The postseason continued Friday night as Stone Ridge Christian hosted Fortune Early College in the Division 5 quarterfinal of the 2026 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Boys Basketball Playoffs. Stone Ridge entered the matchup undefeated in league play at 12-0, while Fortune Early College finished second in its league with an 11-1 record, setting up a battle between two teams that had dominated their regular seasons.
Stone Ridge opened the game with strong energy. Tyler McCabe won the tip and scored the first basket of the night for the Knights. Tayton Harkabus followed with a three-pointer to build an early lead. Fortune Early College was able to get on the board by scoring inside the paint, but Harkabus responded with another three to keep Stone Ridge in front. The Panthers shifted momentum when CJ Graham stole the ball and finished with a dunk, cutting into the deficit. Noah Taggart also added a basket for Fortune as the game’s pace picked up. Jordan Cortez responded with second-chance points for the Knights, and Daijon O’Neil added a layup to steady the offense. Both teams traded baskets late in the quarter, but Stone Ridge remained ahead, leading 19-14 after the first quarter.
Stone Ridge and Fortune traded big plays in the second quarter, keeping the game close. The Panthers started strong with Taylor Davis scoring inside and Noah Taggart converting another basket, but the Knights maintained momentum when Tayton Harkabus made a layup and Tyler McCabe added another drive to the basket. The Panthers were able to keep pace with the Knights, getting baskets from Delano Hopkins and Taylor Davis. Stone Ridge answered with Jordan Cortez finishing under the net and Harkabus adding another two, keeping the Knights in front. By halftime, the Knights held a narrow 32-28 lead in a back-and-forth quarter that showcased both teams’ athleticism.
The third quarter stayed fast and physical as both teams fought to take control. Fortune opened with Taylor Davis and Delano Hopkins scoring to cut the gap in the score, but Stone Ridge kept their composure as Tayton Harkabus converted two points and Tyler McCabe drove for another basket. CJ Graham hit a three-pointer for the Panthers to bring them closer, and Noah Taggart added a layup, keeping the pressure on the Knights. Stone Ridge responded with Jordan Cortez scoring under the net and Daijon O’Neil finishing a drive to maintain their lead. Both teams traded key shots, with fast breaks and contested baskets keeping the game close. By the end of the quarter, Stone Ridge held a slim 50-46 lead, leaving the final period wide open and anyone’s game.
The fourth quarter stayed intense as both teams continued to up the ante. Fortune opened with a layup from Taylor Davis and a three from Malachi Hollingsworth, quickly pulling ahead, but Stone Ridge’s Tyler McCabe responded with a layup and two free throws to tie it at 51-51 with six minutes left. The Panthers regained the lead when Davis scored inside, only for Stone Ridge to tie again with a layup by McCabe. Fortune answered with a layup from Delano Hopkins and a deep three from Hollingsworth, keeping a slim lead at 55-53. Both teams traded baskets and missed shots, keeping the intensity high and both benches on edge. In the final minute, Fortune’s Hollingsworth made a key free throw to extend the lead. That led to Stone Ridge needing to foul just to have a chance at the ball. Late free throws from Davis sealed the 66-59 victory for the Panthers, completing the comeback and securing the win.
After the game, Fortune junior CJ Graham reflected on the Panthers’ progress this year, “We’ve been working super hard since the beginning of the year to get to this point…Last year, we came up short in section and state. We lost the game right before we got to Golden One for section. So this means a lot to us. We’re trying to make it big.” Graham also spoke about the team’s approach in the game. “Strength and strategies were just run our offense, box out and play defense. My teammates did a really good job of executing and stopping the main players of the other team,” he explained.
With the win, Fortune Early College moves on to the semifinals and will play the Argonaut Mustangs on Tuesday, February 24, at 7:00 p.m. For Stone Ridge Christian, the loss concludes their season, but the Knights can be proud of an undefeated league run and the strong effort they showed throughout the year.
- Photos by Grace Gallegos. ↩︎
