PHOENIX — After a dominant season, the Sunnyslope (Phoenix) men’s basketball team begins its Open Championship decline for the second straight year.
It was late in the third quarter of the finals against St. Mary’s and five-star power forward Cameron Williams. Sunnyslope is the fifth-ranked team in the Super 25 national rankings, seven shots behind and missing shots it would normally make. St. Mary’s semifinal hero Mick Riordan hit a four-point play and Williams, the best big man in high school, had just completed a seemingly unbelievable block.
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The Vikings got a new lease of life when the zone was ruled a keeper.
Williams rose up suddenly to stop a fast-break layup attempt by Sunnyside wing Ryder Portella, who was fouled on the play. The referee’s penalty was very tight, and Portela no longer went to the free throw line, but chose to try.
With 2:05 left in the quarter, Sunnyslope trailed 37-30 before the goalie. By 1 minute and 40 seconds, Sunnyslope already led 39-37. What happened during these 25 seconds of game time?
Portela missed a free throw, but power forward Christian Simmons grabbed an offensive rebound and tipped it in. St. Mary’s called a timeout with the ball in hand, giving head coach Damien Lopez a chance to express his displeasure to the officials and receive a technical foul. Sunnyslope junior guard Delton Prescott hit both free throws.
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The Vikings regained possession due to a technical foul and guard Jaylin Idland hit a 3-pointer. 25 seconds, 9 points, and the top seed takes the lead.
Now, this isn’t the end of the game, nor is it why Sunnyslope wins. Saint Mary’s University ended the quarter with a 6-point surge and regained the lead 43-39 entering the fourth quarter.
But the swings turned out to be huge. Sunnyslope won 60-51, securing the Arizona State Open Championship and cementing itself as one of the best teams in the country.
Five-star junior center Darius Wabbington is largely limited by Williams, but he opens up space for other Sunnyside scorers. Prescott hit a 3-pointer off a screen from Wabington that tied the score at 46. Soon after, Wabington passed the ball to Prescott, who hit a high-level, high-arcing basket over the taller Williams for a 50-48 lead. On the next possession, Prescott drove past Williams for a layup — he missed it, but Portela was there to knock it in.
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Portela was the best player on the court in Sunnyside with 16 points, 17 rebounds and Williams’ blocks. He makes good use of his 6-foot-6 height and physical attributes, helping him get extra possessions and become a key cog in the offense.
This is the advantage of Sunnyslope. While the offense often runs through Wabington, who can handle the ball both in the arc and in the post, they also have the ability to swing the ball and create for others.
Cameron Williams’ 23 points were not enough to lift St. Mary’s over a Sunnyslope team. He showed his potential as a top player with three-point and rim shots and defense on the perimeter and in the paint, but the Vikings proved themselves to be the best public school team in Arizona.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: 9 points in 25 seconds help Sunnyslope win AZ Open title
