VEGAS INVITATIONAL: Bonanza finds balanced attack in opening-day routs

Junior guard Dasean Martin is expected to carry the offensive load for Bonanza’s boys basketball team this season.

But the Bengals showed Monday they have a few other heavy lifters, too.

Bonanza (5-4) used a balanced offensive attack to beat Agassi Prep, 73-49 and Spring Mountain, 60-36 on the opening day of the Vegas Invitational at Mountain View.

“All of our players, even the freshmen, we play hard; we play defense,” said senior forward Julian Romero, who had 13 points and 10 rebounds against Spring Mountain. “We’re not going to lose a step no matter who’s in.”

With the two wins, the Bengals advanced to the tournament semifinals, where they’ll play either Tech or The Meadows at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Three players scored in double figures for Bonanza in each game, but only Connor Shea did so in both.

The senior guard had 12 points against Agassi Prep, and tallied 10 points and six assists against Spring Mountain.

Tommy Gentile scored 20 points and Martin added 12 against Agassi Prep. Matt Figgins had 15 points and Romero chipped in 13 against Spring Mountain.

Bonanza coach George Tarkanian credits his team’s defense for much of its offensive productivity.

“I think our defense is playing excellent,” he said. “That allows us to believe in ourselves offensively, where we do a lot of good things.”

The Bengals finished both games strong, outscoring the Stars 14-6 in the fourth quarter, then using a 16-0 second-half run capped by Romero’s three-point play to build a 57-34 lead against the Eagles.

“I give it to our guards,” Romero said of the 16-0 run. “Our guards really shut down their main scorers; they battled through picks. We just battled defensively.”

Quincy Brown scored 18 points and Dimitri Amos added 15 for Agassi Prep.

Leon Saunders led Spring Mountain with 18 points, seven rebounds and two steals.

Kingsburg (Calif.) 63, Mountain View 59 — The Vikings shot 7-for-9 from the free-throw line in the final two minutes to edge the Saints.

 

Justyn Anderson scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half, and dished out five assists, to lead Mountain View.

Cortland LeBoeuf scored 14 points, and Karl Benjamin supplied eight points and 10 rebounds for the Saints.

The game featured nine ties and seven lead changes before Kingsburg rattled off a 12-4 fourth-quarter run to take control.

Tech 67, Desert Christian (Calif.) 44 — The Roadrunners built a 40-19 halftime lead and cruised past the Knights.

Michael Johnson led Tech with 17 points. Ben Seibert chipped in 16 points and Josh Sarabia had 10.

The Meadows 65, Victor Valley Christian (Calif.) 36 — Garrett Gosse scored 24 points to lead the Mustangs past the Royals.

Max Newman added 20 points and Dylan Lee had 13 for The Meadows, which took a 29-7 lead into the second quarter.

Santana (Calif.) 61, Pahrump Valley 47 — The Trojans fell despite 24 points from Alex Anderson.

David Smith added 10 for Pahrump Valley.

Sage Hill (Calif.) 65, Pahranagat Valley 57 — The Panthers used a 22-7 edge in the second quarter to take a 33-28 halftime lead, but faltered down the stretch against the Lightning.

Cody Hosier led Pahranagat Valley with 24 points. Tommy Williams contributed four points, 10 rebounds and three steals.