Damien boys basketball team routs Rancho Cucamonga, sets up Baseline League title showdown with Etiwanda
RANCHO CUCAMONGA — To have a chance at an outright Baseline League boys basketball title Thursday night, Damien needed to take care of business Tuesday.
Boy, did they ever.
The Spartans jumped out to a double-digit lead in the first quarter and never looked back, routing Rancho Cucamonga 62-38 .
Damien guard Lucas Arrieta #24 takes a ball by to the nose against Rancho Cucamonga in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Cucamonga guard Aaron Glass #21 defends Damien guard Lucas Arrieta #24 in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Damien forward Xavier Clinton #12 celebrates after a three pointer against Rancho Cucamonga in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Damien center Nathaniel Garcia #35 fights for the loose ball with Rancho Cucamonga forward Derek Moreland #32 in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Damien center Nate Garcia #35 fights for the rebound with Rancho Cucamonga guard Aaron Glass #21 in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Damien guard Lucas Arrieta #24 puts a shoulder into Rancho Cucamonga guard Aaron Glass #21 face as he moves the ball up court in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Cucamonga guard Diego Murguia #20 and Rancho Cucamonga guard Chu Chu Osuji #0 fight for the rebound with Damien center Nate Garcia #35 in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Damien guard Jacob Allen #10 gets caught up with Rancho Cucamonga guard Diego Murguia #20 and Rancho Cucamonga guard Kameron Gardner #13 as they fight fora loose ball in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Damien forward Jayden Avina #21 puts an arm to the face of Rancho Cucamonga guard Diego Murguia #20 in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Cucamonga guard Chu Chu Osuji #0 is helped up after being fouled by Damien in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Cucamonga guard Aaron Glass #21 pulls the jersey of Damien forward Eli Garner #25 as they go after a loose ball in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Cucamonga guard Kameron Gardner #13 shot if blocked by Damien guard Jacob Allen #10, left as Damien guard Elijah Smith #2 defends in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Cucamonga guard Chu Chu Osuji #0 and Damien forward Eli Garner #25 battle for the loose ball in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Damien forward Eli Garner #25 defends Rancho Cucamonga guard Cody Styles #4 in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
A young Damien fan plays a computer game instead of watching the Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Damien forward Xavier Clinton #12 defends Rancho Cucamonga guard Aaron Glass #21 in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Damien forward Xavier Clinton #12 shoots over Rancho Cucamonga forward Tyler Pitts #33 in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Damien center Nate Garcia #35 shoots over Rancho Cucamonga forward Derek Moreland #32 in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Cucamonga guard Chu Chu Osuji #0 shoots over Damien defenders in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Cucamonga head coach Bill Burke in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Dancers perform at halftime of the Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Damien forward Xavier Clinton #12 sinks a three pointer against Rancho Cucamonga in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Damien forward Xavier Clinton #12 talks with Rancho Cucamonga bench players after a three pointer in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Cucamonga guard Aaron Glass #21 gets a water break as Damien controls the game with a more than 20 point lead in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Cucamonga guard Kameron Gardner #13 reacts after missing a three pointer against Damien in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Cucamonga forward Derek Moreland #32 defends Damien center Nate Garcia #35 in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Dancers sheer during player introductions before the Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Damien head coach Michael LeDuc in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Dancers perform at halftime of the Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Cucamonga guard Aaron Glass #21 passes the ball under Damien center Nathaniel Garcia #35 to Rancho Cucamonga forward Derek Moreland #32 in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Cucamonga guard Aaron Glass #21 shoots over Damien center Nate Garcia #35 in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Cucamonga guard Diego Murguia #20 drivers past Damien forward Jayden Avina #21 in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Cucamonga guard Stephen Carter #43 passes the ball too Rancho Cucamonga guard Izaiah Fiallos #55 as Damien forward Eli Garner #25 defends in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Cucamonga guard Stephen Carter #43 shoots over Damien guard JT Reilly #22 in a Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Rancho Cucamonga guard Kameron Gardner #13 leads the team oof the court after the 38-62 loss to Damien in the Baseline League boys basketball game in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
After defeating Etiwanda last week, Rancho Cucamonga (17-10 overall, 6-3 in league) entered the week with a chance at a share of the league title, but first needed to win Tuesday. Instead, Damien (23-4, 8-1) will host Etiwanda (23-4, 8-1) on Thursday in a winner-take-all matchup, while Rancho Cucamonga will settle for third place.
“It (Tuesday’s win) definitely gives us a confidence boost,” said senior Xavier Clinton, who had a game-high 21 points and eight rebounds for Damien. “I think we’re all ready to go. We’re excited about the weeks to come.”
The first time Damien and Rancho Cucamonga met, the Spartans won by just six points as Cougars junior guard Aaron Glass scored 29 points and made six 3-pointers.
Clinton said shutting down Glass was the Spartans’ focus Tuesday.
“Really, we were just going to deny Aaron Glass. And everybody just stuck to their role,” Clinton said of the defense Tuesday.
Glass was held to 12 points, but in the first half when the game was decided, he was held to three points on 1-of-5 shooting.
“We know our margin for error is small,” Cougars coach Bill Burke said. “They did a good job of taking Aaron (Glass) away. They kicked us in the mouth to begin and we didn’t answer. We were ready to play, we thought we had a good game plan coming in. But we didn’t hit some shots in the first quarter. They did a good job defensively.”
Damien’s defense was about as dominant as could be imagined in the first half. The Spartans led 29-10 at halftime, as the Cougars shot just 4 of 21 (19%) from the field and turned the ball over eight times.
“I give it all to Eli Garner,” Clinton said of the defense. “He really locked in, locked up and everybody else played their role. “
Meanwhile, two Spartans outscored the entire Cougars team in the first half: junior Nate Garcia (14 points) and Clinton (13). Garcia finished with 20 points and nine rebounds.
While Rancho Cucamonga’s offense improved in the second half, the Cougars were unable to cut into the deficit. Damien led by as many as 32 points (54-22) early in the fourth quarter.
“We were dialed in before the game, so that wasn’t it,” Burke said. “I can’t even yell at them because this is a great group of kids. They’ve been resilient all year. We bounce back in a lot of games. This was the last thing I expected with a chance to win league.”
