Bradley shows he’s No. 1 for Sea Kings

HUNTINGTON BEACH — Five games into his new season at Corona del Mar High, Marcus Bradley still does not have his No. 1 jersey.

The transfer from Beaumont High wore No. 30 Tuesday night in the Sea Kings’ opening pool-play game at the Ocean View Tournament of Champions.

Coach Ryan Schachter said Bradley would soon be No. 1.

The 6-foot-6 forward is already clearly CdM’s No. 1 scorer.

The senior finished with 32 points, nine rebounds and five blocks as the Sea Kings beat Fresno Clovis West, 86-84, in front of a handful of NCAA Division I coaches scouting players at Ocean View High.

Bradley put on a show early, recording 22 points on nine-of-10 shooting.

All the damage was done inside against a smaller Clovis West team.

When Clovis West slowed Bradley down in the second half by swarming him, the Golden Eagles had no answer for CdM’s Danny Cheek. The senior took over most of the scoring duties, pouring in 17 of his 25 points in the final two quarters.

The Northern Arizona-bound guard attacked the basket and displayed his deadly outside shot.

With the game tied at 77-77, Cheek knocked down a three-pointer with 2:02 left to play.

The Sea Kings (4-1) never looked back.

Both Cheek and Bradley played strong defense down the stretch. Cheek contained a hot Denzel Johnson to only seven points in the final eight minutes, after the Santa Clara-bound guard had 25 in the first three quarters.

With Cheek defending, Johnson missed two shots in the fourth after he hit 11 straight field goals.

Then with 44.5 seconds remaining, Johnson turned the ball over.

The Sea Kings raced the other way.

Cheek found Bradley down low with a pass and Bradley quickly finished the fast break with a dunk to put CdM ahead by six points, ending any chance of a Golden Eagle comeback.

“This was a great win. We liked the up-and-down [tempo],” said Schachter, whose Sea Kings next play San Bernardino in pool-play action on Thursday at 8 p.m.

San Bernardino is a team Bradley is familiar with, having played at Beaumont the past two seasons.

“It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be like playing against family,” Bradley said. “I always play really good against people I know.”

Ocean View Tournament of Champions

Pool play

Corona del Mar 86, Clovis West 84

SCORE BY QUARTERS

CW 14 – 25 – 22 – 23 — 84

CdM 18 – 26 – 25 – 17 — 86

CW – Johnson 32, Walters 25, Thompson 14, Parker 4, Cleveland 4, Ruble 3, Jackson 2.

3-pt. goals – Johnson 3, Thompson 2, Walters 1, Ruble 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

CdM – Bradley 32, Cheek 25, Ragsdale 10, Haly 9, Freeman 6, Jakosky 2, McCormack 2.

3-pt. goals – Cheek 2, Ragsdale 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.