MISSION VIEJO – El Modena’s boys basketball team is not one of the county’s four top-10 teams in the Diablo Inferno Tournament.
That has not stopped Vanguards coach Jeff Berokoff from throwing his team into the fire to start the season. The El Modena coaching staff expects its team to learn on the fly, and the Vanguards executed to perfection Friday night at Mission Viejo High.
Senior Legend Demps scored a career-high 34 points to lead the Vanguards past Mission Viejo, 81-61. Isaiah Grover added 27 points to help El Modena to victory.
“I’m just doing whatever it takes for us to stay competitive and win some games,” Demps said. “If that means assists, I’ll get assists. If I’ve got to score a little more, I’ll score more.”
Grover scored 11 points in the first quarter to help the Vanguards (2-2) jump out to a 30-13 advantage. The senior guard has shown an ability to put points up in a hurry. He scored 19 points in the third quarter of Wednesday’s win over Dana Hills.
“This is his first year on varsity, and he’s off to a heck of a start,” Berokoff said of Grover, who added seven rebounds, four assists, and four steals on the night. “I really enjoy coaching him. I think he’s going to have a really great year for us.”
Demps echoed his coach’s sentiments. He called Grover a “bold scorer,” adding that the team expects a lot from him.
El Modena had carried the pace of play early, pushing the ball in transition to find open looks from the outside. The Diablos (1-4) took care of the ball to start the second quarter, and they were able to eat away at the Vanguards’ lead as a result.
Mission Viejo shaved six points off the lead in the first three minutes of the period behind a pair of threes by Connor Haskell.
Bekim Djokovic and Devin Sie-Leiataua combined for 12 points in the second frame as the Diablos had their highest scoring quarter of the game.
It would be the Vanguards’ night, however, as Demps finished the half with 20 points. He added 10 in the third quarter to make it, 67-45, El Modena going into the final frame.
El Modena is returning just three players from last year’s team, but Berokoff is encouraged by the execution of his team in the early going.
“It’s pretty good for being so young in the season,” he said. “It’s a brand new group. Every day they are getting better so that’s all I can ask from them.”
In other games at the Diablo Inferno Tournament:
Esperanza 72, Dana Hills 42: Jarrett Brodbeck poured in five 3-pointers to lead the Aztecs (1-2) past the Dolphins (1-2). Preston Sims added 12 points in the win. Esperanza outscored Dana Hills, 24-1, in the first quarter.
Cole Goudge paced the Dolphins with eight points, and Ethan Parker chipped in with six.
La Mirada 62, La Costa Canyon of Carlsbad 47: This was the second semifinal of the tournament. The result yields the following matchups. No. 2 Orange Lutheran (3-0) will meet the Matadors (3-0) in the championship game at 8 p.m. Saturday night, while Canyon (2-1) will square off with the Mavericks (2-1) in the third-place game at 6 p.m.
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Saturday’s Schedule
St. Margaret’s (1-2) vs. Mission Viejo (1-4), 10:30 a.m.
Dana Hills (1-2) vs. Temecula Valley (1-2), noon
Paramount (1-2) vs. Esperanza (1-2), 1:30 p.m.
No. 6 Saddleback Valley Christian (1-2) vs. Woodbridge (1-2), 3 p.m. (7th Place Game)
No. 3 Sonora (2-1) vs. San Clemente (2-1), 4:30 p.m. (5th Place Game)
No. 5 Canyon (2-1) vs. La Costa Canyon of Carlsbad (2-1), 6 p.m. (3rd Place Game)
No. 2 Orange Lutheran (3-0) vs. La Mirada (3-0), 8 p.m. (Championship Game)
