Good to be Gov: Star leads Cypress past Poway in Torrey Pines Holiday Classic

VISTA — In the Governor’s Division of the 35th Torrey Pines Holiday Classic, it was only fitting that Gov ruled.

Cypress High School senior guard Ryan Gov scored 18 of his game-high 32 points in the first half to lead the Centurions to an 83-73 win over Poway in the championship game of the Governor’s Division at Rancho Buena Vista High School.

The Centurions swept through the tournament, beating Maranatha Christian (64-51), Del Norte (78-55) and Army-Navy (50-36) before Tuesday’s game.

“That’s a special offensive team,” Poway coach Corey Clark said of Cypress. “And (Gov) is special. I’m happy with our effort, happy with the way we fought back. But I’m not used to giving up that many points. They spread you out with their big guys, their guards are special and kill you in transition.

“We don’t give up that many open layups.”

Poway (12-5) cut a 42-30 halftime deficit to four late in the third quarter before Gov sank a pair of free throws to push the margin back to eight at the end of the quarter.

Gov, who is headed to Azusa Pacific, had the first basket of the fourth quarter, but Poway had it down to 65-61 just minutes later and then 67-63, but a Gov rebound led to an Ethan Mai 3-pointer.

A long Gov 3-pointer with 1:15 to play put Cypress (14-5) up 79-70.

Gage Blakemore hit a corner trey to get Poway to within 79-73 with 41 seconds to play, but Gov made a pair of free throws with 28 seconds left. Poway then turned the ball over and the Titans were finished.

Gavin Kroll backed Gov with 17 points, while Mai added 10.

Daniel Mariduena led Poway with 18 points, Grant Rodriguez added 14, including four 3-pointers, Brody Chapman finished with 11 and Blakemore had 10.

“This is a prove-it season for us,” Clark said. “It’s my fourth season, and it’s coming together.

“We’re a Division 2 team for the playoffs, and I like this team.”

In other games at RBV:

Army-Navy Academy 63, Coronado 62 (OT): Jetson Mitchell’s first basket of the four-day tournament came with 10 seconds left in overtime, propelling the Warriors (10-5) to victory in the third-place game. Coronado (9-6) had one last chance but couldn’t get a shot off.

The game was tied at 53 at the end of regulation, with the lead changing hands or the game tied 10 times in the final 12 minutes.

Coronado’s Ah’Mahn Oliver led all scorers with 24 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter and OT. Derick Ritter added 15 points for the Islanders while Aiden Roberts had six points and seven rebounds.

Yanler Ramos paced Army-Navy with 22 points and seven rebounds before fouling out in overtime.

Ivan Marchenko, who sat out 14 minutes of the game while in foul trouble, finished with 19 points, four rebounds and two blocks.

Point guard Skyler Dawson scored just five points for ANA, but four, including a baseline 3-pointer, came in OT.

Rancho Buena Vista 64, Del Norte 60: The Longhorns (7-9) capped the week by going on a 9-0 run in the fourth quarter, then hanging on for a fifth-place finish.

RBV led 59-50 with 3:26 to play, but Del Norte cut the deficit to 62-60 with 26 seconds remaining on Oliver Cook’s third 3-pointer of the fourth quarter. Freshman Raiden Friend made a pair of free throws to push RBV’s advantage to four.

Dartmouth-bound CJ Aldrich played a superb all-around game with 26 points, 16 rebounds and five assists. Amari Mitchell backed him with 11 points. Brayden Allen had six points and five rebounds. Owen Mai had six points and six rebounds.

Kavan Dhami led Del Norte (8-8) with 25 points while Oliver finished with 14.