Bailey hot late, leads Santa Margarita over JSerra

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL ROUNDUP

Santa Margarita guard Kaiden Bailey is fired up after scoring two of his 24 points in Friday night’s 65-60 Trinity League victory over JSerra. Photo by Paul Rodriguez

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Staff reports

Santa Margarita junior guard Kaiden Bailey scored 24 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, to lead the Eagles to a 65-60 win over JSerra on Friday in a Trinity League game at JSerra High.

Bailey scored 25 points earlier this month when the Eagles beat the Lions 70-49.

Santa Margarita improved to 6-2 in league while JSerra dropped 6-3. St. John Bosco was also 6-2 and Mater Dei was 5-2 going their game Saturday at the Intuit Dome.

Santa Margarita (20-5 overall), No. 2 in the Orange County rankings, will be home against Mater Dei on Monday. JSerra (20-6), No. 3 in the county rankings, is home against St. John Bosco on Tuesday.

Santa Margarita trailed JSerra 43-40 going into the fourth quarter. The Eagles got their first lead, 46-45, two minutes into the quarter when Bailey converted a three-point play.

The game was tied a couple of times until the Eagles took the lead for good, 56-54, on Bailey’s two free throws with 1:58 remaining. The Eagles’ Brayden Kyman made a 3-pointer from the corner and Rodney Westmoreland made a 3 from the same corner and added two free throws in the final moments.

Bailey scored on drives and two 3s in that final quarter.

— Steve Fryer

CREAN LUTHERAN 76, CYPRESS 53: Crean Lutheran finished with six players scoring in double figures for a dominating victory that secured the Crestview League title outright.

The league title is the fifth in a row for the Saints (14-11, 6-1), who captured four in a row in the old Empire League.

Cypress needs a victory in its final league game against Foothill on Tuesday to create a three-way tie for second with No. 6 Canyon (19-9, 4-4) and No. 11 La Habra (20-8, 4-4).

— Lou Ponsi

CAPISTRANO VALLEY 48, ALISO NIGUEL 41: Capistrano Valley clinched a share of the Sea View League championship with its victory at home.

The league championship is the first for Capistrano Valley (20-6, 5-2) since it won the South Coast League in 2021.

Capo Valley can clinch the outright league championship with a win over El Toro on Monday.

— Michael Huntley

SUNNY HILLS 47, PACIFICA 34: The Lancers’ victory sets up a showdown with Esperanza for the outright North Hills League title Tuesday night.

Esperanza (17-8, 5-2) will be the home team against Sunny Hills (18-9, 5-2).

Sunny Hills senior forward ZeBrien Watkins scored a game-high 17 points, eight of those in the pivotal third.

— David Delgado