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Sierra Canyon wins California state title with LeBron James in attendance

hunterby:Hunter Shelton•03/15/25•

HunterShelton_

Bryce James
Sierra Canyon’s Bryce James (5), the son of NBA player LeBron James, stands with his teammates by the bench before the game between Sierra Canyon and Bartlett High School during Memphis Hoopfest in Eads, Tenn., on Friday, January 3, 2025. (© Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

The Golden 1 Center in Sacramento played host to the CIF Division I high school boys basketball state championship game on Friday night as Sierra Canyon took on Stockton Lincoln.

With Lakers superstar LeBron James in attendance to watch his son and Arizona commit, Bryce, Sierra Canyon put together a fourth-quarter spurt to win 58-53.

Junior forward Maximo Adams finished with 14 points and eight rebounds and was crucial for the Trailblazers late. After giving his team the lead with less than two minutes to play, he landed a major three-point play to put Sierra Canyon up five, all but sealing the win.

He got the approval of James, too:

Senior point guard Gavin Hightower led the way with 15 points, while Bryce James finished with three points, five rebounds and a pair of assists on a rough 1-9 shooting night.

Sierra Canyon shot just 32.7 percent from the floor but continuously got to the free-throw line. It went 20-30 from the charity stripe and also won the rebound battle 44-32 over Lincoln.

The game featured nine ties and 16 lead changes. No lead ever grew larger than six points. Lincoln led for over 21 minutes of game time, but it was the Trailblazers that found a way late.

For Lincoln, Donez Lindsey and Anthony Moore each had 18 points and three assists. The Zeebras were carried by the duo, but made just two baskets and two free throws in the fourth quarter.

The win gave Sierra Canyon its first state title since 2019. The Trailblazers finished the season with a 27-7 record and are the No. 23 team in the nation, according to the On3 Composite Rankings. Lincoln, 29-5, is the No. 17 team in the state and a top-200 program nationally.

The On3 Composite High School Basketball Team Rankings is a proprietary algorithm that compiles rankings listed in the public domain by respected High School media and data companies. It includes Massey, Max Preps, ESPN, and SI, creating the industry’s most comprehensive and geographically balanced High School Team Ranking.