El Camino scores upset over Jefferson

The 6-3 Jacques got a chance at a one-handed breakaway dunk off a sideline inbound that saw him sneak behind the Grizzlies’ defense, only to have his high-flying slam attempt clank off the back iron. All Jacques could do was turn to his family sitting in the bleachers and smile, as his mother waved to him, signing “I love you,” as a show of support.

“I looked over there, and I was like: ‘Oh, I disappointed them, I have to go get another one,’” Jacques said.

A few minutes later, Jacques got a second chance on an identical sideline inbound. This time he secured the dunk with two hands and didn’t miss, prompting his mother to celebrate with a flurry of fist-pumps as El Camino ran back down the court.

“I’m like: ‘I don’t think it’s going to be there again,’” Jacques said. “And then when I saw it, I was like: ‘Wow!’”

The big finish capped a big night for Jacques, as the senior recorded a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds, both game-highs, as El Camino (5-6) led wire-to-wire in its final preseason non-league tuneup before Wednesday’s Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Division opener against Hillsdale.

While Jacques finished with a flashy display of dunks, the Colts concerned themselves more with playing at a slow, deliberate tempo, with plenty of passing. Their 53-point total is a relatively big number, as they have finished with more points just three times in 10 previous games.

“It also helps the team chemistry,” El Camino head coach Boe Egipto said. “So, I tell these kids, even if we have to use 31 of a 35-second shot clock, it doesn’t matter. We want these kids to have execution. And when we execute like that, we can play with the best of them.”

The passive approach paid off in the teams’ shot production. Both El Camino and Jefferson finished by shooting an equal 43.8% from the field, but the Colts limited Jeff to just 36 total shots. El Camino took 48.

“We’re a little bit inconsistent, but when we do play really well, that’s what we are potentially, that team that plays defense,” Egipto said. “We don’t score many points. ... We try to out execute them for the most part and let defense play. So, we’re always trying to limit the other team to less shots. That means more shots for us, less for them.”

The Grizzlies (5-6) hindered their own shot production in a big way, committing 22 turnovers to El Camino’s eight — an ongoing issue for head coach John Falabella’s squad.

“It’s been an issue,” Falabella said.

El Camino seized on the turnovers when junior Eli Ledesma hit two early 3-pointers to spur an 8-0 run to start the game. Ledesma went on to hit three 3s in the game, and share the game-high of 15 points with Jacques.

“He’s a great 3-point shooter,” Jacques said. “When we need him, he knocks his shots down. So, if he’s open and he makes it, that’s a huge momentum shift for us. We roll off him.”

Jefferson’s Miguel Navarro answered back with a splash 3 at the elbow to cut the lead to 10-7, and Navarro kept the deficit right there next time down the floor with a driving turnaround jumper in the paint to make it 12-9. Ledesma got the points back, cutting under the hoop for a layup off an assist pass from senior Ryeln Vinas, but Jefferson center Jayden Peralta hit a left-handed hook shot to keep it a one-score game.

The Colts pulled away from there, going on a 14-0 run spanning into the second quarter, capped by a corner 3 from senior Brandon Jue. Junior guard Sean De Jesus followed with a corner 3 to push it to 31-15. El Camino’s biggest lead of the game came early in the second half when Ledesma drilled a fadeaway 12-footers to make it 35-18.

Jefferson junior Ahmari Westbrook heated up after the break, scoring nine of his 11 points in the second half.

“He’s a really good player,” Falabella said. “He’s one of our leading scorers. He’s a really good shooter, a great kid, and he’s only a junior. So, he’s still transitioning from the lower levels, up. But sometimes he really shows a varsity caliber of play.”

Navarro paced the Grizzlies with 14 points. Jefferson out-rebounded El Camino 24-20, with forward Bladimir Linares grabbing a team-high 11 boards.

Since the two teams moved to different Peninsula Athletic League divisions in 2023-24, El Camino is 2-0 against Jefferson in head-to-head play. Prior to that, in the old PAL North Division, Jefferson had won 15 of its last 16 against El Camino, with the Colts’ only win over that stretch coming in 2021-22.

“They’re a local school, there’s always a rivalry there,” Falabella said.