Upland Highlander Scots Secure Victory, 61-55 Over Ayala Bulldogs in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Basketball Showcase (Photos, Stats, & Recap)

By Anthony Sarinana

The third game of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Basketball Showcase at the Toyota Arena in Ontario, CA brought an intense showdown between the Upland Highlander Scots and Ayala Bulldogs. With Upland entering the game with an impressive 15-5 record and Ayala closely behind at 13-7, the stage was set for a gripping encounter.

The first quarter saw Upland take a 12-8 lead, despite both teams encountering difficulties at the free throw line. Upland’s solid offensive performance in the second quarter, led by Aiden Chavez with an outstanding 17 points, allowed them to extend their lead to 30-20 by halftime. However, the game took a serious turn in the third quarter when Ayala’s Zachary Canellopoulos sustained an injury, briefly halting play. Though Ayala fought back in the final quarter, Upland ultimately secured a 61-55 victory.

The Bulldogs, with an overall record of 13-8, will host Claremont with an overall record of 5-17 in a Palomares League game on Wednesday, January 17th, while Upland, boasting a 15-5 record, will host Rancho Cucamonga on Thursday, January 18th.

Game Statistics

Upland	Ayala
Aiden Chavez – 17 pts.	Roman Lopez – 12 pts.
Sean DeCuir – 10 pts.	Josiah Yang – 10 pts.
Jacob Sells – 10 pts.	Jeremy Serrano – 8 pts.
Baraka Ogot – 10 pts.	Christian Martinez – 7 pts.
Austin Willie – 5 pts.	Jaydin Maddox – 7 pts.
Brendan Underwood – 5 pts.	Braylen Pangan – 5 pts.
Heber Soto – 2 pts.	Brenden White – 3 pts.
Sebastain Alvarado – 2 pts.	Roy Smith – 2 pts.
	Zach Canellopoulos – 1 pt.