Boys’ basketball: Pacific Hills wins 4A championship

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With senior point guard Brandon Taylor leading the way, top-seeded Pacific Hills (28-4) won the Southern Section Division 4A championship with a 65-42 over Montebello Cantwell-Sacred Heart at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Taylor, who picked up a recent scholarship offer from Utah, had 23 points. Sophomore Namon Wright was also a key contributor with 14 points and Myles Thomas had 11. Pacific Hills shared the Alpha League title with L.A. Windward and was well prepared for the final, having to get through a league that also included Brentwood, Campbell Hall and Sierra Canyon.

Pacific Hills led, 33-28, at halftime. When Taylor returned to the court after sitting out a large amount in the second quarter because of two fouls, the Bruins took off. It also helped that a zone defense began to shut down Jose Estrada, averaging 31.3 points coming in for Cantwell (28-5)

Estrada, who had 15 points at halftime, finished with 19 points.

Now Pacific Hills will face a stiff test in the Division IV state playoffs, with Gardena Serra, La Verne Lutheran, Price and Crespi expected to be in the Southern Regional.

‘This has been a remarkable year for me, but we’re not done yet,’ Taylor said.

-- Eric Sondheimer