72nd annual Polly Wilhelmsen: Redwood, Tulare Union, Tulare Western advance to semifinals
The 72nd annual Polly Wilhelmsen Invitational continued Thursday at Mt. Whitney and Redwood high schools in Visalia.
Here's a quick recap from day two of the 16-team high school boys basketball tournament:
Championship bracket
Redwood 42, Dinuba 39
Redwood avenged a loss earlier this season to Dinuba by topping the Emperors to claim a spot in the Wilhelmsen semifinals.
The Rangers were led by Evan Galley's double-double. The senior forward scored a team-high 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, including six on offense. He also had an assist and two steals.
Redwood's Isaac Esquivel, a point guard, had 10 points with two assists, two rebounds and a pair of steals. Cole Gilcrest had eight points, six blocks, two assists and six rebounds.
The Rangers held Dinuba to a season-low 39 points.
Brice Watley recorded 16 points to pace the Emperors. Javier Torres had 12 points. Watley and Torres were only two of four Dinuba players to score against Redwood.
Dinuba | 6 | 13 | 13 | 7 | − | 39 |
Redwood | 8 | 12 | 14 | 8 | − | 42 |
Dinuba: Josiah Ochoa 7, Javier Torres 12, Brice Watley 16, Owen Vega 4.
Redwood: Isaac Esquivel 10, Zander Jensen 6, Elijah Casas 5, Noah Robles 2, Cole Gilcrest 8, Evan Galley 11.
North Bakersfield 54, El Diamante 46
Nate Becerra canned 22 points to lead North to the tournament's semifinals.
Sixteen of Becerra's 22 points came in the second half as the Stars went on a 26-19 run to seal the victory.
North's Ethan Saenz generated 16 points and Wyatt Haner had eight points.
Only four players scored for El Diamante. Santana Guijarro netted a game-best 26 points.
El Diamante | 12 | 15 | 7 | 12 | − | 46 |
North | 16 | 12 | 16 | 10 | − | 54 |
North: Wyatt Haner 8, Elias Griffin 1, David Vasquez 3, Dylan Taylor 2, Baylin Statler 2, Ethan Saenz 16, Nate Becerra 22.
El Diamante: Josh Velasquez 9, Santana Guijarro 26, Matthew Perez 9, Emilio Cervantez 2.
Tulare Union 67, Exeter 41
Tulare Union pulled away in the second half, outscoring Exeter 40-12 to punch its ticket to the Wilhelmsen semifinals.
The Tribe wrapped up their victory with a 28-8 outburst in the final quarter.
Ten different Tulare Union players scored at least two points.
The Tribe were led by Brayden Stevenson (11 points), Nemiah Moreno (12 points), Rashawn Hayes (nine points) and Franklin Lockard (eight points). Stevenson distributed seven assists and had 10 rebounds and three steals. Moreno crushed two triples and registered three steals. Damien Rivera added seven points and nine rebounds. Lockard also made two steals and blocked a pair of shots.
Tulare Union grabbed 42 rebounds, including 22 offensive boards.
Exeter's Aden Plyman had 20 points.
Tulare Union | 13 | 14 | 12 | 28 | − | 67 |
Exeter | 12 | 17 | 4 | 8 | − | 41 |
Tulare Union: Damien Rivera 7, Demaje Riley 5, Brayden Stevenson 11, Franklin Lockard 8, Nemiah Moreno 12, Abraham Maciel 6, Rashawn Hayes 9, Josiah Gray 2, Jakob Avila 3, William Carlson 4.
Exeter: Cadon Hughes 4, Andrew Taylor 1, Luke Hutcheson 8, Eric Roach 2, Aden Plyman 20, Madden Pasos 4, Michael Smith 2.
Tulare Western 58, Porterville 54
Tulare Western's Malachi Ficher registered 21 points, including nine in the first quarter, to pilot the Mustangs to the tournament's semifinals.
Twelve of Ficher's game-high 21 points came in the second half.
Also for Tulare Western, Kaine Garcia had 11 points and Jaydon Henningham added eight points.
Porterville led 31-26 at halftime but Tulare Western had a strong third quarter, going on a 17-11 run to grab control of the contest.
Ficher also grabbed 13 rebounds. Henningham recorded nine boards and Garcia dished a pair of assists.
Porterville's Camden Haynes led the Panthers with 14 points. Omar Ramirez chipped in 11 points and Brayden Della had 10 points.
