Tarkanian Basic Semifinals Set: Favorites Advance!

The crew favorites within the Platinum Division of the 14th annual Tarkanian Basic superior to the semifinal spherical with Saturday victories, as upset-minded golf equipment got here shut however weren’t capable of pull out a victory cigar. FAB 50 ranked No. 26 Timpview (Provo, Utah) and No. 29 Santa Margarita (Rancho, S.M., Calif.) will meet in a Monday semifinal contest. The opposite semifinal will pit Redondo Union (Redondo Seashore, Calif.) and Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.).

In a well-balanced and talent-laden area, the 4 groups that figured to advance to the championship semifinals of the Platinum Division of the Tarkanian Basic did simply that on Saturday night, establishing two semifinal contests between 4 golf equipment which have all been FAB 50 ranked sooner or later this season.

Santa Margarita (Rancho S.M., Calif.), at the moment ranked No. 29 within the FAB 50 and with a formidable set of wins thus far, figured to be one of many favorites to seize the Tark Basic Platinum Division title on Tuesday afternoon at Bishop Gorman Excessive Faculty. The opposite unit who figured to have a superb shot was No. 26 Timpview (Provo, Utah). Each groups have superior to the semifinals and can meet one another in a monster matchup for the chance to advance to Tuesday’s 4:30 native time title recreation, however how they superior in fully completely different trend was the primary storyline of the primary two days of the highschool division.

6’7 top-50 #BYU #GoCougs certain ’26 Dean Rueckert introduced out full arsenal at @TarkClassic, dropping 28pts,9 reb,7asst in Timpview’s 67-56 W over Corona Centennial (CA) to advance to last 4 in @Crocs Platinum Bracket.Clean swingman with feathery jumper who can create off bounce pic.twitter.com/bosu6N1a0P

— Rodger Bohn (@rodgerbohn) December 21, 2025

Timpview, which entered the tourney 8-0, superior to the quarterfinals with a 85-76 victory over Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.). In Saturday’s quarterfinal, the Thunderbirds dispatched a recreation Centennial (Corona, Calif.) membership, 67-56. The unbeaten membership from Utah shall be taking part in a Santa Margarita membership that enters the semifinals 13-1, with its solely loss coming towards FAB 50 No. 19 Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.).

Timpview is led by BYU-bound ahead Dean Rueckert and he’s impressed, to say the least, by two video games. In opposition to Oak Ridge, Rueckert nailed six 3-pointers and completed with 24 factors. He was complimented properly by senior guard Jackson Ford, who nailed 5 3-pointers and completed with 25 factors.

Centennial had upset concepts in its head, however Rueckert put that concept to relaxation rapidly, as he nailed back-to-back 3-pointers with simply over seven minutes within the first have to provide the Thunderbirds a 23-13 lead. Thereafter, fellow BYU recruit Will Openshaw scored on back-to-back area targets to provide Timpview a 27-13 lead. The Utah membership led 34-21 at halftime and grew its result in 20 factors (52-32). Centennial then went on a 13-0 run to make it fascinating earlier than Ford stopped the bleeding with a clutch 3-pointer.

Rueckert led all scorers with 28 factors and added 9 rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Openshaw added 11 factors and eight rebounds.

Centennial’s Isaiah “Slim” Rogers, certain for Stanford, led his crew in a shedding effort with 22 factors.

Santa Margarita’s Razor Skinny Margins

For Santa Margarita, the street to the semifinals was a bit extra dicey. The Eagles wanted offensive rebound observe up pictures to assist squeeze out two shut victories. Santa Margarita opened with a recreation Basha (Chandler, Ariz.) membership that gave the boys from South Orange County all they might deal with. The sport got here all the way down to the closing possessions and the Eagles took the lead for good on a observe up layup by Oregon St.-bound ahead Drew Anderson after a missed area aim by Georgia Tech-bound level guard Kaiden Bailey. Basha had an opportunity to doubtlessly win the sport on its last possession, however a nook 3-pointer was off the mark.

Bailey completed with 21 factors, whereas Anderson added 15 factors, 12 rebounds and two blocks.

USF-bound level guard Mason Magee led Basha with 15 factors, six assists and three steals and thru two video games seems to be like a sure-fire wager for the Platinum Division all-tourney crew.

