HALF MOON BAY, Calif. — The King’s Academy won its second Central Coast Section Division IV title in three years last season, but the Knights are hoping for a bigger challenge this time around.
With most of its core back — centered around star sophomore Boss Mhoon and senior sharpshooter Claxton Ladine — the Knights are hoping to play in the Open Division this year, which features the section’s top eight teams regardless of enrollment and carries an automatic bid to the CIF state playoffs.
When all of its pieces are clicking, TKA is awfully hard to slow down. Half Moon Bay found that out the hard way Tuesday evening in its home gym, as the Knights pulled away late for a 75-53 victory.
“It’s been an interesting year,” TKA head coach Cameron Bradford said. “We had a couple guys with injuries early on, so we’re just trying to find a rhythm. We have a lot of experience, guys who have been in big moments, and a lot of skill. We move the ball. We get good shots. We just have to work on moving the ball and taking the best shot.”
Ladine knocked down two of his five 3-pointers in the first quarter, on his way to a team-high 21 points. Adrian Barnett scored six points of his own in the opening eight minutes to stake the Knights (6-1) to a quick lead. But do-it-all guard Gio Garduno-Martin helped bring the Cougars (3-4) back in the second period, with his 3-pointer tying the game at 24 late in the first half.
That was the last time TKA was seriously threatened. The Knights closed the half on an 8-0 run, with Mhoon starting to exert his influence on the game by getting to the rim. Mhoon had 17 points, including two fourth-quarter dunks. Barnett was also in double figures, finishing with 14 points.
“We got a couple of turnovers, got out in transition and got some easy layups,” Bradford said. “That’s a key for our team. If we play good defense and get out and run, we’re pretty hard to stop.”
Garduno-Martin kept Half Moon Bay in the game until the fourth, earning a four-point play in the third quarter as part of his game-high 24 points. But he just did not get enough help from his teammates, as no other Cougar cracked double digits.
TKA’s only loss was a seven-point defeat at Archbishop Mitty last Saturday. The Knights look like clear favorites in the West Bay Athletic League, but before league play begins, they will be tested at the Damian Lillard Classic at Oakland High School — the NBA star’s alma mater. TKA will play AIMS College Prep on Friday, with strong teams such as Campolindo and Pittsburg also in the field.
“Everything is still out in front of us,” Bradford said. “(We need to) just keep coming together as a team, working on our defense, our communication, and just going out there and competing every day. The guys work hard. They put the work in. Everything’s still in front of us. We’re just going to keep our heads down and keep working.”
Menlo-Atherton holds off Sacred Heart Cathedral for big road win
Like TKA, Menlo-Atherton is a CCS Open Division hopeful after winning the PAL-Bay Division title last year. And like the Knights, the Bears are off to a strong start, following up on a road win over a solid Woodside Priory team with another road victory Tuesday. M-A held off Sacred Heart Cathedral’s second-half charge for a 67-63 win.
Three players scored in double figures for the Bears (4-2), led by Jacob Sutton’s 24 points. Jerry Williams added 17 and Luca Auer chipped in with 11, nine coming in the second half. M-A was outscored in three of the four quarters, but the Bears dominated the second quarter 19-8, taking a 10-point lead into the half.
The Fightin’ Irish (7-2) used a 10-0 run to overcome an early 9-0 deficit and got a team-high 19 points from Corey Wong. But M-A closed the first half on an 11-1 spurt before freshman Jaden Hector started heating up for SHC after halftime. Wong’s 3-pointer in the final minute cut the hosts’ deficit to one, but Sutton iced the game at the foul line for the Bears.
