Winter sports highlights 12/30

BOYS BASKETBALL

• Tournament MVP Will Nelson poured in 32 points and Mt. Whitney bolted to a 12-point halftime lead en route to coasting past El Diamante 62-36 for its first Polly Wilhelmsen Invitational championship in 21 years and ninth overall.
• Freshman Brian King scored 21 points, including Roosevelt’s final seven, in a 63-62 overtime victory over Kingsburg for the championship of the Knights of Columbus Sanger Classic.
• Fresno Christian’s Brady Lee earned MVP of the Laton Holiday tournament after scoring 19 points in a 69-49 blowout of the host team for the title. Laton’s Colton Minter, an all-tournament selection, had 17 points.
• Stanford-bound Grant Verhoeven had 24 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocks in Central Valley Christian’s 76-57 romp over Clovis East for third place at the Modesto Christian Christmas Classic.

WRESTLING

• Defending state champion Clovis, ranked No. 6 in the nation, rallied to beat No. 8 St. Paris Graham-Ohio 37-36 for the Bracket D title at The Clash in Rochester, Minn., behind late pins from Ryan Davies (195 pounds), Dakota Gordon (220) and Nick Nevills (285). Devin Everk (138) and Zach Nevills (170) also won by pins, and Matt Gay (132) and Jonas Gaytan (113) posted decisions. Clovis opened with a 59-12 victory against Anoka, Minn., and a 62-9 rout of Luxemburg-Casco, Wis., and moves on to today’s championship bracket to face No. 2 St. Edward-Ohio, No. 4 Apple Valley-Minn. and No. 5 Brandon-Fla.
• Clovis West’s Brandon Rodriguez pulled off a 5-4 upset of No. 1 Tyler Tate of Spring Creek, Nev., for the 120-pound title at the 96-team Sierra Nevada Classic in Reno to help the Golden Eagles place sixth. Madera finished ninth and Buchanan 13th. Three locals placed second: Clovis West’s Tyler Zimmer, 138, and Nikko Reyes, 182; and Buchanan’s Jason De La Cruz, 113. The Bears’ Racelis Cardinas also finished fourth at 145.
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