Santa Margarita’s 59-58 victory was a nut-cutter, so it figured to wake the Eagles up for its quarterfinal contest with host Bishop Gorman, which downed Hillgrove (Powder Springs, Ga.) in its first spherical recreation, 68-45. The host Gaels normally play effectively towards nationwide stage groups on their dwelling courtroom and so they gave Santa Margarita a good harder time than Bahsa did, taking the sport in double time beyond regulation earlier than falling, 86-79.

Bishop Gorman had a 42-33 halftime lead was up by six factors (50-44) earlier than Santa Margarita began to play like a FAB 50 ranked unit. Bishop Gorman may need received in regulation had it made its free throws. For the competition the Gaels have been 6-of-18.

Santa Margarita took its first lead of the sport with 1:04 remaining when Washington St-bound Jake Kyman scored to make it 63-62. Bishop Gorman’s Kameron Cooper (17 factors) then gave his crew a 65-63 lead with 36 seconds remaining on a nook 3-pointer, however Santa Margarita’s Markee White Jr. tied the sport on an offensive rebound put again with 19 seconds remaining and Gorman by no means bought a clear look in its final possession.

Each groups scored six factors within the first time beyond regulation, but it surely was all Eagles within the second further stanza because it scored the primary 9 factors to drag out the eventual 86-79 win and arrange its Monday’s FAB 50 date with Timpview.

Anderson completed with 29 and 19 rebounds, whereas Kyman made 4 3-pointers to complete with 19 factors, whereas Bailey had 18.

Tyler Johnson led Bishop Gorman with 20 factors.

Timpview’s victory over Centennial prevented the 2025 Tarkanian Basic semifinals from being an all CIF Southern Part affair, as three of the CIF’s groups from its largest part superior.

Redondo Union, Notre Dame Advance 

Redondo Union (9-2) led 29-23 at halftime and made Orem much less conformable in its offense than what it noticed in its 79-59 first spherical victory over Carter (Dallas, Texas). Redondo Union led 55-44, however Orem stored chipping away and bought it to 55-52 earlier than junior switch ahead Kaiden Wilson of Redondo Union hit a clutch 3-pointer with 5:20 remaining to make it 58-52 in favor of his crew.

The Tigers trailed 62-58, then Sea Hawks senior guard Chase Holley scored on a driving lay-up. With 38 seconds to go, Redondo Union junior ahead Chris Sanders made it 68-61 on a mid-range jumper and after a turnover, Orem’s head coach Jace Tavita was assessed a technical foul and that principally wrapped up the sport.

Redondo Union now advances to the semifinals for the second consecutive season, as Sanders completed with 19 factors and Wilson, a fast-rising switch from Washington (state) who’s initially from the Los Angeles space, added 18 factors. Holley completed with 16 factors. Redondo Union misplaced in final 12 months’s semifinals to eventual champion Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.).

Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) misplaced to Roosevelt in final 12 months’s title recreation and is now within the semifinals for the second consecutive season after dispatching Coronado (Henderson, Nev.), 68-39, in its quarterfinal contest.

Notre Dame level guard NaVorro Bowman Jr. is taking part in in addition to any guard on this occasion, prep college or highschool division, and put collectively one other superlative efficiency towards a battle-tested opponent. Notre Dame (8-2) took a 18-8 lead on a steal and break free dunk by Bowman, who managed the sport along with his tempo and competitiveness. Notre Dame led 32-13 at halftime and rolled to a straightforward victory. Bowman completed with 27 factors and 7 steals to observe up on his 22-point efficiency in a 74-69 first spherical victory over Riviera Prep (Miami, Fla.).

The battle between Riviera Prep and Notre Dame figured to be one of many Platinum Division’s greatest opening spherical video games and it actually lived as much as its billing with a prime 2027 level guard matchup between Bowman and Riviera Prep’s Myles Fuentes. The opposite first spherical recreation that figured to be ultra-competitive was Redondo vs. Rangeview (Aurora, Col.) and the Sea Hawks pulled out a 65-60 victory behind 17 factors from Holley, 15 from Wilson and 13 from Nevada-bound guard S.J. Madison.

Ronnie Flores is the nationwide Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He may be reached at [email protected]. Don’t neglect to observe him on Twitter: @RonMFlores