Vista sophomore Taurus Samuels scored 30 points, and junior Cameron Henry nailed seven 3-pointers as the Vista High varsity boys basketball team grabbed a 62-57 win in the Avocado West League matchup.
The Longhorns started off strong, giving the visiting fans something to cheer about. RBV senior captain Edward Quezada won the opening tipoff, flicking the ball to senior guard Tray Gaiter, who slammed the ball into the net for the first score.
Photos by Shawn Hobson
The dunk prompted cheers of “RBV, RBV, RBV!”
Samuels responded with a 3-pointer, which silenced the visitors. He scored another trey, and the Panthers led 6-2.
It sparked a lead that the Panthers (2-2 league, 12-9 overall) would hold until midway through the fourth quarter. Vista led 38-28 at the halftime break. But early in the third quarter, RBV junior forward Trevor Sunseri rallied for three quick buckets.
Rancho Buena Vista (1-3 league, 9-13 overall) eventually tied the score 51-51 when Connor Ramirez scored with a 5 minutes, 43 seconds left to play in the fourth quarter. But the score quickly changed in favor of Vista once again, when Henry tossed in another 3. It was a lead not to be relinquished.
“It’s always packed when we play RBV, and it’s always big win for us when we beat RBV,” Vista coach Charlie Mercado said. “I’m sure it will be packed when we go over there.”
Friday night’s game was the first of two meetings between the two schools. The teams will play again at Rancho Buena Vista on Friday, February 19 for the regular-season finale.
Earlier in the evening, the Vista High girls varsity basketball team prevailed 44-42 in a game played at RBV. The RBV junior varsity boys beat Vista 49-42.
RBV(57) – Connor Ramirez 14, Tray Gaiter 14, Tovin Schwartz 6, Jamaul Bell 5, Trevor Sunseri 12, Edward Quezada 6. VISTA (62) – Jordan Hilstock 7, Taurus Samuels 30, Ezra Marin 3, Isaiah Morris 1, Cameron Henry 21. 3-pointers–RBV 5 (Ramirez 1, Gaiter 1, Schwartz 2). Vista 12 (Hilstock 1, Samuels 3, Marin 1, Henry 7).
Contact Shawn Hobson at sportswriter@sbcglobal.net. Follow him on Twitter @HOBMediaWorks.
