By Head Coach Michael Usher
The Twentynine Palms High School boys’ basketball team traveled to take part in the Mayor’s division of the 30th annual Torrey Pines Holiday Classic, coming home with an up and down performance in the tournament and a fourth-place finish.
The Wildcats started off hot, winning their first two games of the tournament, the first against host school Sage Creek of Carlsbad, 72-66, and then in the tournament quarterfinal 69-63.
The Wildcats had their 7-game winning streak snapped in the tournament semifinal against D1 and San Diego top-10 team, Mission Hills High School of San Marcos, 74-51. The Wildcats outscored the Bobcats by 14 in the second half, but an ice-cold 2-point second quarter proved to be too much to overcome.
The Wildcats were led in the first three games by seniors Troy Tuivaiti, who scored 16 points, three rebounds, and two assists, and Saiz Aguilar who scored 13 points, two rebounds, and two steals.
On Monday, December 30, the Wildcats played in the third-place game against Sweetwater High School, falling 76-71 in their worst performance of the tournament, finishing a disappointing fourth place in the Mayor’s division.
The loss drops the Wildcats to 8-7 overall, and 4-0 in the Desert Valley League heading into the new year. The Wildcats play against the number 8 team in Southern California, Chaminade High School at Rancho Mirage on Saturday January 4, and then resumes Desert Valley League play against the other undefeated team in league Cathedral City on January 8.
