Elite Eight Evaluation: Torrey Pines Holiday Classic

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Strong competition highlighted Day 2 of the Holiday Classic, with a recap and standout performances emerging from a closely contested slate.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>7:00 Dematha (MD) vs Notre Dame Sherman Oaks</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>8:35 JSerra vs Mission Bay</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kicking off the day with DeMatha vs. Torrey Pines, [player_tooltip player_id='2131808' first='Tevaris' last='Green'] got off to a strong start, getting to his spots early and knocking down shots. He tallied seven points in the opening quarter, setting the tone offensively for Torrey Pines. In the second quarter, Ace Meeks began to pour it on, finding his rhythm from deep and connecting on a couple of three-pointers. [player_tooltip player_id='2916726' first='Tyler' last='Humphrey'], the 6'6” shooter, also found his stroke from the perimeter, adding 11 points to the scoring column. Ultimately, DeMatha proved to be too much for Torrey Pines. Meeks finished with 25 points, showcasing his ability to score on multiple levels while consistently displaying leadership and aggressiveness whenever he was on the floor. Green closed with 21 points, highlighting the purity of his jump shot. Additionally, Daniel Abass and Jaden Shoultz made significant impacts throughout the game, particularly on the defensive end and in transition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>North Oconee fell short in overtime against Mission Bay, but turned in a strong overall team performance. Freshman standout [player_tooltip player_id='3196324' first='Brayden' last='Wise'] finished with 14 points, while [player_tooltip player_id='2880582' first='Luke' last='Lawson'] added eight points and six rebounds. [player_tooltip player_id='2301427' first='Banks' last='Pourchier'] led the way with 19 points, three assists, and a block, and team captain [player_tooltip player_id='2046364' first='Justin' last='Wise'] posted 15 points, five steals, and six assists. Pourchier showcased excellent touch around the rim and soft hands in traffic, while Wise consistently stretched the defense, mixing his scoring attack and attacking gaps to create offense for teammates. On the other end, Mission Bay relied on a balanced effort led by savvy sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='2763317' first='Lucky' last='Davis'], who finished with 21 points. Davis operated as a true floor general, displaying a high-level understanding of the game. Jocori Bartlett made his presence felt with a smooth 17 points, while Clay Grebing continues to impress and Cole Mattingly chipped in 14 points apiece.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The defending champions, JSerra, came out victorious against Archbishop Mitty, led by a standout performance from sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2750220' first='Ryan' last='Doane']. Doane delivered an outstanding all-around effort, recording another double-double while leading the team in assists. He finished with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists, consistently impacting the game on both ends of the floor. Guard [player_tooltip player_id='1956616' first='Jaden' last='Bailes'] continued to show his ability to get a bucket whenever needed, finishing with 21 points while shooting the ball at a high rate. He went 7-for-11 from the field, knocking down the three-ball and scoring efficiently at all three levels. [player_tooltip player_id='2435392' first='Earl' last='Bryson'] further highlighted JSerra's backcourt strength, showing why he is regarded as one of the top point guards in the field. He consistently beat defenders with his quick first step and played with strong decisiveness as a lead guard. For Archbishop Mitty, [player_tooltip player_id='2724586' first='Brady' last='Clugage'] led the way with 20 points. The wide-framed 6'4” guard consistently got downhill and finished through contact with either hand. He also displayed a high basketball IQ, showing a strong feel for when to finish plays himself or dump the ball off to teammates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Notre Dame, led by Navorro Bowman, handled business in a blowout win over St. Augustine. Bowman finished with 17 points, showing strong decision-making throughout the game while consistently impressing with his size and ball-handling ability. [player_tooltip player_id='1965274' first='Ilan' last='Nikolov'] added 13 points, showcasing a smooth mid-range pull-up and reliable sharpshooting from the perimeter. [player_tooltip player_id='2435372' first='Josiah' last='Nance'] contributed 16 points, playing with extreme confidence and displaying a tight handle that allowed him to create scoring opportunities at will. [player_tooltip player_id='1956483' first='Zachary' last='White'] rounded out the scoring with 11 points, providing steady production. Overall, Notre Dame's balanced attack and poise across the roster proved too much for St. Augustine, as multiple players stepped up and controlled the game from start to finish.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->