moreau Catholic-Hayward took charge after the teams were tied early in the fourth quarter at 50-50 to post a 72-63 victory in Game Four of the 10th annual Nor Cal Tip-Off Classic.
Grand Canyon University-bound 6-3 senior guard Damari Milstead (27 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals) ignited things by hitting a 3-pointer at the third quarter buzzer to give Moreau a 50-47 lead. From there they built it to a 63-51 high-water mark before coasting home against one of the top teams from the CIF Central Section.
Milstead had a good game and his 7-for-23 shooting from the field was offset by a 12-for-15 performance from the foul line, however the player that the college coaches packed their seats to see was 6-5 guard Kyree Walker, and the incoming freshman was as good as advertised.
Walker tied Milstead for game-high honors with 27 points and the Cal-Hi Sports No. 1 player from the class of 2020 and highly-regarded freshman on more than one national recruiting list had a team-high nine rebounds with three assists and three steals. His quickness in the open court and power going against older boys coupled with a nice jump shot is something that resembles Jason Kidd as a freshman. In a close vote he won out over Milstead as the Player of the Game in his very first high school contest.
Walker and Milstead led the offense but the young Mariners actually won the game with solid trapping and pressing defense that was also sparked by the athleticism and quickness of the duo. Junior LJ Anderson (five points, five steals) was another player that had a solid defensive effort.
“We’re going to get better overall but I liked our defense today,” Moreau Coach Frank Knight said.
Cal State-Bakersfield-committed 6-6 forward Darrin Person Jr. led Immanuel with a double-double 22 points and 10 rebounds and junior point guard Nate Kendricks had 20 points, but the defense of Moreau had 15 steals and forced 29 turnovers with Kendricks committing eight of them.
Game One: Monte Vista-Danville 68, St. Patrick-St. Vincent 58
The opening game of the Nor Cal Tip-Off Classic went to Monte Vista (1-0) after they took charge in the early fourth quarter when their lead was only 48-46.
Three players were in double figure scoring led by 6-3 senior D1 prospect and Player of the Game Austin Fadal and his 18 points and game-high seven rebounds. Mark Castro had 17 points including two key fourth quarter 3-pointers, and Ashton Rust chipped in with 12 points.
St. Patrick-St. Vincent (0-1) got a game high 25 points from 6-4 senior Tavian Henderson but the Bruins were shorthanded with football players missing that are still in action in the CIFNCS Division V title game this Saturday night.
Game Two: Dublin 75, Las Lomas-Walnut Creek 64
Dublin (1-0) led from start to finish but it took a 9-1 run led by Player of the Game and senior Jack Nielsen to close it out after the Gaels only led the stubborn Knights 66-63 with just under 3 minutes remaining.
The 6-6 Nielsen led four players in double-figure scoring with 17 points (eight rebounds) followed by freshman sensation Robbie Beasley (14 points), a double-double 12 points and 14 rebounds from senior Steve Houston, and 12 points and five assists and four steals from sophomore Conner Jackson.
Las Lomas (0-1) got a game-high 23 points from Robert Price and 14 points and four steals from Tanner Wallace.
Game Three: Christian Brothers-Sacramento 70, Berkeley 59
Two young teams squared off with Christian Brothers (1-0) steadily building a 58-41 early fourth quarter lead before coasting to a win over a defending Northern Regional Division I champion Berkeley team that was without D1 junior prospect Kyree Brown.
For Player of the Game junior guard Andre Albason (16 points, eight rebounds, eight assists) edged out 6-8 junior D1 prospect Elias King who finished with a double-double 18 points and 12 rebounds with four blocks. Sophomore Brandon Wiggin (14 points) and junior Will Warner (10 points) also hit double-figure scoring.
Berkeley (0-1) was led by 6-4 senior D2 prospect Sean Spikes (22 points) and 17 points, six rebounds and six steals by 6-3 junior D1 prospect Ben Baker.
