RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA – Kaiden Bailey said he and his Santa Margarita boys basketball teammates wanted more than just a victory.
“We came into this game not just to win, but also to dominate,” he said.
Bailey scored a game-high 25 points, including a buzzer-beating shot from behind the halfcourt stripe at the end of the third quarter, to lead Santa Margarita to a 70-49 win over JSerra in a Trinity League game at Santa Margarita High.
It was Santa Margarita’s first league game. The Eagles were scheduled to play their first league game Wednesday at St. John Bosco, but it was postponed because of poor air quality related to the fires in Los Angeles County. That game has yet to be rescheduled.
Santa Margarita is 15-3 overall and 1-0 in the Trinity League. JSerra is 16-4 overall and 2-1 in league.
Santa Margarita lived up to its ranking as the No. 1 team in the Orange County Top 25, especially defensively. The Eagles held No. 2 JSerra to 17 successful shots on 52 attempts, for 33 percent. The Lions were 5 of 12 on 3-point shots.
Bailey said Santa Margarita coach Justin Bell emphasizes defense constantly.
“We practice on defense a lot,” Bailey said. “Coach Bell really instills that in us, so our defense leads us into our offense. Play defense first, and then offense.”
Santa Margarita was 26 for 51 on all shots for 51 percent. The Eagles were 9 of 25 on 3-point shots.
Bailey, a 6-3 junior guard who was at Crean Lutheran last season and has scholarship offers from every college that thinks it has a chance to get him, also had four assists. He made three 3-pointers, all in the third quarter, including his half-court heave that finished the quarter to give the Eagles a 50-33 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Santa Margarita 6-9 senior forward Dallas Washington, who signed with Long Beach State, scored 17 points including three 3-pointers. Washington scored 10 points in the first quarter.
Eagles 6-7 senior forward Brayden Kyman, a Washington State signee, scored 15 points including 10 in the fourth quarter. His 3-pointer with 2:33 left in the game made it 66-47 and ensured victory.
JSerra 6-7 senior forward BJ Davis Ray, who played in Texas last school year, scored a team-high 16 points with six rebounds. Senior forward Jarme Eyenga scored 9 points for the Lions.
Santa Margarita was in control from the start of the physical and fast-paced game. Washington’s first 3-pointer gave the Eagles a 7-0 advantage. They took an 18-12 lead into the second quarter.
The closest JSerra would get to taking the lead was midway through the second quarter when the Lions cut its deficit to 25-23. But Santa Margarita pulled away again to take a 33-25 lead into halftime.
Bailey was the difference-maker in the third quarter. He scored on a drive and followed quickly with a 3-pointer to make it 44-30 and the Eagles cruised to the win from there.
Santa Margarita’s next game is a league game at Orange Lutheran on Wednesday. The Eagles play at Mater Dei on Friday, Jan. 17.
JSerra’s next game is a league game at home Wednesday against Mater Dei, which upset St. John Bosco on Friday.
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