Bishop Brooks powers Taft to victory over King/Drew in playoffs

For 23 seasons, Derrick Taylor has been roaming the Woodland Hills Taft basketball sideline, normally with arms folded and a piercing stare when he doesn’t like what he sees. There are spots of grey seen on his chin. The Toreadors have gained 4 Metropolis Part titles throughout his tenure and are identified for producing prime gamers, from Jordan Farmar to Larry Drew Jr.

For the reason that COVID-19 season in 2020-21, Taylor’s groups haven’t been competing on the highest stage. Gamers have come and gone, and he has been looking for somebody to revive the Toreadors’ legacy. He may need discovered that individual in 6-foot-4 junior guard Bishop Brooks, a switch from Solar Valley Village Christian.

In Friday’s Metropolis Part Open Division playoff opener, Brooks scored the primary eight factors of the third quarter to place to relaxation any ideas of a King/Drew comeback and completed with 22 factors to assist the No. 4-seeded Toreadors (19-10) blow out the Coliseum League champions 66-43.

The Toreadors advance to subsequent Saturday’s semifinals at Pasadena Metropolis School, the place they are going to face stunning Westchester, the No. 8 seed.

The Comets shocked top-seeded Harbor Metropolis Narbonne 60-56 with junior varsity coach Akil Reese and varsity assistant Tim Varnell directing the workforce within the absence of suspended coach Dewitt Cotton.

Brooks has been underneath the radar whereas the main focus has been on Keyon Kensie Jr., who’s averaging 25 factors. He scored 17 factors Friday. And there’s 6-7 sophomore Adam Grissom, one other participant receiving consideration. However it’s time to concentrate to Brooks, who scored 14 factors within the third quarter after Taft opened a 31-15 halftime lead.

“Not many have a 3rd possibility pretty much as good as Brooks,” Taylor mentioned.

Brooks doesn’t thoughts when others single out Kensie and Grissom for his or her dunks.

“It’s all good,” he mentioned. “It’s taking stress off me. My time will come.”

Donald Thomspon had 15 factors and Josh Rivas 14 for King/Drew.

In different boys’ basketball playoff video games:

Westchester obtained 19 factors from Mike Hill and 10 apiece from Jonathan Choyce and Angel Corona in its upset of Narbonne.

Fairfax held off Crenshaw 74-71 behind 27 factors from Darius Carr to advance to the opposite Open Division semifinal towards Lake Balboa Birmingham, which defeated San Pedro 77-64. Freshman Caleb Newton scored 21 factors for Birmingham.

Within the Southern Part Open Division, Studio Metropolis Harvard-Westlake obtained 24 factors from Brady Dunlap in a 69-57 win over Playa del Rey St. Bernard. Santa Clarita West Ranch held off Bellflower St. John Bosco 55-53. Andrew Meadow had 17 factors for West Ranch.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame secured a 71-63 win over Torrance Bishop Montgomery. Dusty Stromer had 20 factors, Caleb Foster 18 and Mercy Miller 17.

In Division 1, 6-11 sophomore heart Nate Garcia continued his distinctive play with a 29-point efficiency to guide La Verne Damien over Ontario Colony 62-49. Etiwanda defeated Oak Park 53-45. Curtis Williams scored 15 factors. Owen Verna made 9 of 11 three-pointers to guide Santa Ana Mater Dei to an 88-61 win over Irvine Crean Lutheran. Aidan Fowler scored 23 factors in San Juan Capistrano JSerra’s 48-45 win over Rolling Hills Prep.

Jason Crowe Jr. of Lynwood scored 47 factors, giving him 1,032 factors this season, 4 factors in need of the report for many scored by a freshman. Lynwood defeated La Quinta 102-49 in 5AA.