CaliforniaPreps.com - Branch West Takes Pangos Sweet 16 Title

May 1, 2012

Dave Rogahn and Dave Keefer
CaliforniaPreps.com Staff

Pangos Sweet 16
Invitational Championship:

Branch West Elite 64, Play Hard Play Smart 58

By Dave Rogahn

The Serra combination of Dakarai Tucker and Kajon Mack combined for 30 points and a half-dozen three-pointers and Gerry Blakes (Morningside) came off the bench for 12 points to lead Branch West Elite to a 64-58 win over Play Hard Play Smart in the championship game of the Pangos Spring Sweet 16 Invitational division Sunday afternoon at Cabrillo HS.

It was an intense, playoff-style game from start to finish, but the long-range shooting by Serra's dynamic duo as well as a strong performance by onetime Hawaii signee Blakes carried the day for Branch West. Blakes came off the bench and manned the point, finishing with 12 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and no turnovers for the game.

Play Hard Play Smart jumped out to an early 11-6 lead, only to see Branch West respond with a 22-7 run to take a ten-point lead after a Blakes free throw with 3:35 left in the first half. PHPS scored the game's next five points to make it 28-23, but Branch West got a jumper from Mack and a three from Tucker to make it 33-23 at the half.

Branch West led, 40-29, early in the second half, but then Play Hard Play Smart went on a 12-1 run, tying the score on a 3-point play by Theo Johnson (Franklin) with 8:51 left. However, PHPS couldn't take the lead, and that was the last time PHPS was even.

Branch West answered with a 14-2 run to take a 12-point lead, taking control of the game. Colter Lasher (Diamond-Anchorage AK) scored on a putback to break the tie, and Tucker made a three to make it 46-41. A three by Lasher made it 49-41, and back-to-back threes by Tucker made it 55-43, finishing the run and putting Branch West in control.

Play Hard Play Smart rallied to within four points on a 3-pointer by Darrin Johnson (Franklin) with 1:25 left, but didn't score again. Two free throws by Blakes with 20.4 seconds left made it 64-58, and a steal by Jimmy Jackson (Cypress) moments later clinched the win for Branch West Elite.

Tucker finished with 17 points, including 5 threes, and added 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and a steal. Mack had 13 points and Blakes had 12 and a team-high 4 assists.

For Play Hard Play Smart, Darrin Johnson had a team-high 14 points and added 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Theo Johnson had 13 points and 6 rebounds. Dakarai Allen (Sheldon) had 9 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, a block and a steal. Isaiah Ellis (Antelope) had 4 points and a game-high 9 rebounds.

Box score

Pangos Spring Sweet 16
Sunday, April 29, 2012 @ Cabrillo HS, Long Beach
Invitational Division Championship - 1:50 pm

Play Hard Play Smart Elite 58:

4-Dakarai Allen (Sheldon), F - 4/6 fg, 1/4 ft, 6 reb, 4 ast, 1 blk, 1 stl, 3 pf, 9 pts
15-JoJo McGlashan (Piedmont), G - 3/11 fg, 2/2 ft, 3 reb, 3 ast, 1 pf, 8 pts
21-Darrin Johnson (Franklin), G - 5/13 fg, 2/4 ft, 5 reb, 4 ast, 4 pf, 14 pts
23-Theo Johnson (Franklin), F - 5/10 fg, 3/3 ft, 6 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 2 stl, 2 pf, 13 pts
32-Isaiah Ellis (Antelope), C - 2/4 fg, 0/1 ft, 9 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 3 stl, 4 pf, 4 pts
10-Gabe Bealer (Antelope), F - 1/2 fg, 2 reb, 1 blk, 2 pf, 2 pts
1-Eric Lolar (Vacaville), G - 3/6 fg, 1 ast, 1 stl, 8 pts
5-Ryan Manning (Sheldon), F - 0/2 fg, 0 pts
team rebounds: 3
Totals: 23/54 fg (.426), 8/14 ft (.571), 34 reb, 14 ast, 4 blk, 7 stl, 16 pf, 58 pts

3-pt fg (4): D. Johnson 2, Lolar 2
Turnovers (17): Allen 4, D. Johnson 4, Lolar 4, McGlashan 3, T. Johnson, Ellis

Branch West Elite 64:

5-Jimmy Jackson (Cypress), G - 2/4 fg, 1 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 1 pf, 5 pts
20-Kajon Mack (Serra), G - 6/9 fg, 4 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl, 2 pf, 13 pts
23-Dakarai Tucker (Serra), F - 6/10 fg, 4 reb, 3 ast, 2 blk, 1 stl, 2 pf, 17 pts
32-Alpha Ndaw (Saddleback Chr.), C - 2/3 fg, 0/4 ft, 3 reb, 1 blk, 3 pf, 4 pts
50-Atoumane Seck (Stoneridge Prep), F - 1/6 fg, 6 reb, 1 ast, 2 blk, 2 stl, 3 pf, 2 pts
4-Gerry Blakes (Morningside), G - 3/11 fg, 6/8 ft, 4 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 12 pts
11-Namon Wright (Pacific Hills), F - 3/5 fg, 1 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 6 pts
44-Colter Lasher (Diamond AK), F - 2/3 fg, 3 reb, 2 ast, 3 stl, 1 pf, 5 pts
52-Stanley Roberts Jr. (Peninsula), C - 1 reb, 0 pts
team rebounds: 4
Totals: 25/51 fg (.490), 6/12 ft (.500), 31 reb, 14 ast, 5 blk, 12 stl, 12 pf, 64 pts

3-pt fg (8): Tucker 5, Jackson, Mack, Lasher
Turnovers (15): Wright 4, Tucker 3, Mack 2, Ndaw 2, Seck 2, Jackson, Lasher

Halftime Score: Branch West Elite 33, Play Hard Play Smart Elite 23

PHPS led 11-6, but then Branch West went on a 22-7 lead.
PHPS went on a 12-1 run to tie it at 41 with 8:51 left.
Then Branch West went on a 14-2 run to pull away for good.

Follow @DaveKeefer on Twitter

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