TORRANCE — JSerra’s zone defense and guard Jaden Bailes’ shooting in the fourth quarter proved to be enough to beat Rolling Hills Prep, 66-69, on Tuesday in the Division 1 quarterfinals of the CIF-SS boys basketball playoffs.
“I thought early in that game, they were picking us apart in man,” JSerra coach Keith Wilkinson said of his team’s defense.
“I figured I wanted to keep it in a zone. The sets we seen of them in zone, it could kind of keep us in front and we could help on (Nick) Welch …The zone slowed them down and didn’t let them run sets to get them going.”
The Lions (22-12) limited Welch Jr. to just five points and Bailes helped pull away with three consecutive 3-pointers in a 15-0 run to start the fourth quarter at North Torrance High
“They got into the zone and we didn’t do a good job of executing,” Rolling Hills Prep coach Harvey Kitani said. “That was the difference. We had some shots, but we missed. They’re a good team and they kind of piggy-backed off of the momentum.”
RHP (23-6) trailed 41-34 entering the fourth quarter. By the time Bailes was done with his sharpshooting, the lead was 50-34. The Lions added six more points in the run to take a commanding 56-34 lead.
Bailes led JSerra with 19 points.
“I thought he did a good job of letting the game come to him early,” Wilkinson said. “There were a couple of forces. He’s our scorer and I told him, you just have to make the right basketball play and once you do that, then the defense will soften. He got a rhythm going. That (his three 3-pointers) was the separator for us.”
The first big 3-pointer that JSerra hit came at the end of the first quarter on Earl Bryson’s buzzer-beater for a 21-16 lead.
“I thought in the first half, if we could have done a better job of executing on the offensive end, then the score could have been different,” Kitani said. “Even with that, we were down four or five at halftime (32-27). If you can put more pressure on the opponent, you’ve got to that. They’re a good team and whoever they play, it’ll be a good one.”
JSerra will host Jason Crowe Jr. and Inglewood in the semifinals Friday. The Sentinels defeated Fairmont Prep 82-69 on Tuesday.
“He’s one of the best high school players I’ve ever seen in my entire life, and I’ve seen some really good ones,” Wilkinson said. “It’s going to be a great challenge. I’m glad we get to do it at home. Really excited for the opportunity. He’s one of the best players to ever play basketball in the state of California, what a great opportunity.”
