VEGAS VALLEY: Beynon shines as Pioneers top Trailblazers

The first 16 minutes of Cherise Beynon’s basketball season weren’t anything to write home about.

The next 48 minutes, however, were a much better indication of what the Canyon Springs junior can do.

After tossing in 14 points in the second half of the Pioneers’ 41-34 loss to Legacy on Friday, Beynon poured in 27 points to lead Canyon Springs to a 67-35 win over Durango in the opening round of bracket play in the Vegas Valley Invitational at Tarkanian Basketball Academy.

Beynon, who is among the top returnees in Southern Nevada but didn't score in the first half of the Legacy game, drained four 3-pointers in the first half against the Trailblazers, and midway through the second half had as many points (24) as Durango’s team.

The Pioneers led only 31-21 at the half, but opened the second half on a 23-3 run to put the game away.

Alexia Thrower added 21 points for Canyon Springs, which will meet Animo (Calif.) in a quarterfinal at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

Brittany Reno led Durango with eight points.

Legacy 41, Canyon Springs 34 — Tori Payne led a balanced attack with 12 points, and the Longhorns held on to down the Pioneers in pool play.

Justice Akins added 11 points for Legacy.

Beynon led Canyon Springs with 14 points, and Thrower added 11 points.

Legacy 59, Sunrise Mountain 32 — Payne tallied 18 points as the Longhorns pulled away from the Miners in bracket play.

Kayla Haslem added 11 points for Legacy.

Azia McBrown paced Sunrise Mountain with 13 points.

Durango 46, Sunrise Mountain 31 — Jazmine Chavez led all scorers with 15 points as the Trailblazers topped the Miners in pool play.

Reno added 10 points for Durango.

Brittany Veal led Sunrise Mountain with eight points.

Boulder City 43, Western 30 — Katlyn Daly and Whitney Barlow each had 12 points, and the Eagles never trailed en route to a bracket-play win over the Warriors.

Destiny Gonzalez led Western with 10 points.

Boulder City 39, Rancho 34 — Barlow tallied 16 points as the Eagles hung on to top the Rams in pool play.

LaKissa Martin had 17 points, and Kanosha Grey scored 10 for Rancho.

Foothill 52, Rancho 45 — Taylor Turney led all scorers with 17 points as the Falcons watched a 14-point second-half lead disappear, but battled back to top the Rams in bracket play.

Kailani Killebrew added 13 points, and Anaya Rodishaw scored 10 for Foothill, which closed the game on a 12-4 run.

Grey and Darje Martin each tallied 12 points for the Rams.

Foothill 62, Western 18 — Turney and Killebrew each had 18 points as the Falcons ran away from the Warriors in pool play.

Rodishaw added 15 points for Foothill, which outscored Western, 28-1 in the second half.

Gonzalez led Western with eight points.

Basic 37, Southeast (Calif.) 28 — Dana Deloney led all scorers with 19 points as the Wolves topped the Jaguars in bracket play.

Basic 35, Holy Martyrs (Calif.) 23 — Deloney tallied 10 points, and the Wolves beat the Armens in pool play despite being assessed three technical fouls and shooting just 1 of 10 from the free-throw line.

Cimarron-Memorial 40, Desert Pines 31 — Emily Cox led three double-figure scorers with 14 points to help the Spartans top the Jaguars in bracket play.

Ikia Daniels added 11 points, and Taya Harper scored 10 for Cimarron.

Cydney Myles led Desert Pines with eight points.

Cimarron-Memorial 42, Southeast (Calif.) 28 — Harper tallied 13 points, and Cox scored 11 to lead the Spartans by the Jaguars in pool play.

Animo (Calif.) 52, Desert Pines 38 — Danyae Fuller poured in 20 points as the Panthers topped the Jaguars in pool play.

Tajzane Owens had 15 points, and Jade Hazelton scored 12 for Desert Pines.