2019-20 Week 18: La Jolla Country Day, Cathedral, Madison Girls Still Standing
La Jolla Country Day and Cathedral are where they’re supposed to be, according to the seeds. Madison is a welcome surprise.
That’s the state of San Diego Section basketball today as the section’s final three go into tonight’s Southern California regional finals.
The girls saved the day after the boys went out early, with a thud, despite most boys teams having better seeds and playing at home.
The young men did not beat a team in the first round that had a seed poorer than 10 and the 4 boys winners all went out in the next round.
The La Jolla Country Day girls, ranked number one in the state and in the country, according to Max Preps, will be at home to face No. 4 L.A. Windward, after getting past troublesome Rancho Cucamonga Etiwanda, 54-44, in the Open Division semifinals.
IZZY DOES IT
Cathedral’s Izzy Navarro scored seven of her 12 points in the fourth quarter and her steal and basket with 20 seconds left finally put away Studio City Harvard-Westlake, 59-56, in the D-I semifials and send the Dons to another home game against Fullerton Rosary.
The get to the semifinals the No. 1-seed Dons needed a 63-47, quarterfinals victory over Garden Grove Orangewood, which had beaten Cathedral, 65-63 and 64-61, in two earlier encounters.
Madison, which has been upsetting teams since the D-V regional pairings were announced will try to beat the odds again The 10 seed Warhawks entered the San Diego Section postseason with a 10-16 record, compliments of a mid-season, nine-game losing streak,.
Madison (18-17) will make a 228-mile trek to East Bakersfield (22-9). The Max Preps computer rates the Blades 293rd in California, 124 places better than the scrappy squad from Northeast Clairemont.
GIRLS WEEK 18 *Southern Section ^L.A. City ^^Central
DIVISION
TEAM / RECORD
MAX PREPS STATE RATING
SEMIFINALS
NEXT OPPONENT / RECORD
MAX PREPS STATE RATING
OPEN
1 La Jolla Country Day / 32-1
1
4 Rancho Cucamonga Etiwanda, 54-44*
4 L.A. Windward / 27-5*
4
I
1 Cathedral / 21-11
16
4 Studio City Harvard Westlake, 59-56*
2 Fullerton Rosary / 22-12*
15
V
10 Madison / 18-17
417
6 San Diego, 46-37
4 East Bakersfield / 22-9^^
293
II
6 Marian / 20-10
54
Loss @2 L.A. Pacific Palisades / 60-55^
Season complete
IV
12 Point Loma / 24-3
104
Loss @1 Lancaster, 51-44*
Season complete
2019-20 Week 17A: San Diego Contingents Stumble in Regional
Super Tuesday was essentially a Super Wipeout for San Diego Section boys teams in the first round of the State Tournament’s Southern California regional. The girls did better.
The guys posted a record of 3 wins and 14 losses, the young ladies 7-8, and the overall 10-22 was in grim comparison to the 16-14 record in the 2018-19 first round.
BOYS
Seven visiting teams from the Southern Section with higher (poorer) seeds came South and took out San Diego Section clubs, some with stunning results.
Could the Russians have meddled with Max Preps‘ computer, which spat out the seeds and pairings?
Most jarring was the manner in which host No. 7 St. Augustine, leading 12-4, in the early going, withered in the heat of a rapid, free-wheeling Riverside Poly team, 83-46.
The same Poly Bears, in their distinctive orange and green uniforms, who lost to St. Augustine, 75-59, in December.
Guard D.J. Davis, a UC-Irvine-bound gunner who scored 30 points and drained half of his teams’ staggering, 16 beyond-the-arc baskets, missed most of the December game.
Husky San Diego State commit Lamont Butler added 22 points and was a force at both ends of the court as three Aztecs assistant coaches looked on.
DIVISION I
No. 4 seed Torrey Pines had one of the few enjoyable evenings for the males, defeating 13 West Hills Chaminade from the northern San Fernando Valley, 82-53.
Host and No. 3 Cathedral, rocked by the automobile accident and loss of Abinna Anyanwu over the weekend, faded in the fourth quarter and lost to 14 Altadena Renaissance, 62-54.
D-II
No. 1 La Canada St. Francis, 82, No. 16 Carlsbad 63.
No. 14 L,.A. Salesian 53, No. 3 Foothills Christian 50.
No. 9 Lake Balboa Birmingham 58, No. 8 Poway 49,
No. 15 Riverside Hillcrest 55, @2 Francis Parker 41.
No. 10 Marian 50, @7 L.A. King Drew 62.
No. 11 Christian 67, @6 Eastvale Roosevelt 76.
No. 13 Santa Fe Christian 57, @4Hesperia 70.
D-III
No. 3 El Camino 77, 14 Adelanto 68.
