Antelope Valley Speaks Volumes in Semifinals

Senior forward Josh Speaks scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Antelope Valley High advanced to the championship game of the Saugus basketball tournament for the fourth consecutive year with a 75-61 pool-play victory over Saugus Friday night at Saugus High.

The Antelopes (3-1), two-time defending tournament champions and 1994 runner-up, will face San Fernando, which beat La Canada, 59-48, in the other semifinal in the championship game tonight.

“We’re extremely inexperienced,” said Antelope Valley Coach Tom Mahan, whose team retained just two players from last season’s roster.

“But we’re very athletic and we’re learning quickly.”

Senior forward Roger Price added 19 points and six assists, and Steve Edwards and Tez Brown each contributed 11 points for Antelope Valley.

Forward Matt Bradley had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Saugus (2-1).

Nic Echevestre had 14 points and Colin O’Hara added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Centurions.

Momentum swung for the first three quarters. Antelope Valley led, 17-13, after one quarter, but the Centurions recovered to lead, 32-28, at halftime on three consecutive layups by Bradley.

The Antelopes regained the lead for good, 47-45, late in the third quarter when Price blocked a shot by O’Hara and Speaks ended the ensuing fastbreak with a dunk.

“They are definitely our go-to guys,” Mahan said of Speaks and Price.

“They are our only players with a lot of experience, and both of them showed it tonight.”

Antelope Valley was able to pull away in the fourth quarter by pulling down 18 offensive rebounds and forcing 11 Saugus turnovers in the final six minutes.

Alemany 62, La Canada B 49--Mike Murray scored 19 points and Casey Clausen added 17 for the Indians (1-3), who outscored La Canada, 22-5, in the third quarter of a pool-play game.

Joe Casio scored 10 points and handed out seven assists for Alemany.

Valencia 88, Canyon 75--Fabian Leon and Jerrohn Jordan both had 24 for the Vikings (4-1), who scored 16 fast-break baskets in a consolation game.

Leon had 12 rebounds and Jordan had seven assists

Eskias McDaniels scored 14 points for Valencia. Mark Sison added 14 points and sank 10 of 10 free throws.

Jerreme Suarez had 17 points and six steals for Canyon (2-2). Mike Reardon kept the Cowboys close with four three-point baskets in the second and finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Oxnard 80, Quartz Hill 69--Damian Tafoya scored 19 points and Jeff Fouchey added 18, sinking 10 of 12 free throws for the Yellowjackets (2-1) in a consolation game.

Center Gary Eberhardt scored 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds for Oxnard.

Guard Shawn Lett sank 11 of 14 shots and collected 28 points, six steals and seven assists for Quartz Hill.

The Rebels (2-2) pulled to within 56-54 at the start of the fourth quarter, but Oxnard went on a 7-0 run.

Stockdale 66, Highland 54--Bryson Gholston scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Mustangs (1-2), who raced to a 25-9 lead and held off the Bulldogs in a consolation game.

Dewon Lane scored 10 points for the Bulldogs (0-4). Frank Jimenez and Adam Ruszowski each added nine points for Highland.