The Modesto Christian Crusaders routed the James Logan Colts in the final game of the Coach Gary Porter Showcase on Saturday evening, 79-55.
It was a fast-paced, athletic display by both, but the Crusaders' length and transition helped Northern California's second-ranked team avenge a season-ending loss to the Colts in the opening round of the 2016 CIF State regional tournament.
Tsotne Tsardsidse had a game-high 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting, and UC Davis-bound forward Aaron Murphy and Dathan Satchell electrified the home crowd. Murphy's early and-one bucket and Satchell's step-back 3-pointer helped Modesto Christian race out to a 38-24 lead at the half.
The first quarter ended with James Logan on top, clinging to a 16-14 lead. Point guard Brett Thompson was a difference-maker early, diving for loose balls and drawing contact.
Modesto Christian was able to pull away in the second quarter because of their stingy defense, which fueled their offense in transition. Their long range shooting gave them a sizable advantage due to James Logan’s inability to match the deep ball. They also greatly benefited from big time plays that tore the house down on plays like Murphy’s early and-one score and Dathan Satchell’s deep 3.
The Colts trimmed the lead to 10 on consecutive buckets by Thompson to start the second half, but Modesto Christian shifted the momentum with defense and its transition offense.
James Logan’s Gabriel Hawkins connected on all five of his shots in the third quarter and finished with 11 points.
This article was written by Joey Santos, senior at Manteca High and regular contributor at FrontRowPreps.com.
