Palm Desert's second-half surge leads Aztecs to CIF playoff win over Jordan
Palm Desert High School has just three seniors on its boys' basketball roster. Head coach Justin Sobczyk has said that the future of the program is bright.
But on Wednesday, Sobczyk and his team were all about now. And the Aztecs looked like a team that won't go out easy in the CIF Southern Section playoffs.
Trailing at halftime at home, the Aztecs outscored Jordan High (Long Beach) by 19 points in the second half to roll to a 78-63 win in their 3AA Division first-round matchup.
Palm Desert will now hit the road to face Linfield Christian on Friday.
Palm Desert (21-8) made its first eight shots following the intermission and opened the third quarter on a 13-3 run that gave the Aztecs the lead for good.
'We started playing a lot harder,' Sobczyk said, 'and we made shots in the second half.'
Junior guard Wil Wilson was 4-for-4 and drained a trio of 3-pointers in the third quarter and 6-foot-7 junior forward Jake Brande dunked the ball emphatically over a defender that sent the home crowd into a frenzy.
Palm Desert outscored Jordan 23-11 in the quarter and then successfully navigated Jordan's full-court press throughout the fourth quarter to seal the comeback win.
Sobczyk had his guys locked in.
'Basically, he just said work on our defense, box out, rebound and just take care of the ball,' Wilson said.
In the fourth quarter, it was junior guard Jecory Jones who had the hot hand. He finished the quarter with seven points and junior point guard Paul Dreisbach made 4-of-5 free throws down the stretch to keep the Aztecs in front, even after Jordan cut the lead to 71-61 with two minutes remaining.
Wilson finished the game with a team-high 20 points, including four 3s, but the Aztecs benefited from a balanced attack. Brande added 16 points, Jones had 15, Dreisbach had 14 and senior Diego Montes finished with 10.
'I just love this group,' Sobczyk said. 'I love the camaraderie. I love the unselfishness. And if we continue to do that, it's going to take us a long way.'
Palm Desert shared a Desert Empire League title with Rancho Mirage and Palm Springs, and the Rattlers and Indians will now face one another in the 2A playoffs after each team won on Wednesday.
Rancho Mirage traveled three hours in the rain to Rio Mesa (Oxnard) to play its first-round game, and drive home with a 58-52 win.Senior captain Vincent Davis finished with 13 points, including the game-clinching 3-pointer. Sophomore captain Marcus Gragg-Buchanan scored 15 points, and freshman Cash Gervin led the Rattlers with 16 points in his first CIF playoff game.Syeed Baaree, Christian Perez and Roland Barnett each played solid defense, head coach Rob Hanmer said. The Rattlers host Palm Springs at 7 p.m. Friday.
Andrew John covers sports for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.
Boys' basketball
2A: Palm Springs 64, West Ranch 33
2A: Rancho Mirage 58, Rio Mesa 52
3AA: Palm Desert 78, Jordan 63
3AA: Beckman 69, Desert Christian Academy 37
5AA: Anaheim 68, Desert Hot Springs 61
5AA: Diamond Ranch 77, Desert Chapel 24
5AA: Eisenhower 98, Palm Valley 30
5A: Indio 43, Riverside Prep 41
5A: Coachella Valley 79, Hesperia Christian 48
Boys' basketball
2A: Palm Springs at Rancho Mirage
3AA: Palm Desert at Linfield Christian
5A: Coachella Valley at Indio
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Second-half surge leads Palm Desert to CIF playoff win over Jordan
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
44 minutes ago
- USA Today
Steelers WR Roman Wilson has perfect four-word description of Pittsburgh's receiver room
Steelers WR Roman Wilson has perfect four-word description of Pittsburgh's receiver room The Steelers wide receiver room may not have the biggest names in 2025, but they want to succeed more than anyone — and rookie WR Roman Wilson knows this all too well. At Day 5 of OTAs, Wilson was asked to further explain what Steelers WR Robert Woods' "grimy" comments meant for the receiver room — and this was his simple but effective response (courtesy of Steelers Live): "Getting out the mud," Wilson said. "Somebody that wants it more than other people." The Steelers will truly depend on Wilson, Woods, Calvin Austin III and DK Metcalf to 'get out the mud' in 2025 — as the George Pickens trade left Pittsburgh with similar issues to those of the 2024 wide receiver woes. Another wide receiver who may fit this bill is former Jaguars WR Gabe Davis — who is set to visit Pittsburgh on Thursday. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
Hypebeast
an hour ago
- Hypebeast
Air Jordan 4 RM Surfaces in "White/Gym Red"
Name:Air Jordan 4 RM 'White/Gym Red'Colorway:White/Gym Red-Photon Dust-BlackSKU:IB7693-100MSRP:$150 USDRelease Date:Summer 2025Where to Buy:Nike TheAir Jordan 4 RMsurfaces in a 'White/Gym Red' colorway, bringing a The Air Jordan 4 RM 'White/Gym Red' (Style Code: IB7693-100) is an upcoming release that brings a fresh, remixed take to the iconic Air Jordan 4 silhouette. The 'RM' signifies 'Remastered,' indicating a blend of classic design cues with modern updates, offering a more lifestyle-oriented approach while retaining the beloved heritage. The shoe features a clean white leather upper, which serves as a canvas for striking Gym Red accents. These red hits, combined with black details, evoke the timeless 'Chicago Bulls' color scheme, making it instantly recognizable to Jordan fans. A unique detail is the glossy TPU paneling at the heel that carries both the Jumpman and Nike Air branding, a rare fusion of classic and modern logos. The tooling beneath mirrors the original Air Jordan 4, with visible Air in the heel and herringbone traction. Look out for the release this summer.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Russell Wilson's Four-Word Message Catches Attention on Wednesday
Russell Wilson's Four-Word Message Catches Attention on Wednesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. There may not be a whole lot of excitement surrounding the New York Giants these days. But there is an opportunity for them to lay down some building blocks to create the foundation of a winning team that will prosper not too long from now. Advertisement They brought in veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, a 10-time Pro Bowler, and while he won't be manning the position for that long, he could serve as a serviceable bridge to the Giants' next franchise signal-caller. He posted an image of himself during an offseason workout on his Instagram account with the caption "Hard Work Pays Off," and fans reacted in a positive manner. "Dangeruss," one fan wrote. "My QB1💙❤️," another fan wrote. "I love you Russ," a third user wrote. "Yessss 🔥🔥👏👏," a fourth fan wrote. "Russell Wilson fan ONLY!!" a fifth user wrote. "Cook," another user wrote. Wilson played his first 10 seasons in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks, and he brought them a Super Bowl championship in the 2013 campaign, which was just his second in the league. Advertisement But with the team going stale, he was traded to the Denver Broncos three years ago. Plenty tabbed the Broncos as instant Super Bowl contenders, but Wilson's production dropped sharply, and the Broncos failed to make the playoffs in 2022 and 2023. He was able to take the Pittsburgh Steelers to the playoffs last season, but he clearly wasn't in their future plans, paving the way for him to head to New York. New York Giants quarterback Russell Penner-Imagn Images New York has wide receiver Malik Nabers, who had a stellar rookie campaign last year. It also has rookie QB Jaxson Dart, who the team is hoping can be groomed into a legitimate starter for years to come. Advertisement It will be difficult for the Giants to claim a playoff spot with several NFC teams looking more talented than they were in 2024. But at this point, improving on the 3-14 record they had last year would have to be considered progress. Related: Travis Kelce Sends Strong Message After Taylor Swift's Personal Decision This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
