Extra motivation is never needed for the boys basketball teams in the Crestview League.
Every game is fierce when any combination of the league’s four teams – Canyon, El Dorado, Foothill and Villa Park – mix it up on the court.
Something happened on Jan. 14 when Foothill beat Canyon 49-46 at Canyon.
Whatever it was …
“We took it personal,” said Canyon freshman Brandon Benjamin.
“We thought we were a little disrespected by some things that had happened,” Canyon coach Nathan Harrison said. “So we were ready to play.”
Canyon outscored Foothill by 15 points in the fourth quarter Tuesday to take a 66-47 win at Foothill.
Canyon and Foothill are tied for first place with 4-1 league records. They tied for the league championship last season.
The Canyon High School basketball team cheer as their teammates add to their lead over Foothill with seconds left in the game in a Crestview League game at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Canyon center Brandon Benjamin, center, fights off Foothill guard Cruz Billings, forward Colin Holt, and guard Jacob Horton, from left, to put up a shot and score in a Crestview League game at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Foothill guard Jacob Horton, left, passes the ball away as he loses his balance trying to get away from Canyon guard Emerson Marks, center, and guard Pasha Golestaneh, right, in a Crestview League game at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Foothill forward Braedyn Bernhard, right, powers his way to the basket to score a basket over Canyon guard Caleb Graham in a Crestview League game at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Canyon center Brandon Benjamin pumps his fists after scoring a basket against Foothill in a Crestview League game at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Canyon center Brandon Benjamin, left, gets in front of Foothill forward Colin Holt to score a basket in a Crestview League game at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Canyon forward Tyler Howard, right, slaps a rebound away from Foothill forward Colin Holt, left, in a Crestview League game at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Foothill guard Jacob Horton, right, drives to the basket around Canyon guard Emerson Marks, left, in a Crestview League game at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Canyon forward Tyler Howard, right, and Foothill forward Colin Holt let a rebound get away in a Crestview League game at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Canyon center Brandon Benjamin, center, looks for an opening to take a shot in a Crestview League game at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Foothill guard Carlo Billings, left, blocks a shot by Canyon guard Emerson Marks, right, in a Crestview League game at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Foothill guard Mikey Mazurie, reacts after scoring a basket against Canyon in a Crestview League game at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Foothill coach Yousof Etemadi protests a call by the referee in a Crestview League game against Canyon at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Foothill guard Cruz Billings, left, tries to get a fast break going as he moves ahead of Canyon guard Colin Chu, right, in a Crestview League game at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Canyon center Brandon Benjamin takes a shot with Foothill defenders in his face in a Crestview League game at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Canyon coach Nate Harrison wipes his brow early in a close Crestview League game against Foothill at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Canyon girls basketball edged Hart in a Foothill League showdown Tuesday night. (Photo by Haley Sawyer, Contributor)
Canyon players cheer their teammates late in the fourth period as they solidify their lead in a Crestview League game against Foothill at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Canyon guard Jaden Goodall, right, fights for the rebound with Foothill guard Carlo Billings, left, in a Crestview League game at Foothill High School in Santa Ana on Tuesday, February 1, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Canyon (22-4 overall), ranked No. 10 in the Orange County top 25, plays its regular-season finale Thursday at No. 18 El Dorado. A win gives the Comanches a fifth straight league championship.
No. 9 Foothill (23-2) plays its final regular season game at home against No. 17 Villa Park on Thursday.
Canyon and Football will be in the CIF Southern Section playoffs that begin next week, and they will be in the same division, Division 2AA. Foothill is No. 2 in the 2AA rankings, behind Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks. Canyon is No. 5 in the division.
Benjamin, a 6-3 forward who plays a few inches taller, scored a game-high 17 points with six rebounds. He is unusually well-rounded for a first-year high school player, with an ability to shoot the ball around the hoop with either hand, and with a soft touch with either hand. He doesn’t get lost on defensive switches and is comfortable with physical play.
Canyon sophomore Jaden Goodall scored 14 points. With Benjamin and other Comanches starters hit by foul trouble early, several Canyon reserves were pressed into service throughout the game and each of them contributed with a key rebound, steal or pass. Reserve junior forward Tyler Howard scored seven of his 10 points in the fourth quarter, and reserve junior forward Jonathan Carey’s only shot attempt of the game was a “what is he doing shooting from 25 feet away” 3-pointer that went in, in the third quarter.
Foothill senior point guard Cruz Billings was his usual tough-in-the-clutch self with a team-high 16 points. Billings scored nine of Foothill’s 11 fourth-quarter points. Senior guard Jacob Horton added 10 points for the Knights.
Canyon led from throughout the first half. The Comanches had a 14-9 lead at the end of the first quarter, pushed their lead to 10 points in the second quarter and carried a 30-25 advantage into halftime.
Foothill took its first and only lead of the game with 2:42 left in the third quarter on a Mikey Mazurie two-handed slam off of a perfect lob pass from Horton. Carey followed with that incongruous 3-pointer that returned the lead to Canyon for good.
In the South Coast League:
No. 13 Tesoro 54, No. 25 Trabuco Hills 51: Isaiah Viajar, the only senior on the roster for the host Titans (22-5, 7-1), scored 11 points and Carson Brown scored 11 points for league-champion Tesoro.
In the Trinity League:
No. 1 Mater Dei 74, No. 19 Servite 54: Zack Davidson scored 25 points with 12 rebounds and freshman Tee Bartlett scored 16 points for the visiting Monarchs (24-2, 9-0), who clinched the league title. Including this season, Mater Dei has won 39 league championships in Gary McKnight’s 40 years as its coach.
No. 11 JSerra 74, No. 4 Orange Lutheran 73: Rob Diaz’s 30 points paced the visiting Lions (15-8, 4-5) in a win over the Lancers (15-10, 3-6).
In the Empire League:
Tustin 49, Kennedy 40: Ernest Love scored 20 points with eight rebounds for the host Tillers (19-8, 6-3).
In the Golden West League:
Garden Grove 41, Westminster 39: Miguel Ortega’s 14 points led the visiting Argonauts (17-7, 9-0) who clinched the league championship.
Ocean View 57, Katella 45: Chico Lopez scored 23 points for the visiting Seahawks (16-8, 6-2).