No. 11 Burbank Providence 68, @6 San Marcos 66, OT.
No. 7 San Diego 63, @10 L.A. Price 72.
D-IV
6 University 81, 11 Calexico 65.
7 San Ysidro 69, 10 L.A. View Park 48.
D-V
12 Classical 43, @5 Redlands Arrowhead Christian 59.
GIRLS
D-II
5 The Bishop’s 58, 12 L.A.Granada Hills 50.
6 Mater Dei, 11 L.A. Hamilton 78.
13 Serra 44, @4 Santa Monica 49.
15 Mission Hills 42, @L.A. Pacific Palisades 59.
D-III
8 Mount Miguel 65, 9 West Covina 35.
10 Poway 25, @7 Calabasas Viewpoint 59.
13 Lincoln 52, @4 Menifee Paloma Valley 62.
D-IV
12 Point Loma 45, @5 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 32.
D-V
6 San Diego 52, @11 L.A. Central City Value 45.
7 Madison 49, 10 Santa Barbara Bishop Diego 26
9 San Bernardino 50, @8 Hoover 46.
QUARTERFINALS TOMORROW.
Action resumes Thursday.
The Cathedral girls, who drew a bye in D-!, know their opponent, Garden Grove Orangewood, but Open Division No. 1 La Jolla Country Day will not play until Saturday, taking on the winner of Thursday’s Corona Centennial-Rancho Cucamonga Etiwanda game.
Pairings :
BOYS
DIVISION
TEAM
RECORD
FIRST-ROUND WIN
NEXT OPPONENT
RECORD
FIRST-ROUND WIN
I
4 Torrey Pines
27-5
13 West Hills Chaminade, 82-53.*
5 L.A. Windward*.
27-7
12 L.A. Fairfax, 64-62.^
III
3 El Camino
25-6
14 Adelanto 77-68.*
6 Burbank Providence*
26-7
11 San Marcos, 68-66.
IV
6 University City
21-9
11 Calexico, 81-65.
@3 Downey St. Pius X-St. Matthias*.
28-6
14 Yeshiva U. of Los Angeles, 45-39.*
7 San Ysidro
25-8
10 L.A. View Park, 69-48.^
@2 L.A. Pacific Palisades^.
16-11
15 Bakersfield Independence, 57-52.*
*Southern Section. ^L.A. City. **Central.
GIRLS
DIVISION
TEAM
RECORD
FIRST-ROUND WIN
OPPONENT
RECORD
FIRST-ROUND WIN
OPEN
1 La Jolla Country Day
30-1
Bye
5 Corona Centennial or 4 Rancho Cucamonga Etiwanda*.
I
1 Cathedral
20-11
Bye
8 Garden Grove Orangewood*.
27-6
9 Bonita Vista, 66-59.
II
5 The Bishop’s
18-10
12 Granada Hills, 58-50 ^.
@4 Santa Monica*.
27-7
13 Serra, 49-44.
6 Mater Dei
19-9
11 L.A. Hamilton, 81-78 ^.
@3 Bakersfield^^.
30-2
14 L.A. El Camino Real, 46-32^.
III
8 Mount Miguel
22-8
9 West Covina, 65-35*.
@1 Santa Maria Righetti^^,
23-4
Bye
IV
11 Otay Ranch
25-8
6 North Hollywood Campbell Hall, 58-50*.
@3 Pasadena La Salle*.
25-8
6 L.A. Marshall, 51-31^.
12 Point Loma
23-2
5 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 45-32*.
13 Pomona Ganesha *.
25-3
4 Palm Desert Xavier Prep, 47-46.
V
6 San Diego
21-8
11 L.A. Central City Value, 52-45^.
@3 L.A. King/Drew^.
18-13
Moreno Valley Vista del Lago, 45-29*.
7 Madison
16-17
10 Santa Barbara Bishop Diego, 49-26
@2 Pasadena Marshall*.
25-4
Strathmore, 50-43^^.
2019-20 Week 17: Road to State Championships Starts Here
No teams in the boys’ Open Division looks like a break for San Diego Section teams, which were assigned some favorable seeds in other divisions of first-round play that gets under way in the Southern California regional tournament Tuesday night.
Two girls teams are seeded No. 1 and have byes to the quarterfinals. Open Division La Jolla Country Day goes in not only with the top seed but is ranked first in California and in the Country, according to some voting entities.
Thirty-three boys’ and girls’ squads were invited, compared to 31 last season, and with no opposing Central Section squads most travel will be no more than (hopefully) a three-hour bus ride.
DONS FIRST IN GIRLS D-I
Cathedral, which lost to La Jolla Country Day in the San Diego Section girls Open final, also received a first-round bye in D-I.
