Kaneland’s Marshawn Cocroft, LaSalle-Peru’s Marion Persich and Yorkville Christian’s Jayden Riley each had huge offensive days to carry their team into the semifinals during Saturday’s second round of the 62nd Plano Christmas Classic.

You can add Plano‘s Jayden Zepeda to the list.

The sophomore joined them by scoring 22 points off the bench to lead Plano past Sandwich, 54-42, and into Monday’s 8:30 p.m. semifinal against Riley and the Mustangs.

“We have a bunch of players that can step up when needed, and a bunch of players that can score the ball,” Zepeda said. “Once I saw the first one go in, it just kept going in and it felt great. The last time we played them I didn’t play that good and yesterday I didn’t play that good so I just knew I had to step up.”

Zepeda indeed suffered through a 2-of-11 shooting night when the Reapers beat Sandwich, 56-54, on Dec. 9 on Cooper Beaty’s buzzer beater. Zepeda scored just four points in Friday’s win over Streator.

“Obviously, JZ stepped up a lot and I’ve been playing with him since seventh grade and he’s been that good scorer for us,” Beaty said. “I’m just glad he stepped up tonight and had that big game. We’ve been looking for it and he really pulled us through in the end.”

And it wasn’t a tale of two halves. Impressively, Zepeda scored 11 in both, shooting 8-of-12 from the field. 

“I coached some of these kids when they were freshmen here at Plano and the great thing about them, and the toughest thing about them, is who to guard because you don’t know who is going to get that 20 points for them,” Sandwich coach Matt Chalfin said. “Jayden Zepeda, he was under control and poised and did a great job finishing tonight.”

Zepeda’s steal and lay-up was part of an 8-0 run that helped the Reapers gain some distance early into the fourth quarter.

His three-pointer gave them their first doubl- digit lead. His nifty drive and soft bank shot that followed 40 seconds later, gave the Reapers a 50-38 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

“He played great and when he gets downhill, he’s tough to guard,” Plano coach Kyle Kee said. “He’s really crafty and uses his body, and for being so short he’s able to get that extension and finish high off the backboard. It’s nice to see and the confidence. A big night for him. We knew he had it and are just looking for that to be a little more consistent.”

Sandwich (4-8) trailed 37-36 with 1:47 left in the third quarter after Nolan Oros converted a pair of free throws.

Plano (7-5) closed the third quarter with six straight points, holding Sandwich to just two field goals after Nick Michalek scored with 2:27 left in the third.

Brayden Wachowski’s lay-in cut Plano’s lead to 45-38 with 5:58 left in the game, but Sandwich wouldn’t score again until Braden Behringer’s putback with 48 seconds left made it 52-40.

“Got to give as much credit as possible to Plano, they defend hard and tried to keep us out of the lane as much as they could,” Chalfin said. “We couldn’t really get into our set with their pressing us and we didn’t handle the pressure really well in that stretch.”

Alan Contreras scored 12 points and Beaty had eight points and 10 rebounds for the Reapers.

Michalek led Sandwich with 16 points, EJ Treptow added nine points and 15 rebounds and Behringer had 6 points. Sandwich resumes on Monday at 5:30 p.m. against Mendota.

Plano forced 23 turnovers while committing 10.

“We get into trouble when we start gambling too much and try to take it out of their hands and steal a pass too late and give them angles,” Kee said. “We’ve been preaching stay solid and communicate. We didn’t communicate well at all when we last played, but to do it tonight, especially in this atmosphere shows the progress we’re making. We’re excited for Monday.”