The Cypress High boys basketball team reached the semifinals of the 2nd Annual Godinez Tournament before falling to Aliso Niguel on a shot in the final seconds, 58-57 last week at Godinez High.
The Cypress High boys basketball team reached the semifinals of the 2nd Annual Godinez Tournament before falling to Aliso Niguel on a shot in the final seconds, 58-57 last week at Godinez High.
The Centurions were led by Quinton Pounds with 13 points and Jalen Hall with 10. Cypress was the defending champion of the tournament. Cypress also had eight points each from Jake Brito and Jacob Rouse.
The Centurions had reached the semifinals with a come-from-behind win over Laguna Beach in the quarterfinals last week. After trailing for most of the first half, the Centurions were finally able to tie the game at 24-24 just before halftime. Rouse tied the game with a free throw with 1:45 left in the first half.
“From the second quarter on, I thought we really played a lot harder on defense,” coach Jeff Russell said.
The Centurions took control of the game in the second half, as they went on a 10-3 run to open the third quarter. Jayson Fields had a rebound and score to put the Centurions up 34-27 and 10 followed that with a three pointer. Hall scored the next six points for Cypress with the final two coming on a dribble drive lay-up past the defense.
The Centurion defense made a steal at the end of the third quarter and fed a long lead pass to Daylin Patton for a lay-up at the buzzer that put Cypress up 44-32 heading into the fourth.
For the Centurions, Russell said this season will be mostly about defense. He said his team is not a big squad, so they will rely on effort and intensity on defense to set up the offense and spark the team. So far he has liked the work the team has put in, he said.
“Our team is about our effort on defense and then that translates to enthusiasm for our offense,” Russell said.
The Centurions will play at Savanna on Friday night at 7 p.m. and will compete in the Oxford Academy Tournament next week.
