La Sierra Academy’s Paea -- playing it big at a small school

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I normally don’t stoop this low, but something pretty extraordinary is occurring at La Sierra Academy in Riverside.

Joseph Paea, a 6-foot-3, 175-pound senior post player, is averaging, brace yourself, a state-leading 20.7 rebounds a game. He hauled in, are your ready for this, 33 rebounds two weeks ago in a 47-46 victory over San Gabriel Academy.

Now, I’m about 6-3 and I doubt I could grab 33 rebounds against a team of kindergartners, so I thought that was pretty impressive. But then I looked up San Gabriel Academy and, guess what, it’s a preschool.

Just kidding. Good job Joseph.

--Dan Arritt