Francis Parker, a 2 seed in D-II, is the highest seeded boys squad. Cathedral, El Camino, and Foothills Christian have No. 3 rankings, and Torrey Pines got a desired 4.
Based on seeds 1 through 8, San Diego teams are favored in 16 of 30 opening-round games. Game 31 is not counted because it matches two San Diego Sections squads, University City and Calexico, in D-III.
If history holds, some of those lower seeded, visiting Southern Section teams will be more difficult than expected.
San Diego clubs were 16-14 against Southern, Los Angeles City, and Central section clubs in the first round in 2018-19, but not without disaster. L.A. University, No. 16 in boys D-III, scratched out a 78-74, overtime win at No. 1 Montgomery. No. 12 Temecula Linfield upset No. 5 Grossmont, 63-55, in girls D-IV.
BOYS
DIVISION
TEAM
RECORD
OPPONENT
RECORD
I
3 Cathedral
24-7
14 Altadena Renaissance
24-9*
4 Torrey Pines
26-5
13 West Hills Chaminade
26-8*
7 St. Augustine
24-6
10 Riverside Poly
26-6*
II
2 Francis Parker
22-5
15 Riverside Hillcrest
24-5*
3 Foothills Christian
20-9
14 L.A. Salesian
28-4*
8 Poway
24-5
9 Lake Balboa Birmingham
19-9^
10 Mater Dei
22-6
@7 L.A. King/Drew
23-8^
11 Christian
21-6
@6 Eastvale Roosevelt
24-8*
13 Santa Fe Christian
23-9
@4 Hesperia
24-7*
16 Carlsbad
24-8
@1 La Canada St. Francis
26-8*
III
3 El Camino
24-6
14 Adelanto
27-5*
6 San Marcos
18-11
11 Burbank Providence
25-7*
7 San Diego
21-10
10 L.A. Price
24-10*
IV
6 University City
20-9
11 Calexico
27-3
7 San Ysidro
24-8
10 L.A. View Park
17-8^
9 Coronado
21-10
@8 Harbor City Narbonne
20-12^
V
12 Classical
24-8
@5 Redlands Arrowhead
17-12*
*Southern Section. ^Los Angeles City Section.
GIRLS
DIVISION
TEAM
RECORD
OPPONENT
RECORD
Open
1 La Jolla Country Day
30-1
Bye
I
1 Cathedral
20-11
Bye
9 Bonita Vista
21-9
@8 Garden Grove Orangewood
26-6*
14 La Costa Canyon
22-6
@3 Lynwood
21-8*
15 Westview
26-3
@2 Fullerton Rosary
19-12*
II
5 The Bishop’s
17-10
12 Granada Hills
20-11^
6 Mater Dei
18-9
11 L.A. Hamilton
21-7^
13 Serra
20-9
@4 Santa Monica
26-7*
15 Mission Hills
18-9
@2 L.A. Pacific Palisades
22-9^
III
8 Mount Miguel
21-8
9 West Covina
23-7*
10 Poway
19-12
@7 Calabasas Viewpoint
18-9*
13 Lincoln
23-7
@4 Menifee Paloma Valley
30-3*
IV
12 Point Loma
22-2
@5 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame
27-5*
V
6 San Diego
20-8
11 L.A. Central City Value
24-5^
7 Madison
15-17
10 Santa Barbara Bishop Diego
23-9*
8 Hoover
28-3
9 San Bernardino
18-12*
SEED PODS
Eastvale Eleanor Roosevelt, the D-II opponent of Christian, is the alma mater of San Diego State star Matt Mitchell…San Diego Section teams open play against 22 Southern Section and 10 Los Angels City Section squads…after posting a 16-14 record in the 2018-19 first round, local clubs were 6-10 in the quarterfinals…Torrey Pines, runner-up in San Diego this season, was the 2018-19 Open Division champion and got in as a No. 8 seed, sentenced to play at No. 1 Chatsworth Sierra Canyon…the result was an 83-38 loss for the Falcons…only Southern Section teams occupy the six-team Open Division bracket this season…seven San Diego teams, almost half of the 16, are in D-III…Cathedral will try to recover from the emotional shock of losing star Obinna Anyanwu, who sustained serious injuries in an automobile accident over the weekend…San Ysidro has won 15 games in a row but a challenging early schedule that left the Cougars 9-8 at the turn of the year worked against them…they’re a 7 seed in the competitive D-III and maybe deserved a better opportunity in D-IV…Francis Parker and Foothills Christian have played three times during the season (Parker won two) and could meet again…they’re 2 and 3 seeds in D-III…St. Augustine is 1-0 against Riverside Poly, the Saints’ D-1 opponent…they defeated the Bears, 75-59, in the Torrey Pines Christmas tournament….
