So Bright They Need to Wear Shades

It was not the perfect ending, but Sierra Canyon High’s basketball team figures to have quite a future beginning next season.

After winning the Southern Section Div. V championship, Sierra Canyon lost 61-59 on Saturday to St. Bernard in the Southern California Regional championship—one win shy of a berth in the state finals in Sacramento this coming weekend.

With a young first-year coach in 31-year-old Ryan Silver, plus so many of the top players just starting their prep careers—including star sophomore Jahmel Taylor and freshmen standouts Marsalis Johnson and Bryan Alberts—the Trailblazers could be on the brink of a dynasty.

“We’re going to be better next year,” said Taylor, who averaged 22 points per game.

Sierra Canyon finished 27-6, and along the way the Trailblazers defeated such respected programs as Windward, the Bishops, Montclair Prep, Flintridge Prep, Campbell Hall, Pacific Hills, El Camino Real and others.

“It was a great season, a tremendous season,” Silver said. “Things just don’t always go the way you want them to go. But we won the CIF championship, and I’m very pleased. Sierra Canyon is an extremely young team. The fact that we achieved what we achieved is remarkable.

"We’ve got four of five starters back for next season, so it’s going to be exciting.

Taylor, a 6-foot-2 guard who shot 40 percent on 3-pointers and 85 percent from the free-throw line, already has been offered scholarships by USC, Washington State, Washington and San Francisco.

Johnson and Alberts also appear to have major-college futures. Johnson,  a 6-foot-6 forward, averaged 11.8 points while shooting 61 percent, and Alberts, a 6-foot-4 guard-forward,  averaged 11.4 points.

Juniors Julian Brooks and Jesse Howell, also top football players, are coming off productive seasons. Brooks, who has been offered a football scholarship by Washington State, averaged 6.4 points and four rebounds. Howell averaged 6.4 points and seven rebounds.

Also expected back are juniors James Geri, Jacob Little and Kishan Chatwal and sophomores Josh Bobrosky, Michael Carrier and Ishan Patel.

The graduating seniors are Daniel Cohen, Michael Cohen and Shane Harrison.

After finishing second in the Alpha League to Division IV state finalist Windward, Sierra Canyon entered the Division V-A playoffs and won four in row—all by 19 points or more—to set qualify for the section final against Montclair Prep.

The Trailblazers defeated the Mounties 48-45 in overtime to win the section title, then were awarded a first-round bye in the state playoffs as the No. 1 seed. Sierra Canyon opened the state playoffs with an 83-35 win over Fresno Christian, followed by 74-64 win over View Park Prep.

That set up the regional championship this past Saturday in Ontario against St. Bernard. The Trailblazers led throughout until the last minute, and a rebound basket at the buzzer was the difference.

It was a very tough loss, a difficult ending, but Sierra Canyon was left feeling good, knowing the tools are in place for a lot more victories down the road.

“It’s just an amazing school, an amazing academic school with a lot of support,” Silver said. “I couldn’t ask for anything more.”