Sierra Canyon opens playoffs with pool-play victory
By Jacob H. Pollon
The Sierra Canyon boys basketball team went on the road for its first ever true road game in the Southern Section Open Division playoffs and came away with a wild 72-67 victory against No. 4 St. John Bosco.
Noah Williams scored 23 points, Justin Pippen poured in 20 points and the Trailblazers led from wire-to-wire in Bellflower.
Sierra Canyon fended off every comeback attempt from the Braves (23-6).
Bryce Cofield and Arkansas-bound Isaiah Elohim each scored 12 points for the Trailblazers. Cofield added seven rebounds. Elohim was ejected in the third quarter for getting into a tussle during a scrum on the floor for a loose ball with SJ Bosco’s Jack Turner.
Sierra Canyon was clinging to a 48-43 lead with 2:43 remaining when Elohim left the court. The lead ballooned to 62-50 midway through the fourth quarter before a furious rally from the Braves cut the advantage to 69-67.
Sierra Canyon received a huge 3-pointer from Crespi-transfer Stephan Kankole and another big 3-pointer from Williams to fend off the Matt Dunn-coached team.
Brandon McCoy, a sophomore, scored 21 points to lead SJ Bosco. Turner scored 18 points, including three 3-pointers. Elzie Harrington and Kade Bonam each scored 10 points for the Braves.
Sierra Canyon got out of the gate quick, scoring 25 points in the first quarter and led 39-30 at halftime. SJ Bosco closed fast but could never tie it up or go ahead.
The Trailblazers beat the Braves for the fourth consecutive time in the playoffs (2019, 2020, 2021).
Sierra Canyon travels to Harvard-Westlake at 7 p.m.Tuesday. SJ Bosco hosts Corona Centennial at 7 p.m. the same day.
Elohim is not expected to play Tuesday serving a one-game suspension for being ejected in the previous game.