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Shy Odom has a really calm demeanor.
Regardless of the hoopla that surrounds the Sierra Canyon boys basketball program, his delicate temperament could be seen via the flashing lights, rolling video cameras and yelling followers.
When he makes a soar shot, he instantly backpedals to protection with a give attention to the following play. When he snags a rebound, he calmly finds a ball handler. When he throws down a two-handed dunk, it’s simply one other day on the workplace. Typically, you would possibly even see him settle down his teammates after they’re fired up over a foul name or an emotional play.
Sierra Canyon’s Shy Odom seems on in opposition to Windward Excessive Faculty February 1, 2022.(Picture by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)
He’s just like the dad of the group in that sense.
The 6-foot-7 ahead, headed to Howard College, is now a senior taking part in one sport at a time within the CIF State regional playoffs. The group’s final loss — to Harvard-Westlake within the CIF Southern Part Open Division — certified Sierra Canyon for the state match.
That loss got here on Sierra Canyon’s house flooring.
“That harm actually unhealthy,” Odom stated Wednesday after Sierra Canyon defeated St. Augustine within the first spherical of the CIF SoCal Open Division regional playoffs. “We watched (the ultimate sport) again this week and noticed Harvard-Westlake and their followers celebrating on our flooring. We didn’t like that.”
Now there’s no extra second probabilities. It’s win or go house, and guess who the Trailblazers play subsequent?
Bingo.
The Sierra Canyon-Harvard-Westlake rematch is ready for Saturday night time, however this time it’s at Harvard-Westlake. The 2 groups will present the San Fernando Valley with one other epic matchup within the CIF State Open Division regional semifinals at 6 p.m. The sport might be broadcast on Spectrum 1.
“It’s private now,” Odom stated.
Odom was a sophomore on Sierra Canyon’s group in 2020 that received the CIF-SS Open Division title. That group received the regional closing, too, however the COVID-19 pandemic compelled the CIF State championship video games to be canceled.
Final 12 months, the Trailblazers misplaced to Corona Centennial within the CIF-SS Open closing then misplaced to Etiwanda within the regional playoffs.
The soft-spoken Odom, who hails from Massachusetts, is aware of that the Trailblazers, in the event that they win Saturday, might find yourself going through No. 1-seeded Corona Centennial within the regional closing Tuesday night time.
It’s not going to be simple to get to the CIF State Championship sport in Sacramento on March 12.
“I made a whole swap after the Harvard-Westlake sport in my strategy to apply. I don’t need to come up brief once more,” Odom stated.
After beating Sierra Canyon 63-60, Harvard-Westlake misplaced to Centennial within the Open Division closing.
The Wolverines received their first-round sport within the regional playoffs in opposition to St. Joseph of Santa Maria 63-55. The winner of Saturday night time’s sport will face the winner of Centennial vs. Bishop Montgomery within the SoCal Regional closing Tuesday night time.
Different groups taking part in in regional semifinals
In different boys regional semifinals Saturday (6 p.m. until famous):
Notre Dame will play at Crean Lutheran in Division I.
Viewpoint will host Mt. Carmel in Division III.
Valley Torah will play at Lengthy Seashore Millikan at 8:45 p.m. in Division IV.
Malibu will host Chaffey in Division V.
Three native women groups will play regional semifinals Saturday (6 p.m. until famous):
Sierra Canyon at La Jolla Nation Day within the Open Division.
Trinity Classical Academy will host Imperial Excessive in Division IV.
Verdugo Hills will host Shalhevet at Royal Studying Heart at 8:30 p.m. in Division V.