With leading scorer Dexter Akanno out for the third straight game, the Valencia Vikings hosted the Canyon Cowboys looking to flex their muscle and show they are the deepest team in the league.

Watching the two squads warm up there were a few things that stood out: Valencia’s depth, height and strength.

The Vikings roster boasts seven players over 6’3, including juniors Josh Assif (6’6) who finished with a game-high 15 points and Jayden Trower (6’7), while the Cowboys’ only have two players that eclipse that number.

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That didn’t stop the Cowboys from coming out swinging, and rotating players in and out with every dead ball. Early on, it appeared to be working as Canyon hung tough in the first quarter, only down three after one.

Cowboys’ sophomore Junior Camacho led the team with nine points in the first, but was shut down the rest of the way, finishing with a team-high of 15.

From the second quarter on, it was all Valencia, forcing turnovers that led to easy baskets and by halftime the lead was up to 20. Canyon was outscored 60-32 in quarters 2-4.

The Valencia win combined with Hart’s loss to Saugus vaulted the Vikings (8-12, 4-1) into sole possession of first place with the first half of the league season in the books. They’ll visit Saugus (15-6, 3-2) Friday in the boys’ “KHTS Game of the Night”.

– Diego Marquez, KHTS Sports

KHTS Sports is your place for Santa Clarita Sports Report and the winter sports season. Find all the latest news and updates on your hometown schools here as they compete in the Foothill League, Heritage League, Western State Conference and GSAC. If you have any news and notes about our teams and players to share please send them to jp@hometownstation.com, like us on facebook.com/khtssports and follow us @KHTSSports on Twitter.