High School

Iona commit Gavin Hightower channeling floor general mantra for surging Sierra Canyon basketball

The senior point guard is guiding Sierra Canyon through a stretch of its best basketball heading into the heart of Mission League play.

Tarek Fattal

Sierra Canyon's Gavin Hightower is hitting his stride as a true point guard as the postseason approaches.
Sierra Canyon's Gavin Hightower is hitting his stride as a true point guard as the postseason approaches. / Jose Montanez

ENCINO, CALIFORNIA — Sierra Canyon senior point guard Gavin Hightower jumped onto the high school basketball scene early in Southern California.

When he was a freshman at Windward School during the 2021-22 season, he scored a game-high 24 points at Sierra Canyon while going toe-to-toe with then-Trailblazer stars Amari Bailey, Kijani Wright and Isaiah Elohim.

Fast forward to 2025, now Hightower is under the tutelage of Sierra Canyon coach Andre Chevalier, who is helping the 6-foot guard turn into what the Trailblazers need: a true point guard. A floor general.

"He's helped me understand when to (score), when to get my teammates involved, and coming to terms with being the last option sometimes," Hightower said after Wednesday night's Mission League victory over Crespi.

That's an adjustment for the speedy, crafty point guard headed to Iona. Hightower averaged 16 points per game last year as a junior for Windward, which earned him All-CIF honors. He transferred to Sierra Canyon in August.

In 20 games, Hightower is averaging 10.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 50% from the field and 76% from the free throw line. The scoring average is down, but with playoffs roughly two weeks away, Sierra Canyon's trajectory is trending upward amid a six-game winning streak.

"I can always get my own bucket, but getting my teammates involved is the first priority," Hightower said.

In back-to-back games, Hightower has showcased exactly what he claims. On Saturday at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass., Hightower played 29 (of 32) minutes and led Sierra Canyon to an impressive 60-46 win over nationally-ranked Grayson (GA).

The kicker: Hightower did it with just two points that came from free throws (no FGs made). But had five rebounds, nine assists and three steals while facilitating Bryce James' hot hand (who scored a career-high 16 points).

"When shooters are hot, I have to get it to them. Whatever the flow of the game is, I have to feel that as a point guard," said Hightower.

Just days later, Sierra Canyon (17-3) moved to 3-0 with a 71-62 victory at Crespi. Hightower poured in a game-high 21 points, including key baskets down the stretch highlighted by an acrobatic finish between two defenders with a minute to play to give his team a six-point lead.

"Coach trusts me with the ball in those tight game situations," Hightower said.

Sierra Canyon is playing its best basketball of the season. Despite losing recent imports Chris Nwuli (Rutgers), Jaden Nickens and Kade Bonam, there seems to be a revitalized energy that might lead one to believe there was 'addition by subtraction' in those departures.

Chevalier played deep into his bench the last two games, and played 10 players against Grayson. Though the rotation shortens up toward the end of games (as most do), the impact of role players like rangy forward Michael Baba, strong wing Stephen Kankole, scrappy Chris Cain and freshman Jordan Mize compliment the heavy-minute players well.

Bryce Cofield is one of SoCal's best Swiss-army knight-type players. Junior Maxi Adams is 4-star prospect with offers to Kansas, BYU and Kansas State. Senior Jayden Alexander is a sharpshooter that helps space the floor, and Bryce James is shooting the ball very confidently from the perimeter. The 6-foot-6 wing has made seven 3-pointers in the last two games.

Sierra Canyon plays at St. Francis (14-8) on Friday before traveling to No. 1 Harvard-Westlake (21-1) on Tuesday night. The Trailblazers are as ready as they'll ever be with Hightower running the show.


"We're playing very well right now, but I think we have another gear," Hightower said.

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Tarek Fattal, SBLive Sports
TAREK FATTAL

Tarek Fattal has been covering high school sports since 2015 in Southern California and primarily in Los Angeles, covering notable athletes such as Bronny James, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Alyssa Thompson. He was with the LA Daily News for eight years, which included being the beat reporter for the UCLA men's basketball team. Tarek can be seen on TV regularly on CBS/KCAL as a sports analyst with Jim Hill.

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