Banning High basketball sweeps Jurupa Hills

Banning High’s basketball program took care of business on Tuesday.

The girls team knocked off Jurupa Hills, 66-30, to lock up a playoff spot and most likely a third place finish in the Mountain Valley League. And the boys team did the same to the visiting Mustangs, 67-55, and put themselves in position for an at-large entry into the playoffs.

Broncos’ girls coach Mark Klein credited his team for not taking the Spartans lightly.

“I thought we did a good job of not taking the other team for granted,” he said. “We had a good victory against them the first time and I thought we played to our level. We didn’t think about that previous game.”

Tuesday’s win completed a league sweep of the Spartans. Banning could move to second or higher depending on the results of regular season finales on Thursday.

Banning got a big game from Monica Cadena. The junior forward scored 19 in the first half and finished with a game high 26 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and five steals.

“I think I’m playing much better than I was,” she said. “Before, I was more afraid to go to the basket. But I’m getting better at getting the fouls I want.”

Cadena, however, struggled at the free throw line. She had 20 free throw opportunities but made just 9.

“She finished with 26 but shot 20 free throws,” Klein said. “She could have a bit more points. But she is quite the player on both offense and defense.”

Banning led 17-5 after one quarter of play and, balanced off a 19-point first half by Cadena, took a 35-17 lead into halftime.

The Broncos then held the Spartans to five points in the third and never looked back.

“It wasn’t hard not to over look them” Cadena said. “We played them before but our coaches said never ever take a team for granted. We came out and played great as a team and we got the win we needed.”

Precihelle Trammell and Samantha Reyna both scored 12 points, while Bridget Benhar and Rita Best both scored seven.

Boys basketball

Banning High’s boys basketball team has been on and off all season.

On Tuesday the Broncos were on in a 67-55 win over Jurupa Hills.

Whether that win and a win on Thursday against Rubidoux is enough to land the Broncos in the playoffs is up to conjecture.

League leaders Notre Dame and Rim of the World sit at 7-3 and Citrus Valley sits at 5-3. Banning and Rubidoux sit at 4-5. Banning faces Rubidoux on Thursday in a regular season finale.

“I would be disappointed,” said Banning coach Stan Smith, whose teams have only missed the playoffs once in his 28 year career. “But I would be happy with this team because of what we have had to deal with.”

Banning picked up the pace in the second half. The Broncos, who led 27-24 at the half, dominated the fourth quarter where they went on an 11-1 run that put the game away.

“The second half we were a lot better,” Smith said. “We took the press off. We are a better team when not in the press. We slowed things down and played a lot better.”

The Broncos dominated the boards with 57 rebounds.

“That’s amazing,” Smith said. 

Demonte Little led the Broncos with 24 points, 18 rebounds, four steals and three assists. Miguel Mendrano had 19 points and James Madison finished with 11. Joseph Reyna had 11 boards.