One Collapse Creates Another as Valhalla Rolls Past Helix, 68-48

Collapses by both teams had a big impact on 10th-ranked Valhalla High School’s 68-48 victory over Helix in a Grossmont League boys’ basketball game at Valhalla Friday night.

Helix’s offense collapsed early and never recovered. Helix (8-4, 3-3) scored eight points in the second quarter, four in the last 30 seconds, and shot just 22 percent in the first half.

Valhalla collapsed on defense, sandwiching Helix center John Pressler and holding him to eight points. Pressler, who fouled out late in the fourth quarter, had been averaging 20.

“Every time he got the ball, everybody collapsed on him,” Valhalla forward Tony Clark said. “We had to hit the boards. If you don’t block (Pressler) out, he’s going to get the rebounds.”

Clark got them instead. A 6-foot 6-inch sophomore, Clark had a team-high 13 rebounds, including nine on offense, and led the team with 25 points.

Valhalla outscored Helix, 20-8, in the second quarter to take a 32-20 halftime lead. Besides shooting poorly, Helix also committed seven turnovers in the period.

Helix had tied it, 12-12, on a rare inside basket from Pressler with eight seconds left in the first quarter. Helix did not score again until three minutes later, when Valhalla led 20-12.

Helix trailed 44-34 after three quarters, and Valhalla put the game away with eight consecutive points at the start of the fourth.

Helix could never establish an inside game and was not able to hit from the outside. Valahalla committed 30 turnovers to help keep Helix in the game.

“They took away our inside game and when we did get the ball inside we couldn’t hit,” Helix Coach John Singer said.