Two outstanding teams are paired off in the first semifinal at the ‘Iolani Classic. Lone Peak (Utah) meets Sierra Canyon (Calif.). Lone Peak has won four Utah 5A state titles in a row. Sierra Canyon is located just outside of Los Angeles. The Trailblazers have a schedule that includes six of the Top 10 teams in the nation, according to the tournament program.
FIRST QUARTER
The Trailblazers can do no wrong so far. Made all three shots, 3-for-3 at the foul line, working the ball into the post, forced two turnovers and they lead 11-2.
Remy Martin drives hard right and scores at the hoop, no help. SC leads 13-2.
Frank Jackson banks in a 3 for Lone Peak, but Cody Riley drives hard and scores for a 15-5 Blazers lead.
Jackson rejects a dunk attempt by Riley, who stands around 6-foot-9, and Lone Peak hits a 3 at the other end. SC coach Ty Nichols blows a gasket and is out on the court near the center screaming at an official about a no-call on the block. Technical foul and Lone Peak hits one of the two FTs.
Doesn’t really matter. Lone Peak has nobody who can stop Martin and it doesn’t look like the team from Utah is willing to go zone. Quarter ends with Sierra Canyon up 25-9. And it wasn’t really that close, re: bank-shot 3.
SECOND QUARTER
Lone Peak (Knights) over the foul limit entering the second quarter. Riley hits one and misses the next, but Ira Lee follows with the lefty putback and it’s 28-9.
Steal and breakaway and-1 layup by Martin. He’s the star of the day/night so far. Doesn’t hurt that they have a dominant rebounder in Riley to start just about every fastbreak.
Time out Blazers, 4:08. They’ve had their reserves on the floor the past few minutes and the lead has gone from 20 to 17. It’s 33-16.
Nichols kept the reserves flowing into the game for the rest of the half. The Blazers went cold from the field while Jackson kept working. He scored all eight of his points during the second quarter and Stefan Kljajic added six points to help the Knights cut the lead to 38-24 going into halftime.
THIRD QUARTER
The Lone Peak Knights refuse to quit. They’re hustling on the boards, running the floor, launching threes and hitting the boards again. They’re hititng cutting teammates for layups and they’ve cut the lead to 44-35, time out Sierra Canyon, 5:02.
Lone Peak shooting blanks now. Sierra Canyon on a 7-0 run, dominating the boards as the Knights go stone cold from deep. Time out Knights, 2:16. Momentum has slipped away from Lone Peak.
Martin closes out a dominant run by the Blazers with a pull-up jumper from the left wing as the buzzer sounds. That’s a 15-0 run after Lone Peak had whittled the lead down to 44-35. Sierra Canyon leads 59-35 entering the final quarter
FOURTH QUARTER
The period opens with Lee pinning a Lone Peak layup attempt, and ends with Devearl Ramsey lobbing a pass off the glass to RIley, who throws it down with a rim-rattler. After two more Blazer baskets, it’s a 67-35 game, a 22-0 run.
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