RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA — JSerra’s boys basketball team lost its two Trinity League games against Santa Margarita during the regular season.

One was a lopsided win for the Eagles at Santa Margarita. The other loss was closer, but it was in JSerra’s gym where the Lions had a big lead early in the second half.

The third game, a playoff game Friday, ended differently.

JSerra beat Santa Margarita 63-51 in a CIF Southern Section Open Division pool-play game at Santa Margarita High.

JSerra players cheer after guard Brannon Martinsen (24) scores the last basket of the game and win the CIF-SS Open Division second round boys basketball playoffs against Santa Margarita in Santa Margarita on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)

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“I think it was just a personal thing for us,” Lions forward Brannon Martinsen said of the victory. “We can’t get beat three times.”

The Lions are 1-1 in Pool A. JSerra lost at Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks 71-68 on Wednesday. Santa Margarita had a bye Wednesday, so the Eagles are 0-1 in Pool A.

Both teams continue pool play Tuesday. JSerra (22-8) will be at No. 1-seeded Harvard-Westlake (28-1). Santa Margarita (23-6) will be home against Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks (24-6).

The Open Division is a 10-team group divided into two five-team pools.

JSerra senior guard BJ Davis Ray scored 21 points Friday, including five 3-point baskets, and had nine rebounds.

Ray, who signed with Southern Methodist University, guarded Santa Margarita standout junior guard Kaiden Bailey, who had scored 24 and 25 points in the two previous JSerra-Santa Margarita games.

Bailey scored six points Friday, making only 2 of his 12 shots. He made his first shot, a 3-pointer, and then missed 10 shots in a row before putting in a layup late in the fourth quarter.

Martinsen scored 19 points and EJ Bryson added 10 points for the Lions (22-8).

JSerra coach Keith Wilkinson said his players were ashamed of the two losses to Santa Margarita.

“It’s a pride thing,” Wilkinson said. “We thought we let one slip away at home, when we were up by 14, and we can’t let that happen. And the last time we were here (at Santa Margarita) we got embarrassed.”

Wilkinson was impressed by Ray’s play Friday.

“He guarded Santa Margarita’s best player, and he hit shots,” Wilkinson said.

Santa Margarita is an outstanding offensive rebounding team. To counter that JSerra sophomore Godschoice Edoigbodin, usually a reserve, was in the Lions’ starting five Friday. Edoigbodin, 6-6 and 235 pounds, got four rebounds and perhaps more importantly did his share of boxing out so that teammates Jarne Eyenga and Ryan Doane could get their seven and six rebounds, respectively.

Santa Margarita had a 9-4 lead in the first quarter. That’s when JSerra, especially Ray, got hot. The Lions put together a 20-6 run that started in the first quarter and continued into the second quarter for a 24-15 lead.

Ray made a 3-point basket in the first quarter and made three more in the second quarter. He scored 14 first-half points.

JSerra outscored Santa Margarita 17-8 in the second quarter in which the Eagles made only 3 of their 12 shots and were 1 for 7 on 3-pointers.

JSerra led at halftime 33-23.

Eyenga made crucial back-to-back plays in the third quarter – he scored off of an offensive rebound of a Ray miss, and seconds later converted a three-point play to put JSerra up 45-31.

Santa Margarita got no closer than nine points in the fourth quarter.

Martinsen converted a three-point play with 1:36 to to go to get the lead back to 14 points and he put an exclamation point on the night with a powerful two-handed dunk in the final seconds.

JSerra boys basketball knocks off Santa Margarita in CIF-SS Open Division playoffs

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