1990-91: And the Scoreboard Blinked…and Blinked.
The three-point basket, which became a part of the game in 1986, continued to be refined and exploited and teams’ scoring points in the 80’s and 90’s was common. One-hundred-point totals were at a record pace.
Valhalla’s Mark Dillon set a state record with 145 three-pointers and tied the state record with 12 treys in a game in which he scored 50 points.
There were 25 games in which the winning team scored at least 100 and Mountain Empire and La Jolla Country Day along with Rancho Buena Vista and Vista each passed 100 in the same game.
12/1/90
“These guys are all arms and legs…their elbows don’t match their knees, but they get the job done,” San Diego coach Dennis Kane said after the Cavers jumped Montgomery with a 33-8 first quarter en route to a 93-51 victory in the University City tournament.
–Alex Love “was shooting from another area code,” observed Claremont coach Greg Lee after Love scored 30 points in a 76-69 win over Hoover.
–Marian traveled 115 miles north of San Francisco to Booneville, population slightly more than 1,000 and home of the Redwood Classic, in which the Crusaders took a 91-83 loss to Bethune, South Carolina, that state’s top 1-A team.
San Diego’s Marino Bowman and Lincoln’s Berry Randle fight for rebound.
Jaamar Lavender scored 27 points and added 14 rebounds and 10 rebounds as Morse scored a rare road win in Los Angeles, defeating Wilmington Banning, 83-81.
–Lincoln fouled its way into defeat in the Norsemen-Warhawk tournament as Mt. Carmel converted 33 of 42 free throw attempts and beat the Hornets, 93-67.
–Nine San Diego Cavers, led by Mike Watson’s 17 points, scored in a 99-51 University City tournament win over Castle Park.
12/5/90
Gilberto Gonzalez scored 52 points, the 11th highest single-game total in County history, to lead Mountain Empire to a 105-82 win over Calexico Vincent Memorial.
12/6/90
Ryan Wooton scored 37 points and eight other Mt. Carmel teammates scored in a 110-61 win over Granite Hills.
12/8/90
Domingo Rivera made two technical free throws with two seconds remaining to lift Mount Miguel to a 78-76 win over Lincoln. The Hornets’ Berry Randle, a transfer from Crawford, was T’d after missing a dunk and then hanging on the rim.
–Erik Meek scored 18 of San Pasqual’s 22 fourth-quarter points and 33 for the game as the Golden Eagles overcame Grossmont, 68-62, after trailing by five after three quarters in the Grossmont Tournament.
12/13/90
Six-foot, nine-inch Ramona center Ryan Knight had 33 points, 16 rebounds, and blocked seven shots, and Ramona, racing to a 38-point third quarter, upended Clairemont, 99-66 with the fifth highest point total in school history. The Bulldogs defeated Borrego Springs, 115-49, in 1972-73.
12/21/90
After defeating L.A. Jordan, 82-74, in the opening round of the Los Angeles Invitational, reality set in for Morse, beaten by one of the northern city elite, Fairfax, 83-44.
–Rancho Buena Vista also got a dose of life in the fast lane, falling despite Darryl Parker’s 43 points to Concord de la Salle, ranked 18th in the state, 98-87, in the 30th Lt. Jim Mitchell Memorial Tournament at San Dieguito.
–Erik Meek scored 33 points and had 14 points and 5 blocked shots but San Pasqual dropped a 93-67 decision to 9-1 Los Angeles Manual Arts in the Artesia Gold Cup.
12/22/90
Legendary coach Morgan Wooten’s DeMatha High team of Hyattsville, Maryland, administered additional punishment to Meek and his teammates, winning, 89-48, at Artesia. Erik Meek scored 28 for the Golden Eagles.
–Rancho Buena Vista and Vista became the first teams in which both scored 100 points. The Longhorns prevailed over their neighboring rival, 118-102, in the Jim Mitchell.
–The 44th Kiwanis Tournament, now second tier to the Jim Mitchell and others, was won by Mt. Carmel, 61-57, in overtime over Poway.
Kearny welcomed Darnay Scott after late- arrival from Komets’ playoff football season.
12/23/90
Host San Dieguito, playing in the Mitchell championship game for the first time in 13 years, was no match for Concord de la Salle, 69-48. The Spartans’ Drew Barry, son of NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry, scored 19 points and added 12 assists and five steals.
12/27-30
The nationally prominent, post-Christmas Above the Rim tournament at Torrey Pines was a showcase for East Coast teams, while almost all other local squads participated in many events of less attraction.
–Monsignor McClancy of Elmhurst, N.Y., took on two of the San Diego area’s best and defeated Torrey Pines, 75-56, and overcame a 12-point halftime deficit to knock down Lincoln, 88-81.
