CONCORD, Calif. – The Second Annual Sabrina Ionescu SI20 Showcase on Saturday was expanded this year from just having games at Carondelet to 16 games at both Carondelet and across the street at De La Salle. Of the 16 games, 13 were varsity and three were underclass. Of the 26 teams competing in the varsity games, 10 were ranked in the most recent top 25 Cal-Hi Sports rankings. The five games covered live were all played at Carondelet.
Logwood comes up huge in dominating Oakland Tech win
Oakland Tech came in a bit sluggish and fell behind 2-0, and even after tying it at 2-2 over three minutes into the game head coach Leroy Hurt still didn’t see what he liked. At that point - after already making two substitutions - he brought in Taliyah Logwood. Logwood, a 5-9 junior, had the game of a lifetime, registering a colossal triple-double with 37 points, 13 rebounds and 11 steals in a 72-50 victory by the Cal-Hi Sports No. 11 ranked Bulldogs over Heritage. For her performance, Logwood was obviously named the MVP of the game.
Logwood provided instant energy. She made a basket, scored again, was fouled and completed a three-point play, and then scored again to make it 9-2 Tech. After a pair of free throws by 6-4 UCLA-bound senior center Amanda Muse, Logwood scored two more buckets to account for all the Oakland Techs points of an 11-2 run that made it 13-4, and from that point Logwood and the rest of the Bulldogs were off to the races.
Logwood has been coming off the bench for Tech this season . When asked why she doesn’t start Hurt said: “Taliyah could be starting but I’m keeping her hungry and making her value her opportunities."
At times Logwood was even assigned to guard Muse, and despite a seven-inch height disadvantage she more than held her own. Muse did finish with 22 points and 10 rebounds with four blocks, but 17 of the points, eight of the rebounds and three of the blocks came in the second half after Heritage was down 39-17 at halftime.
“Taliyah had a great game yesterday, but besides he offense on defense she’s fantastic,” Hurt said. “When she plays without fouling she’s a problem.”
Oakland Tech (15-5) has only lost to teams above them in the Cal-Hi Sports rankings and the other loss was a 64-63 heartbreaker to North Carolina No. 1 Cannon of Concord.
Hurt, who inherited a program that won back-to-back CIF Division I state championships in 2004-05 with Alexis Gray-Lawson and Devanei Hampton as its main stars, could be moved up to Division I or even the Open Division for the state CIF Northern Regional playoffs after they complete Oakland Section play where they are more than prohibitive favorites. The Bulldogs won the Division IV state championship in 2019, and then after COVID cancelled the 2020 and 2021 state championships, they won the Division III state title last year.
“This is the deepest and best team I’ve ever had,” Hurt said. “Now we have to play like it.”
Heritage (15-4) returns to Bay Valley Athletic League action where they are 4-0 with a Tuesday makeup game at home with cross-town arch rival Liberty.
Host Carondelet races past Moreau Catholic
Sabrina Ionescu SI20 host Carondelet trailed 13-5 early and 13-9 after one quarter, but by halftime the Cougars had found their momentum with a 25-5 run from their largest deficit to take a 30-18 halftime lead,
From there Cal-Hi Sports No. 13 ranked Carondelet (18-4) turned on the after burners to race past Moreau Catholic in a 68-39 victory.
Carondelet senior Jamie Kent earned MVP honors after finishing with a near triple-double 12 points and 12 rebounds with eight assists and three steals.
Senior guard Allie Cummins had two three-pointers and actually led Carondelet with 16 points, and junior guard Keisha Vitalicio nailed three three-pointers and was right behind her with 15 points plus six rebounds and three assists.
Moreau Catholic (11-8) was led by senior guard Dymonique Maxie with a game-high 22 points plus six rebounds.
Folsom comes on late to trip Salesian
Folsom only took the lead four times in the game, and each time by one point, but after trailing 50-49 with just over a minute left, the Bulldogs took their fifth and final lead and scored the game’s final six points in a 55-50 victory over Salesian.
Junior power forward Kamryn Mafua led Cal-Hi Sports No. 8 ranked Folsom (17-2) with 20 points, including eight in the fourth quarter. Her back-to-back baskets gave the Bulldogs their final 51-50 lead and increased it to 53-50 with 28.4 seconds left.
Nevada-committed Charlotte Climenhage had a solid outing for Folsom, finishing with 15 points (three three-pointers), seven steals, five assists and four rebounds.
Cal-Hi Sports No. 10 ranked Salesian (17-4) got a superb effort from Makiah Asidanya. The senior guard finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, four steals and three assists.
Clovis West puts away Marin Catholic with big fourth quarter
CIF Central Section perennial powerhouse and Cal-Hi Sports No. 4 ranked Clovis West came into its game with Marin Catholic as an overwhelming favorite, and although the Golden Eagles posted a 56-38 victory, the scrappy and tenacious Wildcats gave it everything they had for the first three quarters.
Leading only 38-33 entering the final period, Clovis West head coach Craig Campbell cranked up the defense, the offense went on a 18-0 run to start the quarter, and Marin Catholic could only manage the game’s final five points.
Senior forward Etoyah Montgomery led Clovis West (22-0) with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Junior guard Ariyah Smith added 12 points, five assists and four steals and was named the MVP of the gamed. Sophomore guard Riley Walls chipped in with 10 points and eight rebounds.
Despite being shut down in the fourth quarter, Marin Catholic (15-5) never quit and hustled hard right up to the final buzzer. The Wildcats were led by sophomore Izzy McFadden with 15 points on three three-pointers. Senior Gracyn Lovette added seven points and eight rebounds with three assists and three steals, and played all out all game.
Pinewood falls to Valley Vista of Arizona
After losing 74-41 to Cal-Hi Sports No. 6 ranked Archbishop Mitty in the one Friday night game of the SI20 Showcase, Arizona Valley Vista-Surprise was a 57-49 winner over shorthanded Cal-Hi Sports No. 14 Pinewood.
Pinewood (6-6) was coming off a 50-41 loss on Friday to Crystal Springs Uplands in West Bay-Foothill league action. On MLK Day they suffered a 69-59 loss to Oakland Tech and in the game the Panthers also lost starting senior point guard Jade Ramirez to a season-ending knee injury.
A reeling Pinewood got a gutsy effort from Ava Uhrich. The senior transfer in her seventh game in a Panthers jersey only had one basket, a three-pointer, but still finished with 11 points and 18 rebounds with seven assists and four steals. Sophomore Jolyn Ding led Pinewood with 14 points and junior Anika Nabisan added 12 points.
Valley Vista (10-8) had three players in double-figure scoring led by game MVP Olivia Arvallo with 18 points (four three-pointers), five rebounds and four assists. Junior Jocelyn Chavez added 15 points (three three-pointers) and five rebounds, and senior Hannah Young chipped in with 10 points.
Mater Dei handles St. Mary’s
In the one game not covered in person and played at De La Salle, Cal-Hi Sports No. 5 ranked Mater Dei made the trip up from Santa Ana and posted a fairly decisive 76-61 victory over No. 9 ranked St. Mary’s-Stockton.
Jenessa Cotton, a 6-3 junior power forward, led Mater Dei (22-2) with a double-double 22 points and 15 rebounds. The MVP of the game had 12 points in the fourth quarter when the Monarchs put it away after only leading 57-51 after three quarters.
Super sophomore transfer Addie Deal had 13 points and fellow sophomore Shaena Brew added 11 points for Mater Dei.
St. Mary’s (15-8) had three players in double figures led by junior standout Jordan Lee with 19 points, senior Nyah Lowery had 14 points and senior transfer Saulele Tanuvasa added 13 points.
