BOYS’ BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : St. John Bosco’s Gardner Leads Late Rally to Hold Off Servite
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Jelani Gardner scored 11 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter to lead Bellflower St. John Bosco to a 60-50 victory over Servite in a first-round game at the Tournament of Champions Tuesday at Ocean View High.
Gardner, a 6-foot-6 forward who is being recruited by UCLA, Arkansas, Arizona State and California among others, also had 12 rebounds and eight steals for the Braves.
Servite trailed, 40-38, after three quarters, and Mark Seaton, who had a team-high 16 points for the Friars, scored with 1 minute 23 seconds remaining to cut the lead to 53-50, but Servite never scored again.
Servite also started the game sluggishly, but St. John Bosco also had problems and the Friars took a 14-11 lead after the first quarter.
“We didn’t get after them early and didn’t capitalize on our opportunities,” Servite Coach Scott Hamilton said.
St. John Bosco took control of the game with an 8-0 run midway through the second quarter to take a 25-18 lead.
Servite’s David Downs, who had 15 points and nine rebounds, tried to keep Servite close, but whenever the Friars threatened, Gardner and the Braves would short-circuit the rally.
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