Jordan outlasts Sage Hill, wins first title since 1996
HUNTINGTON BEACH » Senior guards Dennis Redmond Jr., Kane Young and Franklyn Chambers combined for 54 points to power Jordan to a 68-57 win against Sage Hill in the CIF Southern Section Division 4A championship game at Edison High in Huntington Beach on Saturday.
Redmond Jr. finished with a game-high 23 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Young added 17 points and six steals. Chambers scored 10 of his hardfought 14 points in the pivotal fourth quarter to secure Jordan's first CIF-SS boys basketball title since 1996.
Jordan, the Moore League Champions, improved to 2112 overall in what became an emotional victory for second-year Long Beach Jordan coach Chris Francis.
“I've been through a lot in my personal life,” Francis shared, while holding back tears. “I've lost a lot of family members... and for these kids to believe in me, it's an unbelievable feeling.”
“I feel it's easy to believe in him because he believes in us,” said Redmond Jr. “I've had some rough times and we've had arguments but at the end of the day he gave me a chance. I took the opportunity and we worked together and now we're sideby-side all the way.”
Redmond Jr.'s fellow seniors Young and Chambers feel the same way about their beloved coach.
“I believe in him too because I was at a different school,” Young said. “I was transferred here my senior year, big risk and I took it (because) I believe every word he said. He saw my talent and said `you're going to be special here son'. I trusted him. I did it and here we are.”
“I've always believed in him,” Chambers added. “Coach Chris is more than a head coach to me, he's more like an uncle. He may be crazy sometimes but I understand at the end of the day, it's all love and he wants to see me succeed.”
Jordan started off the game strong and took a 2215 lead into the second quarter and that's when things really got interesting.
After going scorless in the first quarter, Sage Hill junior forward Carter Bryant, a 6-foot-8 five star recruit went off for 14 points in the second quarter, including a personal 8-0 run which gave Sage Hill a 23-22 lead. Bryant finished with a team-high 22 points and 16 rebounds.
However, Jordan's Redmond Jr. scored nine of his 14 first half points in the second quarter. The Panthers led 38-31 at halftime.
Meanwhile, Redmond Jr. and his younger brother sophomore guard Jaymari Redmond matched Sage Hill shot for shot in the third quarter and combined for 13 points over that span to extended the Jordan's lead to 56-47 heading into the fourth quarter. J. Remond finished with seven points, six rebounds and a teamhigh seven assists.
Jordan clung to a 56-53 lead with five minutes to go. That's when Chambers drove to the basket, got fouled and made one of two free throws, to give the Panthers a narrow four-point lead, 57-53.
Young made two free throws, which pushed Jordan's lead to 59-53 with 3:44 to go.
Chambers closed the game with ten of his 14 points in the fourth quarter to secure Jordan's 68-57 win.
Senior forward Jerome Young added seven points and nine rebounds and two blocks and Jordan's starting five of Chambers, Young, Redmond, Redmond Jr. and and Wilson combined to score all 68 of Jordan's points.
Jordan's season will continue next week in the CIF SoCal Regionals. The Panthers will learn who they will play in the CIF state playoffs today.