–McClancy was beaten by St. Raymond of New York’s Bronx borough, 79-62, and Jersey City St. Anthony topped St. Raymond, 83-65, for the championship.
–University surprised the County’s two top-ranked teams, beating El Camino, 64-63, and Mt. Carmel, 59-54, to win the Mt. Carmel tournament.
TRIPLE DIGITS
Rancho Buena Vista
Vista
118-102
Mountain Empire
Julian
115-84
La Jolla Country Day
Mountain Empire
113-66
Torrey Pines
Ipswich, Australia
111-36
Lincoln
El Centro Central
111-63
Mt. Carmel
Granite Hills
110-61
Rancho Buena Vista
Escondido
107-75
Christian
Castle Park
106-23
Mountain Empire
La Jolla Country Day
106-102
Mountain Empire
Calexico Vincent Memorial
105-82
University
Ipswich, Australia
104-42
Valhalla
West Hills
104-50
Sweetwater
Castle Park
104-71
San Dieguito
Vista
104-84
Torrey Pines
Castle Park
102-46
Bonita Vista
Chula Vista
102-80
Rancho Buena Vista
Compton
102-67
El Capitan
Santana
101-52
Lincoln
Granite Hills
101-55
Lincoln
Madison
101-80
San Diego
Madison
101-63
Calipatria
Victory Christian
100-27
Helix
Steele Canyon
100-43
Sweetwater
Mar Vista
100-79
Valhalla
Ipswich, Australia
100-80
1/5/91
Marlon Wells, a future San Diego Section coach, led San Diego to 75-64 win over Monte Vista with 16 points, seven rebounds, seven steals, and five assists.
–Erik Meek scored 28 points and had scoring help from 11 others, the 4 other starters, and seven-man bench, as San Pasqual cruised, 94-62 over Mt. Carmel.
–“Welcome back, Darnay Scott,” exclaimed Bill Peterson, coach of the 12-1 Kearny Komets, who beat Sweetwater, 74-69, in the Valhalla Tournament. Scott, finally tuned after arriving late following an all-state football season, scored 29 points with 11 rebounds.
1/10/91
At 6 feet, 9 inches, Ramona’s Travis Knight was rim protector
For the second time in two seasons, Vista was a three-digit victim of San Dieguito. Sean Miller scored 39 points and the Mustangs out ran the Panthers, 104-84, after setting a school record in a 112-87 win the previous season.
1/12/91
San Pasqual stunned top-ranked El Camino, 68-56, behind Erik Meek’s 34 points and a 20-8 fourth quarter.
1/16/91
Valhalla converted just nine of a Section record-tying 41 three-point attempts and felt the pain, losing, 77-56, to visiting Monte Vista.
–A sore back and the promise of a future major league baseball career forced Castle Park’s Benji Gil, averaging 20.7 points, to withdraw from the Trojans’ squad
1/17/91
This week’s top-ranked team took a fall, following previous No. 1 El Camino’s loss. Visiting Torrey Pines knocked off Mt. Carmel, 65-52. “I still think they’re the best team,” Falcons coach John Farrell said of the vanquished Sundevils.
1/19/91
Chris Miller scored 30 points, including a three-pointer to necessitate overtime and then the winning basket with 36 seconds left in the third extra session as Fallbrook nipped Rancho Buena Vista, 89-88.
1/24/91
Mountain Empire, up there in the mountains on Buckman Springs Road near Campo and Pine Valley, reversed the table on La Jolla Country Day.
Mountain Empire’s starting five all scored in double figures, with no contribution from its bench. Gilberto Gonzalez led with 28 in a 106-102 victory that evened the slate with the Torres, who defeated Mountain, 113-66, in their first meeting.
–Until this season, only one game, Sweetwater 116-114 in 1984-85 over a Yugoslavian club team, possibly not all of high school age, had seen triple digits by both teams.
Marlon Wells muscles up shot in San Diego’s 85-78 win over Lincoln.
1/26/91
Lincoln won its 14th consecutive game against San Diego and its 33rd in a row in the Central League, 85-76, over the Cavers. Five-foot-5 sophomore Archie Robinson converted six free throw attempts in the final eight minutes and led the Hornets with 18 points.
2/2/91
Southwest, riding a seven-game winning streak, led Sweetwater, 55-44, with 4:33 remaining in the game when Red Devils coach David Ybarra called time.
The Sweetwater coach looked at his starters and said, “Here’s my best group. My best five. My Top Guns. I’m not going to say another word. You either you do it, or you don’t.”
After trading baskets, Sweetwater scored the last 16 points and won, 62-57.
Said starter Mendel Nafarrete of his coach’s strategy, “I get it now. The silent treatment. Reverse psychology.”
