By Thomas Grant Jr.
Class 4A champion Ridge View won its opening game at The Throne national championship tournament Wednesday at The American Dream in East Rutherford, N.J.
The Blazers defeated New Jersey Sports Interscholastic Athletic Association champion Camden 70-61. Sophomore point guard Yari Davis had 19 points and senior forward Jayden Pretty finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds to lead Ridge View (29-2), who led from start the finish.
A 6-0 run to open the game helped set a fast tone for the Blazers. A 12-2 to open the second quarter pushed the lead to double digits and they led 29-19 at the half.
Davis had a highlight reel play in the third quarter. He dribbled to the top of the key, stopped while having his pivot foot planted which caused the defender to fall away and hoisted up a 3-pointer.
As Ridge View’s defense continued to keep Camden at bay, Josh Smith scored five of his eight points in succession to give the Blazers their biggest lead at 59-41 in the fourth quarter.
The Avalanche (30-3) went on a 16-4 run to close the gap to 63-57 with less than two minutes left. Back-to-back layups by Pretty and Davis pushed the lead back to double digits and allowed Ridge View to close out the game.
The Blazers snapped the 19-game winning streak by Camden, who finished the season 30-3.
Up next in the quarterfinals at 4:40 p.m. Thursday is a familiar foe in Grayson (Ga.). Ridge View defeated the Rams 58-53 to win the Chick-Fil-A Classic on Dec. 30 at River Bluff High School. The game will air on NBA TV which is available on Spectrum Cable and the app on Roku.
