By Ed Piper
Not nearly as many local basketball fans migrated to Montgomery High for the "really big shew", night number two, with Scotty Pippen Jr. and Sierra Canyon squaring off against Santa Fe Christian in the San Diego Tip-off Challenge Fri., Nov. 16.
This night, Kenyon "K.J." Martin provided some fireworks in the first half against the hard-working Eagles, highlighted by a ferocious left-handed throwdown late in the second quarter, putting the Trailblazers, rated fifth in the country, ahead by 20 points.
The score at halftime of the tournament semifinal was 46-24.
Scotty Pippen Jr. again showed his refined skills as a highly-recruited 6'1" point guard. His dad entered the Aztec gym after game time started, most likely to avoid the hubbub of the night before when the packed gym erupted in screams and Montgomery students rushed the floor to crowd around him.
Scottie Senior, 6'9", grinned when his much-shorter son missed a dunk with three minutes before halftime. The famous dad recorded much of the second quarter on his phone, called out to a teammate of his son on the floor, and displayed a beaming grin much of the half, obviously enjoying himself.
Kenyon Martin Sr. sat right next to him this time, having spent the previous night's game behind the Trailblazer bench, across the court from the Pippen Sr.-centered hysteria.
Coach Chad Bickley's Eagles led 4-0 at the start on baskets by sophomores Trevan Martin and Hayden Gray, but then as the Sierra Canyon engine began to hum the Blazers moved out to a 21-9 lead on 10 straight points, on the way to a 25-11 lead at the end of the quarter.
With Sierra Canyon's taller and intimidating presence, primarily in the persons of the physical Martin Jr. and Terren Frank, both 6'7", it became harder and harder for Santa Fe Christian to get shots off cleanly.
As one observer said while the Blazer lead expanded, the Eagles didn't "lay down" and give up. They fought. Bickley's young crew continued to move the ball, yet the intense Sierra Canyon pressure yielded multiple turnovers leading to baskets.
One could see signs that Coach Andre Chevalier's elite players, not really tested in their first two nights in the South Bay, have much more in the tank, had that been required. K.J. Martin authored a statement swat of a Santa Fe shot out of bounds.
Andrew Austin, a 6'7" sub for Chevalier's loaded squad, showed his skills, with a nice jumper to go with another score in the second period.
People were anticipating a more competitive matchup in Saturday night's final, with St. Augustine playing well in two blowout wins lined up against the Blazers.
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