2/12/91
Darnay Scott scored 26 points and retrieved 21 rebounds in an 84-68 win over University. “I like Monday games,” said Scott. “I usually use up a lot of energy in practice the day before (Tuesday) games. Today I felt good.”
2/13/91
Mark Dillon set a state record with 12, three-point baskets and scored 50 points in Valhalla’s 99-61 victory over West Hills. El Segundo’s Chris Hansen first set the record of 11 in January.
“Our game plan was to deny him the threes,” said West Hills coach Brian Daly. “I’ve never seen such a display in high school.” Daly didn’t elaborate whether it was Dillon’s performance or his defense’s.
2/14/91
Lincoln clinched its sixth consecutive Central League championship, 90-60, over Crawford. San Dieguito denied Poway a tie for the Palomar League title, 68-65, as Chris de la Pena scored 30 points, including a 17-footer that iced the game with two seconds left.
–Host St. Augustine broke from a 39-39 tie with Coronado with a 30-16 fourth quarter and 69-55, Harbor League victory.
2/15/91
Valhalla finished the regular season with a school-best 21-6 record and 24 consecutive Grossmont 2-A victories, 87-73 over Grossmont.
2/16/91
Christian couldn’t win a league championship with superstar Tony Clark in 1989-90 but claimed the Harbor title this season, 72-56 over Clairemont behind David Piester’s 40 points. The Patriots’ last league title was in the Central League in 1983-84.
2/17/91
San Diego ended a seven-year, 15-game losing streak to Lincoln, topping the Hornets, 85-79, after getting word the Cavers would forfeit 16 victories by a controversial eligibility rule regarding a player residence’s address. The Dreaded Administrative Glitch issue had gone all the way to San Diego Superior Court before being upheld.
1990-91: Christian Girls Almost Go All the Way.
Christian star Tiffany Stutz played with a re-injured ankle in the state championship game after the underdogs from El Cajon mounted a late-season run through the San Diego Section and state Division V playoffs.
Erik Meek of San Pasqual, headed for Duke University, averaged 30.18 points, a figure topped only by Tony Clark’s 30.3 in 1987-88 and 43.1 in 1989-90.
BOYS PLAYOFFS
(seeds in italics)
DIVISION I
FIRST ROUND
1 Poway 94, Granite Hills (5-20).
2 San Diego 73, Patrick Henry 45 (7-18).
The Cavers, victims of the Dreaded Administrative Glitch, which forced them to forfeit 16 victories because of a player’s residential ineligibility, “improved” their record to 3-19. Competitively they were 18-4.
Rancho Buena Vista 67, Mount Miguel 49 (15-10).
San Dieguito 60, Bonita Vista 58, OT (14-9).
Matt de la Pena buried a three-pointer with 10 seconds left in regulation and scored the only points in the extra session.
3 Fallbrook 79, Montgomery 42 (7-18).
4 Morse 69, Hilltop 35 (12-14).
Southwest 82, Mira Mesa 68 (15-11).
Mt. Carmel 74, Chula Vista 63 (14-13).
The game had been postponed for a day because of a power failure in the Mt. Carmel gymnasium. Dana Pope supplied the juice for the Sundevils with 23 points.
QUARTERFINALS
1 Poway 68, San Dieguito 58 (15-12).
Rancho Buena Vista 62, 2 San Diego 54 (3-20).
Mt. Carmel 54, 4 Morse 53 (17-11).
Robert Treahy was playing club volleyball when Coach John Marincovich informed Treahy that if he wanted to switch to basketball he would have to finish out this season to be considered for a position in 1991-92.
Treahy’s free throw with 12 seconds left was the difference as the Sundevils beat the favored Tigers.
3 Fallbrook 69, Southwest 47 (17-10).
Rancho Buena Vista’s Darryl Parker muscles up for basket despite defense of San Diego’s J.R. Greer.
SEMIFINALS
Rancho Buena Vista 55, 3 Fallbrook 53 (20-10).
Poway 57, Mt. Carmel 39 (20-8).
The Sundevils were scoreless…zero, zip, nada…in the fourth quarter.
CHAMPIONSHIP
1 Poway 70, Rancho Buena Vista 50 (15-14).
After a 10-year hiatus, Doug Wealch had returned to Poway and coached a champion, before 6,225 persons in the Sports Arena.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL QUARTERFINALS
4 Poway 72, 5 Manual Arts (L.A. City, 23-5) 66.
Kyle Milling had 23 points and 23 rebounds and Bill Rarity added 23 points for the Titans who outscored the Toilers, 32-8, from the free throw line.
Manual had manufactured at least 100 points in 12 games but Poway advanced with tough, physical defense.
The Titans’ victory was only the second by a San Diego Section team against a D-I, regional opponent since the state tournament resumed in 1981-82. Poway did it in 1985-86 against Pasadena Muir.
