BOYS BASKETBALL ROUNDUP 12-31-08: Vargas wins it from the line

CARLSBAD • Jordan Vargas sunk a pair of free throws with 0.7 seconds to play to give the Hesperia Christian boys basketball team a 51-50 victory over Holy Martyrs Armenian in the consolation championship game of the Tri-City Christian Holiday Tournament on Wednesday.

Vargas scored 20 points in the game, and Seth Thomas had nine points, 10 rebounds and two blocks.

The Patriots (8-4) reached the consolation championship with a pair of wins on Tuesday. They beat Fresno Christian 54-38, then knocked off Santa Clarita Christian 72-60.

Vargas, who made the all-tournament team, had 28 points, five rebounds, six steals and two assists against Fresno Christian and 21 points, nine assists and seven rebounds against Santa Clarita Christian. Thomas grabbed 19 rebounds in the two games.

Tuesday
Game 1
FRESNO CHRISTIAN (38)
Brown 9, Brovler 9, Martens 8, Hautfield 7, Raymon 4, Graham 1.
HESPERIA CHRISTIAN (54)
Vargas 28, Thomas 10, Maerzluft 6, Ford 4, O’Brien 3, Arreola 3.

Fresno Chr. 12 11 5 10 — 38
Hesperia Chr. 9 10 16 19 — 54

3-point field goals — Fresno Christian 3 (Martens 2, Hautfield); Hesperia Christian 4 (Vargas 3, Arreola).

Game 2
SANTA CLARITA CHRISTIAN (60)
Ranhofer 18, Perrult 12, Cotterell 11, Mosley 9, Asner 6, Secor 4.
HESPERIA CHRISTIAN (72)
Vargas 21, Arreola 13, Thomas 11, Ford 9, O’Brien 7, Maerzluft 6, Barton 2, Gage 2, Dorsey 1.

S.C. Christian 14 14 11 21 — 60
Hesperia Chr. 15 14 24 19 — 72

3-point field goals — Santa Clarita Christian 3 (Perrult 2, Cotterell); Hesperia Christian 6 (Vargas 2, Ford 2, O’Brien, Arreola).

Wednesday
HOLY MARTYRS ARMENIAN (50)
n/a
HESPERIA CHRISTIAN (51)
Vargas 20, Thomas 9, Arreola 8, Barton 6, Maerzluft 5, Ford 3.

H.M. Armenian 13 18 11 8 — 50
Hesperia Chr. 14 11 11 15 — 51

3-point field goals — Holy Martyrs n/a; Hesperia Christian 8 (Vargas 3, Arreola 2, Barton 2, Ford).

HESPERIA 50, DAYTON (NEV.) 31: At Bishop, A.J. Mathis’ double-double helped the Scorpions win a game in the Bishop Christmas Classic.

Mathis finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds for Hesperia (8-4), and Ronnie White had eight points, five assists and three steals.

DAYTON (31)
Wood 12, Walher 6, Sinora 6, Lee 4, Gomez 3.
HESPERIA (50)
Mathis 13, White 8, Waddell 6, Harriman 4, Billberry 4, Lugo 3, Venegas 2, Sheldon 2, Puckett 2, Nickerberry 2, Watson 2, Austin 2.

Dayton 8 6 10 7 — 31
Hesperia 10 11 17 12 — 50

3-point field goals — Dayton 2 (Walher); Hesperia 1 (Lugo).

ACADEMY FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE 57, CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 49: At Temecula, the Knights won their final game at the Linfield Christian Tournament to finish fifth.

Marty Scarberry led AAE (7-3) with 20 points and was named to the all-tournament team. Chase Bains added 13 rebounds.

CCS (49)
Walker 15, Tucker 14, Cruz 8, Edmonds 7, Moore 5.
AAE (57)
Scarberry 20, Gruver 19, Schwarz 6, Combs 4, Bains 4, Quintana 2, White 2.

CCS 8 12 19 10 — 49
AAE 17 10 13 17 — 57

3-point field goals — Cornerstone 3 (Cruz 2, Edmonds); AAE 3 (Gruver 3)

HESPERIA 80, BISHOP 57: At Bishop, tournament MVP and senior point guard Ronnie White finished with 10 points, six rebounds and five steals as Hesperia cruised past Bishop 80-57 in the Bishop Christmas Classic championship.

The Scorpions (9-4) won the tournament for the fourth time in six tries, and all 13 players scored in Wednesday’s game.

Jay Waddell led Hesperia in scoring with 13 points to go with seven rebounds. Sergio Lugo was named to the all-tournament team.

Hesperia opens Mojave River League play at cross-town rival Sultana on Jan. 9 at 6 p.m.

HESPERIA (80)
Waddell 13, Puckett 12, Lugo 11, White 10, Venegas 5, Mathis 5, Alston 4, Billberry 4, Watson 4, Sheldon 4, Harriman 4, Nickerberry 2, Zamora 2.
BISHOP (57)
Pules 14, Quintana 11, Kane 9, Blumberry 8, Moffit 5, Lafronbos 4, Barnes 2, McMillen 2, Davis 2.

Hesperia 26 23 16 15 — 80
Bishop 13 15 12 17 — 57

3-point field goals — Hesperia 7 (Puckett 3, Lugo, Waddell, Venegas, White); Bishop 1 (Moffit).