Tulare Western | 18 | 8 | 17 | 15 | − | 58 |
Porterville | 9 | 22 | 11 | 12 | − | 54 |
Tulare Western: Malachi Ficher 22, Michael Johnson 4, Carson Miller 3, Kaine Garcia 11, Xavier Garcia 3, Juan Cortez 2, Jaydon Henningham 8, Grant Crawford 6.
Porterville: Ayden Ceballos 3, Brayden Della 10, Jace Balangue 9, Camden Haynes 14, Ethan Enriquez 5, Jhabie Casabay 2, Omar Ramirez 11.
Friday's games
Semifinals
North vs. Redwood, 6 p.m., at Mt. Whitney
Tulare Western vs. Tulare Union, 7:45 p.m., at Mt. Whitney
The tournament's championship game will be played on Saturday, Dec. 30, at Mt. Whitney's Charles Marshall Court. Tip-off is at 7:45 p.m. General admission tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students, seniors and children.
More: 72nd annual Polly Wilhelmsen Invitational: Day 1 scores, highlights, top performers
Consolation bracket
Delano 64, Monache 60
Delano connected on eight 3-pointers in a tournament win over Monache.
Jothan Amodo led that attack from beyond the arch with five triples. He tied with Ibrahim Shuwalt for a game-high 26 points.
Monache had three players with double-digit points in Anthony Ochoa (10), Ty Baxter (19) and Jayden Garcia (15).
Monache | 17 | 12 | 20 | 11 | − | 60 |
Delano | 18 | 5 | 24 | 17 | − | 64 |
Monache: Anthony Ochoa 10, Ty Baxter 19, Jayden Garcia 15, Ramsey Barrios 5, Isaiah Rogers 7, Jody Duran 2, Emmett Focke 2.
Delano: Juan Lopez 7, Eddie Silva 3, Jotham Amodo 26, Mark Ragas 2, Ibrahim Shuwalt 26.
Golden West 61, Mt Whitney 55
Jagar Brooks posted a double-double with a team-high 23 points and 12 rebounds to anchor the Trailblazers to a tournament victory.
Brooks shot 9-of-17 from the field and sank 5-of-6 free throws. He also had an assist, a block and two steals. Javon Holmes contributed 11 points and Juan Cortes had 10 points.
For Mt. Whitney, Izzy Briggs netted a team-high 18 points. Chase Kottage finished with 10 points.
Golden West | 7 | 17 | 17 | 20 | − | 61 |
Mt. Whitney | 10 | 17 | 8 | 20 | − | 55 |
Golden West: Juan Cortes 10, Javon Holmes 11, Noah Young 5, Jayden Najera 8, Jagar Brooks 23, Evan Renteria 4.
Mt. Whitney: Josiah Simmons 6, Izzy Briggs 18, John Applewhite 7, Matt Townsend 9, Xavier Soto 5, Chase Kottage 10.
Hanford 65, Kingsburg 44
Hanford's Devin Jeffries racked up 15 points and Jared Pimentel added 13 points in the Bullpups tournament win.
Aiden Paul also scored in double-figures with 10 points.
Isaak Smith led Kingsburg with 16 points.
Kingsburg | 10 | 13 | 12 | 9 | − | 44 |
Hanford | 17 | 18 | 11 | 19 | − | 65 |
Kingsburg: Nick Palm 6, Chris Browe 2, Carlos Blancaz 5, Jensen Hirschkorn 8, Genesis Majors 3, Max Warkentin 2, Isaak Smith 16.
Hanford: Jared Pimentel 13, J.C. Turner 3, Anthony Perryman 9, Kourdey Glass 5, Atreyu Martin 3, Christian Wittwer 2, Aiden Paul 10, Devin Jeffries 15.
Justin Garza 63, Pioneer Valley 61
Cameron Green drained three triples and dropped a game-high 23 points to lead Garza to a tournament victory.
Also for Garza, Payton Powell had 20 points and Carter Cabario connected on three treys.
Elias Giddings scored 20 points to lead Pioneer Valley.
Pioneer Valley | 19 | 7 | 19 | 16 | − | 61 |
Justin Garza | 9 | 22 | 15 | 17 | − | 63 |
Pioneer Valley: Thomas Zepeda 3, Elias Giddings 20, Jarell White 8, Inderveer Toor 17, David Lopez 11, Jordan Teniente 2.
Justin Garza: Omari Bogan 8, Payton Powell 10, Kaden Owens 6, Lee Williams 3, Gurveer Singh 2, Trstian Chavez 2, Cameron Greening 23, Carter Cabario 9.
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Redwood, Tulare Union, Tulare Western advance to Wilhelmsen semifinals
