Dancer brothers help Beyer bounce back at Holiday Hoop Classic

As it has done so often after a loss under second-year coach Kyle McKim, the Beyer High School boys basketball team found a quick solution.

The Patriots required only a subtle tweak Monday: McKim started the Dancer brothers – Georgie, DeAngelo and Dom – for the first time this season, forcing speed and natural continuity on Saugus of Santa Clarita.

The result was immediate. Beyer shared the ball on offense and swarmed it on defense in a 74-66 victory at the 16th annual Modesto Christian Holiday Hoop Classic.

The Patriots (9-3) led by 19 points and held on late to advance to the consolation bracket semifinal against McClymonds of Oakland on Tuesday.

“I’m just relieved to finally get a win,” said McKim, a Beyer graduate who never had played or coached in the Holiday Hoop Classic. “If people watched us last year, that’s what they got to see a lot of. We’re starting to get back to that, especially in the first half. I think that’s about as good a basketball as we can play – sharing the ball and creating a lot of havoc on defense.”

Georgie Dancer scored 10 of his team-high 18 points in the fourth quarter as the Patriots bounced back from a 58-54 loss to El Camino Real on Saturday evening. He and his teammates stewed on the loss for two days, and it showed in the first half. The Patriots played with purpose at the start, building an 11-point lead in the first quarter.

“We do not like to lose,” said Georgie Dancer, a 6-foot-3 point guard committed to Sacramento State. “Everything’s about winning. When we lose, we figure stuff out really quick.”

Really, really quick. The Patriots never have lost consecutive games under McKim. He credits the leadership among the players, all-Modesto Metro Conference talents such as Georgie Dancer and Ryan Frakes.

“We do a great job of bouncing back,” McKim said. “These are very resilient kids, and they respond to adversity pretty well. They make up their minds that they want to play hard. One loss is enough to jolt them and make them not want to lose the next night.”

Dancer and Frakes combined to score 14 of Beyer’s final 15 points as Saugus charged back. The Centurions trailed 56-37 after Frakes’ three-pointer from the wing but used a 19-5 run to make it 61-56 with 4:08 to play.

Saugus’ Zach Phipps led all scorers with 20 points, followed by Cameron Smith with 16 and Anthony McIntyre with 13.

“Ryan and George are our leaders, and when they’re playing at a high level, they can carry us,” McKim said. “Saugus did a great job of getting us out of our rhythm, but Ryan and George made individual plays when we needed them to.”

Beyer’s second-half offensive woes stood in stark contrast to the speed and efficiency with which it played in the first.

McKim shook up his lineup and deployed a fullcourt press to build an early 11-point advantage.

Beyer had 18 assists on 27 baskets and forced 15 turnovers, 11 of them steals. Five players had at least two steals.

“That’s how we like to play – up and fast, get in your face and get steals,” Georgie Dancer said. “We like to scramble and make the game fast.”

While Georgie dominated the fourth quarter, DeAngelo Dancer was the difference maker early. He made his first six shots and finished with 16 points and three steals. The junior was 3 for 4 from beyond the three-point line.

Beyer closed the first half on a 13-3 run, highlighted by back-to-back three-pointers by DeAngelo Dancer from opposite wings.

“He couldn’t have played any better,” McKim said. “He’s one of those guys we consider an X-factor because he can defend so well and contribute on the offensive end.”

McClymonds 61, Gregori 55 – Brandon Waterford scored 17 points and Alex Badillo had 14 for the Jaguars (5-7), who are 0-2 in the tournament.

Damerea Reed had a game-high 25 points for McClymonds, which blew open a tight game with a 17-8 run in the third quarter.

Gregori will play Saugus on Tuesday at 9 a.m.

Pleasant Grove 51, Buchanan 49 – Four players scored in double figures for Pleasant Grove, which staved off Donovan Mitchell and Buchanan. Mitchell scored a game-high 25 points on 10-of-22 shooting, but Buchanan’s offense dried up in the third.

Pleasant Grove grabbed control with a 12-4 run to open the second half. Kamren Belden led a balanced Eagles attack with 14 points. Domonique Johnson had 13 points, Arjen Dhillon 12 and Mason Johnson 11.

Freedom 62, Turlock 48 – In position to score an upset over one of Northern California’s top teams, Turlock unraveled in the fourth quarter. Freedom turned up its fullcourt press and closed with a 19-9 run to advance to the consolation semifinal.

The Bulldogs (1-12) announced their presence early, taking a 20-11 lead after one quarter. The score was 33-33 at halftime.

Ricky Heidelbach scored 13 points for Turlock, and Mustafa Johnson had 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Long Beach Poly 72, Weston Ranch 49 – Two days ago, Long Beach Poly looked sluggish in an opening-round victory over Gregori. The Jackrabbits arrived in Modesto shortly before tipoff, exhausted from a six-hour drive.

With ample time to rest, Long Beach Poly took out a tournament hopeful by halftime. Zafir Williams and John Duff had double doubles in a runaway victory over Weston Ranch. Williams had 14 points and 21 rebounds, and Duff had 15 points and 16 rebounds. The Jackrabbits outrebounded the Cougars 60-32, including 27-11 on the offensive end.

Weston Ranch guards Jaelen Ragsdale and Fred Lavender combined for 34 points but struggled from the floor in front a Stanislaus State assistant coach. Both have committed to the Warriors.

Immanuel 53, El Camino Real 51 – Nate Kendricks made two free throws with 4.2 seconds left, and Brandon Russell’s desperation three at the buzzer was well short as Immanuel reached the semifinals.

El Camino Real led 40-33 entering the fourth, but with Colin Slater attacking the rim, Immanuel went on a 20-11 charge.

Slater finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds and delivered the pass that sent Kendricks to the line.

Immanuel will play Long Beach Poly in the semifinals Tuesday.

Russell, the son of former NBA player Bryon Russell, had 17 points to pace El Camino Real.

This story was originally published December 28, 2015 at 5:09 PM with the headline "Dancer brothers help Beyer bounce back at Holiday Hoop Classic."