This week, Marcos de Niza (14-4) hosted Corona del Sol (17-2). Both teams were coming in red-hot, with Marcos having won 10 of their last 11 games, and Corona having won 14 of their last 15 games.
The electricity in the house was crazy. This huge rival game had all of the Corona students in the stands at the Marcos gym. The principal for Marcos was handing out "terrible towels" to all the Padres' fans. The anticipation of #2 Corona versus #6 Marcos was tremendous. You also had my two personal favorite guards in the state going against each other - 6-foot-3 junior PG Casey Benson of Corona against 6-foot-4 senior SG Richaud Gittens (Weber State signee) of Marcos.
The jump ball went to Corona and Benson immediately took 6-foot-3 senior SG Devin White off the dribble - creating two foul shots for himself, which he would hit both.
After a few turnovers by both teams, Benson scored again followed by a deep 3-ball by Richaud Gittens. Then 6-foot-4 senior wing Adam Gleave scored 4 points in a row to give Corona an 8 to 3 lead with 4 minutes left in the first quarter. Adam Gleave then scored two more points after a Benson assist for a 10 to 3 Corona lead.
Then 4 points in a row by Marcos after a Gittens' assist and bucket for a 10 to 7 game. Then it would be Corona’s turn for 4 points in a row - taking a 14 to 7 lead with 1 minute left in the period.
Casey Benson scored another basket, followed by 6-foot-3 senior forward Luke Lamb for a 16 to 9 lead for Corona.
The last play was an “iso” for Bryan Siefker, who scored on a beautiful pivot to the hole for a lay-up at the buzzer - giving an impressive first quarter lead of 18 to 9 for Corona.
Five quick points by Corona to start off the second quarter would build the Corona lead to 23 to 11. Benson and Gittens exchanged baskets, but Gittens got an “and 1” for a 25 to 14 Corona lead with 4 minutes left in the half.
Marcos' 6-foot-2 junior forward Dom Krane then got a lay-up inside from a nice feed from 6-foot-1 junior PG Ty Lazenby for a 25 to 16 Corona with 3 minutes left. Lazenby then hit a three-pointer from a nice feed from Devin White to make the score 25 to 19, Corona.
Corona's 6-foot-4 sophomore PF Cassius Peat joined the act and scored a strong basket inside for a 27 to 19 lead for Corona. Then Benson finished off the half with another basket and two more free-throws - giving Corona a 33 to 21 lead at the half.
Benson finished the half with 14 points and 3 assists, while Gittens had 10 points for Marcos.
The coaching by Sam Duane of Corona was very impressive, as Corona forced all of the Marcos players to beat them off the dribble - with most of the Marcos players being just shooters. Corona gave the shooters no room for wide-open shots, as each defender for Corona rotated on the shooters perfectly.
The third quarter started and Adam Gleave started it off with a lay-up for a 35 to 21 lead for Corona.
Then the play of the game happened for Corona, as Bryan Siefker made a back-door cut and Benson fed him the ball in the air for a lob-dunk to get the Corona crowd in a chant saying, “We got Siefker.” Benson then came off a curl and faded away and drained a mid-range shot over a defender for a 39 to 25 lead for Corona. Benson’s skill level is so high, that he makes the difficult shot attempts look easy.
Devin White then hit two free-throws for Marcos, and then Sean Wood came off the bench with some well needed energy on defense and rebounding for Marcos, but Benson hit a lay-up on the next play for a 41 to 27 lead for Corona with 2 mintes left in quarter.
Benson then scored another 2 points from a nice feed from Siefker for a 43 to 27 Corona lead.
After another White free-throw, immediately Corona's Benson raced up the floor and got fouled and went to the line and made both for a 45 to 28 lead. Peat scored inside again after many screens and great ball movement for a wide-open lay-up for a 47 to 28 Corona lead.
Marcos 6-foot-4 sophomore PF Sean Wood made a free-throw for a 48 to 28 lead after 3 quarters of play for Corona.
Corona’s defense had just taken Marcos out of their offense, and Siefker individually had been special on defense.
Devin White hit a 3-pointer in the corner to start things off for Marcos in the fourth, followed by two free-throws by Siefker for a 50 to 31 lead. 6-foot-1 junior SG Jarrett Givens and White exchanged baskets, and White got an “and-1” for a 52 to 34 lead with 6 minutes left in the game.
Siefker once again gave the Marcos' guards fits with his tenacious defense on the ball. The players were having trouble going by him. He may be the best defender in the state on the ball. Givens scored again to go up big for a 63 to 37 lead for Corona.
Then both coaches’ took Benson and Gittens out of the game with a 26-point fourth quarter Corona lead.
Corona embarrassed Marcos on the road for a huge win to cement themselves as one of the state’s favorites to win it all again. The final score was 71 to 39. Casey Benson also cemented himself as the best guard in the state, in my opinion, and the favorite to win the Player of the Year (POY) award in the state. I also personally believe Bryan Siefker can win the Defensive Player of the Year (DOY) and Coach Duane can win the Coach of the Year (COY). A year with many question marks for Corona, besides Benson, has Corona as the “team to beat” going into the dance. Obviously there are two more weeks to play, but they have to be the favorites at this point.
Quick Hitters: Some impressive young talent was on display during the JV game, as Marcos de Niza had 6-foot-2 freshman wing N’Keal Harry who scored 28 points, and 6-foot-4 sophomore PF Sean Wood had 26 points.
Also for Corona del Sol there was 6-foot-2 freshman guard Tyrell Henderson who scored 14 points and had 4 assists in only 3 quarters of play.
