Boys’ basketball: Crespi routs St. John Bosco for eighth consecutive victory

There are times when a loss turns out to be a victory. That’s the case with Crespi, which learned from its season opening loss to Peninsula and has gone on to win eight consecutive games, including a 59-25 rout of previously unbeaten St. John Bosco on Monday night in a San Fernando Valley Invitational quarterfinal game.

Sophomore Taj Regans made six three-pointers and finished with 20 points. Mitch Mykhaylov, injured in the Peninsula game but back healthy, had 17 points and nine rebounds. De’Anthony Melton hadded 12 points.

“We came out too confident,” Regans said of Crespi’s only defeat last month in the Redondo tournament. “We went back into the lab and started working hard and getting back to what made us good. I feel Crespi plays harder than any other team.”

It’s the Celts’ guard trio of sophomores Regans and Brandon Williams and senior Melton, a USC signee, that makes the team so dangerous. And when they play their trapping defense as effectively as they did on Monday, good things happen.

St. John Bosco dropped to 7-1 in its first major test under first-year Coach Matt Dunn. The Braves figure to get a little stronger when two transfer students become eligible in January.

The semifinal games on Tuesday at Granada Hills Kennedy will have Village Christian playing Saugus at 5:30 p.m. and Crespi taking on Trinity Classical at 7 p.m.

Ian Caddow had 26 points in Trinity’s 74-62 win over Newbury Park. Anthony McIntyre had 21 points in Saugus’ 68-57 win over Crescenta Valley. Village Christian defeated Agoura, 52-47, in overtime. Dama Diagouraga had 16 points for Village Christian. Isaac Etter added 14 points.

In a consolation game, Kaden Young scored 30 points in Simi Valley’s 79-68 win over Burbank.

In the Santa Margarita tournament, Santa Margarita fell to St. Augustine, 54-52, in the championship game.

Santa Barbara improved to 12-1 with a 75-53 win over Cabrillo.

Max Heidegger had 36 points in Oaks Christian’s 71-61 win over Lompoc.

Dorsey defeated Bakersfield Centennial, 74-70. Bishop Montgomery defeated Beverly Hills, 65-40. Steven Hubbell scored 20 points in Burroughs’ 72-53 win over San Gabriel Academy.

In Hawaii, Sierra Canyon defeated Lone Peak, 73-45. Remy Martin scored 22 points. The Trailblazers will play unbeaten Indiana La Lumiere (11-0) in the final. La Lumiere defeated Fairfax, 29-20. There’s no shot clock in Hawaii.

Flintridge Prep improved to 6-0 with a 53-47 win over San Marino. Andrew Tsangeos had 19 points and 16 rebounds. Dante Fregoso added 16 rebounds and seven blocks.

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