SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - A high-scoring game ended in favor for the Cordova High School boys’ basketball, competing in the first round of the St. Hope Elite Classic Tournament last Saturday.

Playing Valley, the Lancers jumped out to an early lead and then held off a late Vikings’ rally that produced a 73-69 victory. Cordova (4-5) continued action at the tourney earlier this week.

Because of an early deadline at the Grapevine Independent because of Christmas, the results of Monday and Tuesday’s games, as well as the tourney finale on Wednesday for the Lancers, will appear in the Jan. 1st issue. On Monday, Cordova was scheduled to play Bethel of Vallejo.

Trailing 58-57 after three quarters, Cordova rallied in the final quarter that included many shots, which led to second and third chances against Valley. By end the Lancers outscored the Vikings 15-11.

“They were just going at it,” said Cordova head coach Fletcher Johnson of his squad and the Vikings. “It was a really tough game.”

Cordova jumped out to a 23-18 first quarter lead over Valley that was aided by four, 3-point shots from the Lancers. But the Vikings rallied the following quarter with an 18-15 scoring advantage that cut the Lancers’ lead to 37-36 at halftime.

Now in the third quarter, the Vikings continued their come-from-behind approach, outscoring the Lancers 22-20 to take a 58-57 lead.

“They came back and played tough,” Johnson said. “They guys were just battling. There were a lot of missed shots, they were getting offensive rebounds and put backs.”

Four Lancers scored 13 points each; Damion Baldwin, DeAnte Wilkins, Jason Novik and Ben Danielyan. Najee Clark followed with six points and teammates Mike Brown and Joseph Gomez had five points each.

The St. Hope Elite Classic Tournament has 32 high school varsity boys basketball teams, mostly from the Sac-Joaquin Section, competing.