IRVINE – It was unlikely that a boys basketball team would go undefeated in the Crestview League.
The five-team league is just too good and too balanced for that to happen.
Crean Lutheran made sure of that Friday with a 62-51 win over Canyon in a league game at Crean Lutheran High.
Canyon guard Brandon Benjamin, right, tries to get a shot over Crean Lutheran guard Jacob Majok, center, and forward Will Malual, left, in a Crestview League basketball game in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran guard Jordan Ceballos drives around Canyon guard Mo El Baba in a Crestview League basketball game in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran guard Jacob Majok, standing, motions toward guard Jordan Ceballos, on floor, after Ceballos was fouled by Canyon while shooting a basket in a Crestview League basketball game in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran forward Will Malual, right, reaches to grab the rebound in front of Canyon guard Rami Awad in a Crestview League basketball game in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran guard Hunter Caplan, left, gets the ball around Canyon forward Zach Cutler to score a basket in a Crestview League basketball game in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran guard Jacob Majok, left, muscles his way to the basket around Canyon guard Brandon Benjamin, right, in a Crestview League basketball game in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Canyon guard Staf Yilmazturk takes a shot against Crean Lutheran in a Crestview League basketball game in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Canyon guard Brandon Benjamin, center, makes a move to the basket between Crean Lutheran guard Jacob Majok, left, and forward Zack Hopkins, right, in a Crestview League basketball game in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran players cheer their team after a score late in the fourth quarter to widen their lead against Canyon in a Crestview League basketball game in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Canyon guard Brandon Benjamin, center, is double-teamed by Crean Lutheran forward Will Malual, left, and guard Jacob Majok, right, in a Crestview League basketball game in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Canyon forward Pierce Haugen, left, and Crean Lutheran forward Will Malual, right, can’t get a handle on a rebound in a Crestview League basketball game in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran guard Jacob Majok, center, celebrates with teammates after the Saints won their Crestview League basketball game against Canyon in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran guard Jacob Majok, left, makes a move around Canyon forward Zach Cutler to score in a Crestview League basketball game in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran guard Hunter Caplan, left, gets a shot over Canyon guard Staf Yilmazturk in a Crestview League basketball game in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Canyon coach Nate Harrison directs his team during a Crestview League basketball game against Crean Lutheran in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran guard Arnez Reynolds, left, and Canyon guard Jonah Kim scramble for a loose ball in a Crestview League basketball game in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran guard Jacob Majok takes the easy layup against Canyon in a Crestview League basketball game in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Show Caption1 of 17Canyon guard Brandon Benjamin, right, tries to get a shot over Crean Lutheran guard Jacob Majok, center, and forward Will Malual, left, in a Crestview League basketball game in Irvine on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
ExpandCanyon was the lone league team without a league loss going into Friday. And Cypress, the lone Crestview League team without a league win going into Friday, got its first Crestview win Friday with a victory over Foothill.
The league standings after Friday: Crean Lutheran 3-1; Canyon 2-1; La Habra 2-2; Foothill 1-2; Cypress 1-3.
All five league teams are in the Top 15 of the Orange County rankings.
Crean Lutheran, No. 10 in the Orange County Top 25, is 10-9 overall. Canyon, which, as usual, has played a difficult schedule, is 17-5.
The Canyon-Crean Lutheran game was only the second of the league’s nine games played so far that had a double-digit margin of victory.
Sophomore guard Hunter Caplan led Crean Lutheran’s balanced scoring with 14 points. Jacob Majok, a 6-7 junior forward, scored 13 points with 10 rebounds and 6-8 junior forward Will Malual scored 13 with nine rebounds.
The Saints played Friday without starting point guard Caden Jones, who was out because of the flu.
Canyon 6-6 senior forward Brandon Benjamin scored 19 points with eight rebounds. As he has been most every night of his Canyon career, Benjamin was the game’s top scorer. But that was 12 points below his season average of 31 points a game.
Benjamin on Friday was, as usual, surrounded by two or three opponents every time he touched the ball on offense. The long arms of Majok and Malual were all around him like vines on a fence.
“They move their offense around him,” Majok said. “We played zone and the emphasis was on him. We didn’t let him get the ball in the paint.”
It’s not that Benjamin, the Orange County player of the year two seasons ago, missed a bunch of shots or forced shots that are beyond his repertoire. He was 9 of 17 from the field (53 percent), all within 12 feet of the hoop. But his averages going into Friday were 22 shots per game and 12 shots made per game, and he went in shooting 58 percent.
“We knew we had guys who can compete with him,” said Crean Lutheran coach Nate Klitzing. “Will and Jacob are great athletes and solid players.
“We had a plan to try to slow him down and make him work hard, to be aware of where he is the whole time. Benjamin can score from every level. He’s crafty and smart.”
Canyon senior guard Staf Yilmazturk scored 16 points, including four 3-pointers, with seven rebounds.
It was 23-23 at halftime. Malual, attacking the boards on the offensive end, scored seven points in the third quarter as the Saints outscored Canyon 16-9 to take a 39-32 lead into the fourth quarter.
Majok began the final quarter with a 3-pointer, Nez Reynolds followed with a 3 and one minute into the quarter Crean Lutheran had a 13-point lead.
Canyon has a history of fierce fourth-quarter play, and it closed the gap behind Benjamin’s eight points in the final quarter points, two 3s from Yilmazturk and a 3 by Rami Awad, whose shot got Canyon within one point, 52-51, in the final minute.
From there, Matt Ciftcikara was 4 of 4 at the free throw line for Crean Lutheran, and Majok put an exclamation point on the game with a thunderous dunk in the final seconds.
“We tried to make a statement tonight,” Majok said. “That win really helped us. We needed that.”
Crean Lutheran and Canyon play in a single-day showcase event Saturday at North Torrance. Crean Lutheran plays Damien (17-6) at 10:30 a.m. Canyon plays Inglewood (18-6), which is led by junior guard Jason Crowe Jr., who is averaging 36 points a game, at 7:30 p.m.
Canyon resumes Crestview League play with a home game against Foothill on Tuesday. Crean Lutheran’s next league game is Friday, Jan. 24, at home against La Habra.
Also in the Crestview League Friday:
No. 15 Cypress 72, No. 14 Foothill 65: Ryan Gov’s 26 points led the Centurions (15-9, 1-3) over the Knights (14-8, 1-2) for Cypress’ first league win.
Related Articles
High School Sports | Tustin boys basketball dominates Costa Mesa in Empire League battle for first place High School Sports | Mater Dei girls basketball uses depth to race past JSerra for first place in Trinity League High School Sports | Fryer: Great boys basketball games a nightly occurrence in Crestview League High School Sports | Dylan Cheng helps spark Valencia boys basketball to victory over Laguna Hills High School Sports | After humbling loss, JSerra boys basketball shows toughness in win over Mater Dei Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Crean Lutheran boys basketball beats Canyon in wild Crestview League )
Also on site :