Transfers eligible, Murrieta Mesa runs to win over Cathedral Catholic

The rules of the game aren’t always fair.

With the holiday basketball tournament season in full swing, the CIF Southern Section and the CIF San Diego Section are playing by different sets of rules.

San Diego Section transfers aren’t eligible to make their 2025-26 debuts until Tuesday.

Southern Section transfer players became eligible Friday, a fact that became painfully evident in the opening game of the 35th Torrey Pines Holiday Classic.

Murrietta Mesa, a team that entered play with a 4-6 record, started three transfers in an 80-76 win over Cathedral Catholic at Torrey Pines High School.

Those players scored 51 of the Rams’ 80 points, including 34 from 6-foot-5 junior Jagger Saul, who played last season at Vista Murrieta.

“The transfers made a difference, didn’t they?” said Murrieta Mesa coach Chris Featherly, who coached more than a decade at Orange Glen. “They certainly gave us a boost. We’ve played some close games against good teams, had leads, but couldn’t finish, couldn’t hold on.

“We’re a different team now.”

Murrieta Mesa had lost four in a row coming into Friday’s game, falling to Mira Mesa, ranked No. 8 in San Diego, La Costa Canyon, San Marcos, ranked No. 10 in San Diego, and Bishop Amat of the Southern Section.

Friday, the lead changed hands 11 times. The score was tied twice in the first half before the Rams went on a 15-0 run to charge to a 46-35 lead.

Cathedral Catholic, 6-4 and ranked No. 3 in San Diego, cut the deficit to 50-45 midway through the third quarter, but Murrieta Mesa went on a 9-0 run to push the lead back to 14.

Cathedral Catholic was down by 10 at the start of the fourth quarter, but rallied to cut the deficit to 73-71 with 1:46 to play.

“That was a helluva game against a good team,” said Dons coach Graham Bousley. “But the transfers certainly made a difference. I liked the pace of the game. I was pleased with our effort. But it seemed every loose ball went their way. We just couldn’t get a loose ball. We were a little careless with the ball (committing 16 turnovers to 19 for Murrieta Mesa), but we didn’t play badly.

“And No. 5 hit some big shots when they needed it.”

Saul sank five 3-pointers, including two in the fourth quarter when he scored 10 points. He also had six rebounds.

Carlino Christian, another transfer, scored 11 for the Rams. Fabian Ruiz scored 15 for the Rams.

Max Meza led Cathedral Catholic with 18 points, Semir Roberson had 15, Anthony Ali Nayab had 14 while Charlie Barajas, who played with foul trouble in the second half, had 12 points, six rebounds and three blocks.

“Charlie and Max make a difference,” Bousley said. “Max is our momentum guy. Charlie is a guy we need on the floor. We got beat up by Santa Fe Christian on Tuesday (losing 85-61 on the tournament’s Tipoff Night). “We played much better today, played hard. We’ll be OK.”

Cathedral Catholic plays at 11:05 a.m. today at St. Augustine. Murrieta Mesa plays at 5:25 p.m. at St. Augustine

In other Holiday Classic games Friday:

• Torrey Pines 70, Riverside Poly 51: Tevaris Green led Torrey Pines with 33 points while Jaylan Virgil added 17. Torrey Pines plays at home Saturday at 3:50 p.m.

• Olympian 53, Franklin (Wash.) 48: Olympian falls, plays Saturday at 8:35 p.m. at St. Augustine.

• Bishop Manogue (Nevada) 79, La Jolla Country Day 37: LJCD plays at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Carlsbad.

• Huntington Beach Edison 68, Mira Mesa 65: Mira Mesa plays LJCD at 9:30 a.m. at Carlsbad.

• Mira Costa 55, La Costa Canyon 44: LCC plays at 11:05 a.m. at Carlsbad.

• Victory Christian Academy 68, Riverside Norte Vista 62: Victory plays at 3:50 p.m. at St. Augustine.

• Sage Creek 79, Crawford 57: Sage Creek plays at 3:50 p.m. at Rancho Buena Vista. Crawford plays at 9:30 a.m. at RBV.

• Army-Navy 68, Yorba Linda 57: Ivan Marchencko scored 22 for ANA while Sayler Dawson added 16. Army-Navy plays Sage Creek at 3:50 p.m. at RBV.

• Poway 73, Sage Hill 58: Poway plays at 8:35 p.m. at Sage Creek.

• Bishop’s 53, Fallbrook 37: Bishop’s plays at 8:35 p.m. at El Camino while Fallbrook plays at 12:40 at El Camino.

• San Diego 71, Canyon Crest Academy 41: San Diego plays at 3:50 p.m. at El Camino, while CCA plays at 9:30 a.m. at the same site.

• Kearny 95, Vista 59: Kearny plays at 5:25 p.m. at El Camino. Vista plays at 11:05 a.m. at the same site.