LA HABRA — If Friday’s night Crestview League opener between La Habra and Cypress was an indication of how competitive the league will be this season, local boys basketball fans could be in for a treat.
La Habra built a 16-point halftime lead but then found itself trailing by one in the fourth after a furious rally by Cypress. The Highlanders finished the game by showing their championship mettle as they pulled out a 74-65 victory over the Centurions.
La Habra coach Aaron Riekenberg said he believes the new five-team Crestview League, which includes Canyon, Crean Lutheran and Foothill, is the most difficult in Orange County.
“Anytime you can get a win in this league you have to celebrate it,” Riekenberg said. “I have no problem saying it’s the toughest league in the county, top to bottom.”
Jaedon Anderson and Acen Jimenez scored 21 points apiece to lead the Highlanders (17-4, 1-0) in a game where both players were honored before tipoff for surpassing the 1,000 points in their careers.
Anderson also knocked down five 3-pointers, including three in the fourth quarter as La Habra pulled away from Cypress (13-7, 0-1).
“That’s what he does,” Riekenberg said of Anderson’s scoring ability. “He’s an elite scorer and he hit some big shots.”
Senior forward Christian Howlin came off the bench in the fourth to hit back-to-back 3s for La Habra, which was trailing after a quick 3-pointer by Ryan Gov to start the final quarter and a layup by Gavin Kroll a few possessions later.
“I was really proud of Christian stepping in,” Riekenberg said. “He can shoot the ball as well as anybody, but he hasn’t been hitting the shots that he normally hits the last couple of weeks, but it just speaks to the work he puts in. He came in confident and knocked down two big ones when we needed it the most.”
Gov scored a game-high 31 points, 15 came in the pivotal third quarter when the Centurions outscored La Habra 28-14 and entered the fourth trailing by just two points.
“A lot of teams might fold after giving up 28 (points) and giving up the lead that late in the game,” Riekenberg said, “but our guys just kept fighting and I was really proud of them.”
“We had some lapses in defense (in the third quarter) and a great player like Ryan Gov got some looks that we were hoping he wasn’t going to get,” Riekenberg added.
“Ryan’s a stud,” Cypress coach Derek Mitchell said of Gov. “He’s our guy offensively and he gets us going. I know, as a point guard he wants to be a facilitator and try to get his teammates touches early, but I had to tell him ‘It’s your time, big time players make big time plays’ and I thought he was our leader in that third quarter.”
Both teams continue league play Tuesday night, Jan. 7, with the Centurions hosting Canyon while La Habra takes on visiting Crean Lutheran.
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