Trevor Ariza Tip-Off Classic: Semifinal Day Standouts (Part I)

<p>LOS ANGELES — Friday's set of games at the Trevor Ariza Tip-Off Classic hosted by Westchester high school featured two highly-entertaining semifinal match-ups. The first between Etiwanda and Heritage Christian came down to the wire with the Warriors escaping with a 48-47 win. The host Comets and St. Bernard closed the evening with an overtime affair which saw the Vikings take a 59-57 decision. Below are some of the standout performers from the semifinal showdowns and the earlier winners and losers bracket games.</p> <p><strong>Nick Bowden</strong>, St. Bernard</p> <p>Bowden dropped a game-high 21 points to help lead the Vikings into the championship game, which they eventually won and Bowden was named tournament MVP. The 5-foot-11 combo guard continues to be one of the more under-recruited prospects in all of SoCal. He plays with consistent energy and toughness, makes countless clutch shots and plays, and carries himself with a fearlessness that translates to any level.</p> <p><strong>Reese Dixon-Waters</strong>, St. Bernard</p> <p>Dixon-Waters is one of the top junior prospects in the state and continues to show why each time he takes the floor. The 6-foot-5 wing scored nine of his 16 points in the fourth quarter and overtime and started the extra frame with a big 3-pointer, which proved to be extremely important as both teams combined for just six points in OT. Dixon-Waters is a smooth operator on the perimeter who has shown he can rise up and make tough shots over good defenders.</p> <p><strong>Ky-mani Pollard</strong>, Westchester</p> <p>Pollard had a strong all-around performance in keeping the Comets in the game after leading scorer T.J. Wainwright fouled out with 2:12 left in the fourth quarter. The 6-foot point guard scored 10 points, which isn't a number that jumps off the page, but his impact went well beyond the scoring column. Pollard is a solid individual and team defender, rebounds well for his size and position and remains calm under pressure.</p> <p><strong>Skyy Clark</strong>, Heritage Christian</p> <p>One thing you can expect when playing Etiwanda is that the game will be in the high 40's or low 50's at the end and Clark and his team were well-prepared for that. The highly-regarded sophomore point guard scored a team-high 16 points in a smooth and efficient manner, all while taking care of the basketball against the Eagles' stout defense. Clark paced the Warriors to a one-point victory with his high IQ and patient play.</p> <p><strong>Kyle Frelow</strong>, Heritage Christian</p> <p>Frelow got the Warriors off to a quick start which proved to be an important piece to the final result. The 6-foot-6 junior forward scored nine of his team's first 20 points, which helped Heritage get out a 20-4 advantage early in the second quarter. Frelow's scoring slowed down a bit, finishing with 15 points, but he impacted the game on the offensive and defensive glass in addition to his work as a rim protector.</p> <p><strong>Camren Pierce</strong>, Etiwanda</p> <p>Pierce was the steadying force for the Eagles after they fell behind 20-4 early. The 6-foot guard bound for Cal Poly SLO never let the score get to him and stayed in attack mode throughout. Pierce scored a team-high 15 points, knocked down three deep perimeter jumpers and was a force of a perimeter defender.</p>