Jared McCain scored 25, Centennial-Corona beats Salesian at the Crush in the Valley showcase.
SAN PABLO – On some nights, a basketball team can feel like they did most things right, and still come up on the losing side. That’s how Salesian felt on Saturday after putting up a good effort against Duke commit Jared McCain and defending Open Divison state champions Centennial-Corona, but losing 64-52 at the ‘Crush in the Valley Showcase’ at Contra Costa College.
McCain, a consensus five-star senior, scored 25 points to lead the Huskies in a game that was close most of the way. “We did a pretty good job,” Salesian coach Bill Mellis said, “and while there’s some things we could’ve done better, I’m proud of the effort we gave. We battled tonight.” SAN PABLO – Salesian guard Amani Johnson and Centennial guard Jared McCain dive for a loose ball. Salesian and Centennial-Corona high schools played in the high school basketball game as part of the 2023 “Crush in the Valley” showcase at Contra Costa college in San Pablo, Calif. on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023 He ran off screens from one baseline corner to the other, dribbled through picks and weaved around his teammates in search of open looks. No matter who Salesian threw at him, McCain would score efficiently as his constant motion had the Pride exerting most of their energy on the defensive end. “He just moves, he just never stops, he never stays in one spot,” Salesian wing Deundrae Perteete said. “He comes off his screen and he hits tough shots, because he’s a great player.” SAN PABLO – Salesian forward Deundrae Perteete drives to the basket in the fourth quarter. Salesian and Centennial-Corona high schools played in the high school basketball game as part of the 2023 “Crush in the Valley” showcase at Contra Costa college in San Pablo, Calif. on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023 , led 14-11 after one quarter, 28-21 at halftime, and then 44-38 at the end of three quarters. Salesian, not listed in those state rankings but placed No. 5 in the Bay Area News Group Top 20, kept the game within single-digits throughout, and even cut the Centennial lead to as few as two points late in the third quarter. But when Centennial needed to keep Salesian at bay, it always seemed to make the play it needed to make. If McCain wasn’t the one getting a bucket, it was UCLA-bound bigman Devin Williams, who finished with 15 points and an uncounted number of shot-altering contests at the rim. “I think we controlled the tempo,” Mellis said. “At the end of the day, they just made more shots than we did.” SAN PABLO – Salesian teammates Deundrae Perteete and Zion Yeargin do a pregame handshake. Salesian and Centennial-Corona high schools played in the high school basketball game as part of the 2023 “Crush in the Valley” showcase at Contra Costa college in San Pablo, Calif. on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023 Junior guard Amani Johnson led Salesian with 15 points, and sophomore guard Alvin Loving added another 14. Wing Deundrae Perteete notched seven points while defending all five positions on the floor, which kept the game within reach when Salesian went through cold shooting spells.The game may not have ended with smiling faces on the Salesian bench, but the competitive game did prove one thing to the team:“We’ve got a great group of guys who all play hard and want to win, and that translates onto the court. We can hang with anybody.” Perteete said. “We’re gonna take this loss on the head and build from it.” SAN PABLO – Centennial-Corona guard Jared McCain warms up before the game starts. Salesian and Centennial-Corona high schools played in the high school basketball game as part of the 2023 “Crush in the Valley” showcase at Contra Costa college in San Pablo, Calif. on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023 OAKLAND – Piedmont guard Natalia Martinez blocks a Salesian player. Piedmont and Salesian played in the high school basketball game at Bishop O’Dowd high school for the Martin Luther King Jr. day Showcase in Oakland, Calif. on Friday, Jan. 16, 2023 The best team in Bay Area News Group’s girls basketball rankings stayed perfect after it handled another top team, Acalanes , in a non-league game at the Sabrina Ionescu showcase at Carondelet. Maddie Hill was named game MVP after she scored 21 points and had four assists. Two-guard Natalia Martinez scored 19 and had six rebounds, and forward Eva Levingston finished with 13 points, 14 rebounds, and six combined blocks and steals. Piedmont improved to 18-0. With the win, Piedmont has now beaten four of the Top 10 teams this season. Ryan Beasley of the visiting Dougherty Valley Wildcats looks for the basket in the middle of traffic at San Ramon Valley High School in San Ramon, CA on Tuesday, January 10, 2023. Dougherty Valley takes the win over San Ramon 64-58. The Wildcats had their seven-game winning streak snapped between two of the top teams in the state at the State Preview Classic in Southern California. Notre Dame, ranked No. 11 by Scorebook Live, was led by Mercy Miller’s 17 points. Meanwhile Connor Sevilla’s 24 points paced Dougherty Valley, which entered the matchup ranked No. 7 in the state.
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