Guard Tandem Leads Cleveland to 66-49 Victory

Because it’s the end of a decade and all, it seems that everybody is churning out a “best of” list of some sort. A few City Section coaches, after taking a look at this year’s talent, already have a jump on the 1990s.

When it comes to the area’s best guard tandem, most admit, Eddie Hill and Andre Chevalier of Cleveland High are at the top of the chart. In fact, it’s such a moot point that some coaches and players have jockeyed verbally to claim runner-up honors.

Even the vanquished concede as much.

“I haven’t seen a better tandem, no,” Kennedy Coach Yutaka Shimizu said after watching the pair combine for 30 points in Cleveland’s 66-49 victory over the Golden Cougars in a North Valley League game Wednesday at Cleveland.

Last season, Hill and Chevalier played behind Division I-bound Adonis Jordan and Tim Bowen.

“We called it ‘J-World’ last year because we were both juniors and neither one of us started,” said Hill, who had 18 points. “It’s fun to be starting.”

Could the pair still be underrated? Possibly.

“They’re asked to do things that others aren’t,” Cleveland Coach Marc Paez said. “They sit a lot. They’re on the bench half the game and their statistics aren’t what they could be if they played all the time.”

For Kennedy (10-8, 3-3 in league play), the stats said plenty: Chevalier had 12 points and nine assists; Brandon Martin, a sophomore forward, had 14 points.

Leading, 15-10, Cleveland (16-4, 6-0) opened the second quarter with an 11-1 run, hitting its first four field-goal attempts. The lead grew to 31-13 on a three-point bomb by Chevalier with 4 minutes 10 seconds left in the half, capping a 16-3 surge.

Kennedy’s Garret Anderson finished with 18 points but missed the front end of three one-and-one free throws in the decisive second quarter. Teammate Josh Etting scored 20, but it wasn’t nearly enough.

“I was out of it from the beginning,” Anderson said. “We didn’t really do what we wanted offensively, but things can get out of hand against them. We haven’t played anybody like that all year.”

Has he seen anybody like Chevalier and Hill?

“I’d say they’re the best in the Valley,” Anderson said. “Even worse, they’re on the same team.”