Edison Tigers tamed by Sidney, Lions

L.A. powerhouse Fairfax too much for Central Section D-I champs.

Published online on Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2009

After making his fifth 3-pointer of the first half Monday night - at 6-feet-10 and 270 pounds - Renardo Sidney looked over his right shoulder as he retreated down court, politely acknowledging Edison High's fans.

Some frowned. A few applauded. Most smiled. And why not?

Those with any semblance of basketball recognition knew they were watching a future NBA player in Sidney, who scored 19 of his 21 points in the first half as the nation's 16th-ranked Fairfax-Los Angeles bolted to a 43-25 lead and coasted to a 70-49 victory at Edison in the first round of the Southern California regional.

USC-bound Sidney, rated the 10th-best prep player in the land, according to rivals.com, dribbled the ball downcourt, made no-look passes and, in general, had his way against a Tigers team that had just fluttered down to Earth following its last-second, 66-65 win over Central on Saturday night at Selland Arena for the Central Section D-I championship.

Pity Steve McClellan, Edison's 6-7 junior, who was asked to defend Sidney.

If that's possible.

"It's pretty much impossible," McClellan said. "Oh, man, he's the complete package."

Fairfax coach Harvey Kitani said Sidney could be the best to emerge from the Los Angeles City Section school, and that speaks loudly.

Kitani, in his 28th season with the Lions (26-4), won two of the past five state D-I titles, delivered Craig Smith to the Minnesota Timberwolves and mentored former NBA players Sean Higgins and Chris Mills.

And now Sidney, who's averaging 23.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and is shooting 55% from the floor. He was 5 of 8 in 3-point attempts Monday, and the misses didn't miss by much while launched with the sweetest of strokes.

"It's always been there, but I work on it," he said. "I get in the gym and put up shots. [Sunday], I put up a good 300, 330 shots back home."

His only second-half basket against Edison (25-7) was fired from close range late in the third quarter.

Predictably.

"I'm going to dunk and that's going to be it," Sidney told the Lions' scorekeeper just before re-entering the game.

So he went in, dunked and, well, that was it.

What to do as an opposing coach?

"You just hope he doesn't come to play that day," Edison's Arturo Ormond said. "He's an exceptional player and that's why they're a top-20 team in the nation."

And it's not all about Sidney.

Solomon Hill, a 6-6 senior forward also headed to USC, had 16 points and 10 rebounds for Fairfax, which is ranked ninth in the state after being as high as No. 3 only a week ago.

The Lions lost 67-45 to No. 6 Taft-Woodland Hills on Feb. 28 in the LA City Section semifinals, meaning they had more than a week of rest before busing to Fresno on Monday.

Isaiah Gossett scored 17 points and Jameal York added 15 for the Tigers, who won a state-record 21st section title in a year that wasn't in the forecast.

"I'm extremely happy and extremely proud, to have zero expectations coming in and to win the Valley with no starters returning," Ormond said. "This doesn't take away from that at all -- not one bit."