CVCS 75, Pacifica Christian 69: Five Takeaways

<p>NEWPORT BEACH — A Wednesday night San Joaquin League opener between two of the better programs in Orange County lived up to that billing. Capistrano Valley Christian and Pacifica Christian played a tight contest that came down to the wire and featured a couple of scrums that leveled-up the intensity. CVCS came away with the victory as point guard Ma[player_tooltip player_id="970271" first="Kaih" last="Williams"] led all scorers with 34 points and hit a handful of key shots down the stretch to help the Eagles pull away late for a 75-69 victory. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="970257" first="Mac" last="West III"] finished with 14 points, Bence Duka added 12 and Eli Arthurton rounded out the CVCS double-digit scorers with 11. [player_tooltip player_id="994922" first="Tanner" last="Deal"] led Pacifica Christian with 18, Alex Stewart added 16 and Parker Strauss finished with 14 for Pacifica Christian. Below are our five takeaways from this game.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="970271" first="Kaih" last="Williams"] is a next level prospect, but what level will he end up at?</strong></p> <p>The transfer point guard from St. Anthony is getting comfortable with his new squad very quickly after sitting out until Dec. 27th due to CIF Southern Section transfer rules. The 6-foot-1 senior, as mentioned above, dropped 34 points in this game and his efficient and versatile scoring package makes him a bonafide college basketball prospect. Williams is garnering some Division I and Division II interest, but with the transfer portal loading back up, and time for coaches to put eyes on prospects dwindling down, he could be an unsigned senior that goes under-the-radar. No matter what happens with Williams’ recruitment, he has a legitimate chance at being a very good player at the next level. </p> <p><strong>Mac West is in a similar situation to Williams when it comes to recruitment</strong></p> <p>West is in a similar position to Williams in the fact that college coaches are showing interest, but have yet to pull the trigger on a scholarship offer. The 6-foot-3 guard/wing has been producing at a high level this season and has shown improved consistency and touch from three-point range, in addition to a slimmed-down frame and an extra pop of athleticism in his legs. West will play college basketball at some level and the program that gets him will be happy they did.</p> <p><strong>Parker Strauss announces his arrival</strong></p> <p>The Edison transfer who played spot minutes for the Chargers as a freshman and sophomore is exactly what this Pacifica Christian team needed to add to its roster. The 6-foot-4 point guard has really nice feel for the game and command for the position and did a nice job of running offense for the Tritons. Strauss had a couple of impressive moves off the dribble resulting in crafty finishes around the basket and hit a couple of deep three-point shots en route to his 14 points.</p> <p><strong>Alex Stewart making the most of his playing time</strong></p> <p>The transfer from Mater Dei, who also had to wait his turn due to the CIF-SS sit out period rule, was quick to make an impact for the Tritons. Stewart, a 6-foot-5 sophomore forward, is a dirty work type of player whose offensive rebounding and ability to defend multiple positions will be crucial for Pacifica Christian to be successful in league play and the playoffs. Stewart is most effective when moving without the ball and finding space in the defense to cut and get an open shot.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="994922" first="Tanner" last="Deal"] is the perfect high school "glue guy"</strong></p> <p>Every coach wants a guy like Deal on his roster. The 6-foot-2 junior is as tough as nails on both ends of the floor, plays with a high motor and no-nonsense attitude and provides a scoring punch if necessary. Deal finished with a team-high 18 points on strong drives and finishes and catch and shoot three’s, but it’s his serious and focused approach to the game that trickles down to his teammates. Deal isn’t afraid to be a physical on-ball defender, take a hard foul, and is willing to step over and take a charge. </p>