Saugus (7-5, 1-1) boys’ Varsity basketball beat West Ranch High School (8-6, 1-1) 62-59 on Thursday in a comeback win after a 20-point blowout loss to Valencia last week.

Saugus trailed for nearly three quarters, but kept themselves in the game despite falling behind by as many as 10 points before making their comeback.

West Ranch played with the energy you would expect from a home team playing their home-opener, and it translated to a 19-11 lead for the Wildcats after the first quarter.

Saugus’ Head Coach Alfredo Manzano made the appropriate adjustments that helped the Centurions slow the Wildcats’ high-energy, fast-paced play through the first half, but could not find a way to take a lead.

It wasn’t until late in the third quarter, with just over two minutes left, that Saugus took their first lead of the game at 41-40. The Centurions never looked back, and managed to keep that lead until the clock expired.

Related Article: Valencia Sweeps Saugus In Soccer And Basketball League Openers – Santa Clarita Sports Report – December 17th

West Ranch was never out of the game for a second, and managed to push Saugus all the way until the final seconds as West Ranch’s Junior point guard, Sage Kita (#3), narrowly missed a buzzer-beating three-pointer that would have sent the game into overtime.

A key factor in Saugus’ win was the unwavering hustle of Junior Alex Phan (#4), whose presence was equally impactful on both teams from start to finish. The combination of Phan’s effort with the Centurions’ ability to stay concentrated on their game plan down the stretch was huge for Saugus.

With an exciting first matchup in the books, the rematch between these two teams at Saugus High School will be a game to keep an eye on later in the season.

Looking for more high school sports scores and news? Check out our weekly Santa Clarita high school sports report by clicking the link below to find out what you may have missed.

Valencia Sweeps Saugus In Soccer And Basketball League Openers – Santa Clarita Sports Report – December 17th

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