Ten Best: Bosco Tech vs. Lynwood

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was championship Saturday around the southland for CIF Southern Section teams and though we weren't able to get to be at Edison high school in person to see the Division 5AA championship game live, we watched all the action on the NFHS Network. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was a back-and-forth, high scoring affair between the Tigers and Knights was entertaining as many expected it to be. Jason Crowe, Jr., the talented freshmen who is among the top scorers in the state, scored 35 points while sophomore Jaden Erami and junior [player_tooltip player_id='1817897' first='Ryan' last='Osborne'] combined for 59 the 88 points for Bosco Tech. In the end, the Tigers were able to pull away from Lynwood and take an 88-81 victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below are our Ten Best performers from the Division 5AA championship game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Best Scorers</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jaden Erami, Bosco Tech</strong> - The sophomore wing finished with a team-high 30 points and scored efficiently and in a variety of ways. Erami slashed his way to the rim in transition for high percentage baskets, drove by defenders in the half-court setting for finishes at the rim and knocked down jumpers from the mid-range and three-point levels of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jason Crowe, Jr., Lynwood</strong> - You can pencil in Crowe, Jr. among the best scorers category in every game he plays in and the Division 5AA championship game was no different. The talented freshman scored a game-high 35 points though he saw two and three defenders in his space throughout the game. Crowe has an uncanny ability to make difficult shots off the dribble and has deep and consistent range on his three-point shot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Best Passers</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jaden Erami, Bosco Tech </strong>- In addition to his 30 points on the day, Erami dished out seven assists while committing just two turnovers in 32 minutes of action - and that's not including the numerous "hockey assists" he logged. He made high IQ decisions in both transition and half-court settings and delivered on-time and on-target passes to teammates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jason Crowe, Jr., Lynwood</strong> - By now most all high school basketball fans on the west coast are aware of Crowe, Jr.'s scoring abilities but it's also important to note his willingness to be a distributor when needed. The freshman accepted double and triple teams and made the right play out of them - rather than forcing a shot through multiple defenders he found teammates for open shots. Crowe, Jr. finished with five assists, and while that might not be an overwhelming number, his willingness to get off the ball in this game gave his teammates confidence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Best Rebounders</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1817897' first='Ryan' last='Osborne'], Bosco Tech </strong>- Osborne, a 6-foot-2 forward, snagged 11 rebounds - four on the offensive glass - and his ability to clear the defensive boards got the Tigers out in transition offense quickly. The junior flashed his fundamental rebounding style and knack for the ball as he sought out bodies when shots went up, made contact, boxed out, and then pursued rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Matthew Gibbs-Martinez, Lynwood </strong>- Gibbs-Martinez isn't the prototypical player that you'd find among the "best rebounders" because he's not a traditional interior presence. The 6-foot freshman is a high motor and active player whose effort on the offensive and defensive glass resulted in a team-high 10 rebounds - five offensive and five defensive. Gibbs-Martinez proved wrong the myth that high school guards don't rebound.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Best Defenders</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dominic Gallardo, Bosco Tech </strong>- Gallardo was kind of like the center-fielder for the Tigers as they sent two or three guys at Jason Crowe, Jr. all game long and Gallardo was either part of that trap or the guy who made the quick reaction on closeouts when Crowe, Jr. was forced to get rid of the ball. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Chace Holley, Lynwood</strong> - Holley is a quick, active and tough defensive player who can guard multiple positions. Holley's activity as a defender on the ball helps to speed up opposing guards and his high IQ off the ball allows for him to play driving lanes and passing lanes. The freshman had a game-high three steals on the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4>Best Supporting Efforts</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Darius Benitez, Bosco Tech</strong> - The point guard didn't have best best scoring game as he finished with six points but he impacted the game in other facets as he added six assists and seven rebounds to his all-encompassing stat line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1817845' first='Syeon' last='Jennings'], Lynwood</strong> - Jennings couldn't get a shot to drop in the first half but came out on fire in the second half to help the Knights remain in striking distance of Bosco Tech. The 6-foot-4 senior forward scored 14 of his 15 points in the second half, including three 3-pointers in crucial moments of the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->