Santa Barbara High boys basketball pulled away in the fourth quarter to secure a 75-64 win over Dougherty Valley on the second day of the SB Holiday Classic on Saturday at J.R. Richards Gym.
The Dons trailed 9-2 early in the first but slowly fought back in the first to cut the deficit to 13-12 heading into the second.
Santa Barbara High found its groove in the second quarter with a balanced attack to take a 31-27 lead at the end of the first half.
The third quarter was a back-and-forth affair as the Dons grew their lead to 11 points before Dougherty Valley answered back to trim their lead to 48-47 with one quarter to play.
The Santa Barbara High duo of Brent Sharpton and Blake Lee then took over the fourth quarter, as they each dropped eight points while contributing on the defensive end to run away with the 75-64 win.
Sharpton led the Dons with a career-high 23 points, while Lee ended the night with 16 points.
“Blake also held their best player to zero in the first half and 10 for the game – it was his best defensive game of the year; he was completely dominant on the defensive end,” Santa Barbara High head coach Greg Zuffelato said.
“Kash Ridgell did a fantastic job, creating a spark coming off the bench, handling their pressure, and finishing with 10 points.”
The Dons will host Bishop Diego on Monday at 7:30 p.m. to continue the Holiday Classic.
San Marcos 54, Davis Sr. 50
The Royals picked up their first win of the Holiday Classic over Davis Sr. on Saturday inside J.R. Richards Gym.
“Good bounce back win after a super tough string of losses for us,” San Marcos head coach Matt Jordan said. “We’re a couple of missed shots and loose balls away from a few more wins.
“It’s the dog days of the season right now and we’re definitely feeling that a bit. Really excited to get a game off and see where we’re at these next two versus super formidable opponents.”
Koji Hefner paced the Royals’ offensive attack with 25 points, while Aidan Conlan chipped in 10 points of his own.
“As I always tell our guys, it’s a lot nicer learning in wins as opposed to losses,” Jordan said. “We got everyone in the game tonight, which was awesome.
“Koji was super aggressive to start the game tonight and set the tone. Huge shoutout to Logan Patterson, who is a defensive pest and changed the game with his energy and effort.”
San Marcos will host Oakland Tech on Monday at 7:30 p.m. inside the Thunderhut.
Holy Martyrs 56, Dos Pueblos 50
The Chargers dropped their Holiday Classic matchup with Holy Martyrs on Saturday inside Sovine Gym.
“I was proud of the way that our guy battled against Holy Martyrs,” Dos Pueblos head coach Joe Zamora said. “I felt like, other than our turnovers, we did a good job.
“Unfortunately, it came up on the short side, but it was a great opportunity for other players to get some experience tonight as we prepare for Channel League.”
Coulter Jay tallied 12 points, two blocks and two steals for the Chargers, while Evan Pinsker collected eight points and dished out six assists.
Dos Pueblos is set to host Pinole Valley on Monday at 7:30 p.m.