SEMIFINALS
1 Fremont (L.A. City, 32-1) 44, 4 Poway 41 (21-7).
The Titans trailed, 42-41, with 30 seconds left and had two chances to take the lead at Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson. They were scoreless the last 2:45.
“We escaped one,” said Fremont’s Antoine Dent, who led all scorers with 12 points. The Pathfinders ranked No. 8, in the U.S.
“They’re a very good team,” Fremont Coach Sam Sullivan said of the Titans to Jim Trotter of The San Diego Union. “They’re very disciplined and well-coached, like I knew they’d be. I think we got a little lackadaisical.”
D-II
FIRST ROUND
San Pasqual 73, University City 49 (12-10).
Six-foot, 10-inch Erik Meek bombed the Centurions with 41 points and 23 rebounds, shooting 15×22 from the floor and 11×13 from the free-throw line. U.C. mourned teammate Ian Krebs, who had passed away in his sleep two weeks before.
1 El Camino 92, El Cajon Valley 50 (7-18).
Grossmont 70, Monte Vista 58 (16-9).
2 Torrey Pines 102, Castle Park 46 (9-15).
3 Valhalla 80, Hoover 67 (12-10).
4 Helix 70, Vista 68, 2 OT (9-16).
—Derrick Henry rescued an offensive rebound and banked in a follow shot for the Highlanders’ third win against no losses in extra sessions.
—Henry’s shot followed a short stint on the bench, at which he got the word from Coach John Singer. “His game is going to the offensive boards and he wasn’t doing that,” said Singer.
Serra 80, El Capitan 49 (8-14).
Carlsbad 56, Sweetwater 47 (21-6).
The 1989-90 D-I champion exited, compliments of the 11-times-defeated Lancers, whose Calvin Coleman held 22-point scorer Melvin Rushing to seven points.
San Pasqual’s Erik Meek took charge of D-III title game against El Camino.
QUARTERFINALS
San Pasqual 70, 2 Torrey Pines 59 (21-8).
“If we shoot like we did tonight, we’ll win it all, because Meek will dominate anyone inside,” said Golden Eagles coach Tom Buck, after Erik Meek scored 26 points and had 14 rebounds.
1 El Camino 81, Grossmont 69 (16-9).
4 Helix 57, Carlsbad 49 (15-12).
Valhalla 78, Serra 56 (16-7).
SEMIFINALS
El Camino 90, Helix 67 (20-6).
San Pasqual 79, Valhalla 55 (21-9).
CHAMPIONSHIP
San Pasqual 73, 1 El Camino 70.
Fourteen of Erik Meek’s 33 points and seven of his 17 rebounds came in the final quarter
“I told myself it was time to do something,” said Meek.
“He made the big-time shots,” said El Camino coach Ray Johnson, whose defense forced Meek away from the basket for off-balance jump shots. “If he misses, we get every rebound and it’s a different story.”
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
QUARTERFINALS
3 San Pasqual 79, Irvine Woodbridge (Southern, 21-11) 71.
Erik Meek scored 39 points, pulled 9 rebounds, and blocked six shots against the Southern Section runner-up. The Golden Eagles led, 45-26, at halftime.
5 El Camino 71, 8 Bakersfield Foothill (Central, 14-15) 61.
The Wildcats made the most of their 390-mile-roundtrip to the South end of the San Joaquin Valley, especially Jeff Reeves, whose 23 points included five, three-point baskets.
Erik Meek, with teammates and coach Tom Buck, got San Pasqual to Southern California semifinal round.
SEMIFINALS
2 Tustin (Southern, 28-4) 85, 3 San Pasqual 61 (20-8).
“They just had to much quickness for us,” said San Pasqual coach Tom Buck, whose team’s 1-3-1 zone defense in the second quarter was exploited by the Tillers, who scored on 10×13 shots in a 22-8 run that led to a 39-23 halftime lead.
1 Artesia (30-2, Southern) 53, 5 El Camino 40 (23-6).
Ed O’Bannon had graduated to UCLA but younger brother Charles led a lineup of three sophomore starters and one junior.
El Camino took an 8-4 lead but that quickly became a 10-8 deficit. The Pioneers never looked back.
–Tustin surprised Artesia, 51-36, in the division finals.
D-III
FIRST ROUND
La Jolla 80, West Hills 67 (1-19).
QUARTERFINALS
1 Kearny 84, La Jolla 55 (3-20).
2 University 56, Rancho Bernardo 38 (4-17).
First-year Rancho Bernardo scrapped to a 27-27 halftime tie with the 18-5 Dons.
3 Ramona 95, Santana 58 (7-15).
4 St. Augustine 84, Madison 70 (12-11).
How sweet it is, for D-III champions Ramona Bulldogs.
