Woodbridge standout Jaiden Sabino returns, helps team defeat Sage Hill in PCL game

Woodbridge and Sage Hill players exchange handshakes after Wednesday’s game. (PHOTOS: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).

Woodbridge’s boys basketball team, boosted by the return of top player Jaiden Sabino, got back on the winning track Wednesday night, defeating Sage Hill 38-30 in a Pacific Coast League game at Woodbridge.

Woodbridge (14-9, 2-3) was coming off two-point league losses to Portola and University that dropped the Warriors into fifth place in the league going into the game.

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Woodbridge has been missing its top player, Sabino, who has been out several weeks with a broken hand on his off-shooting hand. Sabino, who was averaging 25 points a game and led the squad in most offensive categories, has been sidelined since the league opener.

Sabino, a four-year varsity standout, did not start Wednesday as Coach Steve Scoggin said he planned to bring him along slowly. Sabino had seven points, three coming on free throws. He also contributed rebounding and on defense.

Garrett DiCostanzo (nine points), Jahan Adloo (eight points) and Nate Hill (seven points) also contributed.

Clearly, Sabino was happy to be back for the stretch drive of league play. As a precaution, he wore a wrap with a splint on his left hand.

“I was super excited to be back for my guys,” Sabino said. “It’s tough going 1-3 starting out league, just coming back it was more about defense. I’m trying to rally the guys, even though I’m back, I’m not 100 percent, so I don’t want them to rely on me, they don’t need them to rely on me, I have full faith in my guys that they’re able to pull out these next wins.

“I thought we played really good defensive wise, rebounding we killed it on the offensive glass and that gave us a bunch of opportunites to go back up. I think that was the key for sure. First game back, it’s not going to be perfect, but overall I’m just excited to be back, I love this game.”

Trey Cradle led Sage Hill (8-13, 2-2) with 10 points. Carson Ellis added nine points for the Lighnting.

Both teams struggled shooting in the first half. The game was tied 3-3 after one quarter. Adloo scored a basket at the buzzer ending the second quarter to put Woodbridge ahead 17-15 at halftime.

Woodbridge moved ahead by seven points on a basket by Sabino with 2:54 remaining in the game and outscored Sage Hill 13-11 in the final quarter.

“Having Jaiden out, it’s been us trying to find a way to play without him,” Scoggin said. “Now that he’s back we got to find a way to play with him. I thought in the second half, there was a possession in the fourth quarter where I think we ended up getting three offensive rebounds which kind of sealed the deal a little bit for us.

“We just want to play hard, that’s all I’m preaching to my guys. You got to give credit to Sage Hill, at the beginning of the game, they played hard in the first half. They were running their stuff quick. Our guys were two to three steps slow on everything and kind of going through the motions. The second half was a lot better, we just got to get the groove back and hopefully we get it at the right time.”

Woodbridge and all the teams in the league will compete in the league tournament which will determine the top four automatic CIF playoff qualifiers.

“He gives the guys an ease out there,” Scoggin said. “There’s not so much pressure on them. He’s able to push the ball, he gets big rebounds at the end, even with one hand.”

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com