SEMIFINALS
1 Kearny 79, 4 St. Augustine 57 (14-12).
3 Ramona 80, 2 University 62 (19-5).
“Alfonso is Alfonso. He makes me a good coach,” said Ramona’s Al Schaffer. The subject of the coach’s praise was Alfonso de la Nuez, who scored nine consecutive points at the start of the fourth quarter as the Bulldogs opened a 15-point lead.
CHAMPIONSHIP
3 Ramona 73, 1 Kearny 55.
“We’ll pay for the new nets,” shouted Ramona coach Al Schaffer when told by officious honchos that the Bulldogs could not take part in a traditional cutting down: “Each player gets one snip. And the coach gets the last snip.”
Huh?
Three “menacing” security guards at downtown Golden Hall were determined to apparently save Hall management the $3 cost of replacing the nets, according to Tom Shanahan of the Evening Tribune.
“The guards took their defensive position by posting up in a triangle form under the basket,” Shanahan wrote. Wiser heads prevailed and Ramona was able to take part in the ceremony.
Alfonso de la Nuez, an exchange student from Madrid, Spain, who was supposed to return home after his junior year but stuck around, led the Bulldogs with 21 points that included five three-pointers.
The championship was the first for Ramona since it won the last of four Class 1-A titles in 1972-73.
Lincoln coach Ron Loneski (left), flanked by vice principal Wendell Bass, stated that he did not recruit transfer players Berry Randle, Alex Davis, Donald Ballard, John Akridge, and Terry Randle (from left).
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
QUARTERFINALS
7 Kearny 73, 2 Lemoore (22-6, Central) 71, OT.
Darnay Scott’s 22 points, including eight in the fourth quarter, six on offensive put- backs, led the Komets from a 10-point deficit.
Kearny’s Ali Nayab stole the ball and passed to Demetrious Brown, whose layup gave the Komets the lead for good in overtime.
Playing at home, Ramona fell behind, 45-27, at halftime. The Bulldogs outscored the Eagles, 41-39, in the second half as Alfonso de la Nuez closed his American basketball career with 24 points.
SEMIFINALS
3 Pomona (24-6, Southern) 72, 7 Kearny 52 (24-7).
Kearny didn’t help itself, missing 12 of 17 free throws.
D-IV
QUARTERFINALS
Mountain Empire 79, 3 Holtville 74.
Coronado 4 Imperial, no score.
SEMIFINALS
1 Lincoln 104, Coronado 49 (6-20).
2 Clairemont 77, Mountain Empire 68 (13-11).
CHAMPIONSHIP
1 Lincoln 68, 2 Clairemont 54.
Lincoln’s Meyer Mobley stole ball from Coronado’s Andy Dickerson.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL QUARTERFINALS
3 Lincoln 71, 6 Easton Washington (21-7, Central) 67.
“I was thinking, ‘Los Angeles,” sophomore point guard Archie Robinson told writer Tom Shanahan after Robinson’s two free throws clinched the victory. “My teammates were saying, ‘Come on, Archie, send us to L.A.’”
Cal State Dominguez Hills, where the Hornets would play next, is located in Los Angeles suburb Carson.
1 Oxnard Santa Clara (26-4, Southern) 76, 8 Clairemont 44 (12-13).
SEMIFINALS
3 Lincoln 107, 6 Santa Maria St. Joseph (25-4, Southern) 89.
A 290-mile, six-hour drive, a nine-player roster, and Archie Robinson’s five, first-half three-pointers, worked against the host Saints, who may have inspired the 5-foot-5 Robinson.
“Their team was laughing when Archie was introduced,” said Hornet coach Ron Loneski.
SEASON LEADERS
Unofficial, some scorers and totals missing or incomplete
NAME
TEAM
GAMES
POINTS
AVERAGE
Erik Meek
San Pasqual
27
815
30.18 (1)
Mark Dillon
Valhalla
30
723
24.1 (3)
Alex Love
Clairemont
24
606
25.25 (2)
Darryl Parker
Rancho Buena Vista
28
671
23.96 (4)
Berry Randle
Lincoln
30
636
21.2 (10)
Brad Grubaugh
Rancho Buena Vista
28
622
22.2 (6)
Alfonzo De la Nuez
Ramona
26
602
23.15 (5)
Miller
Fallbrook
28
599
21.39 (9)
Green
Chula Vista
27
587
21.7 (7)
Brown
Hilltop
27
578
21.48 (8)
Rushing
Sweetwater
27
566
20.96 (11)
Reeves
El Camino
29
559
19.27
Dave Piester
Christian
28
551
19.67
Matt De la Pena
San Dieguito
27
544
20.14
Sean Howard
San Dieguito
27
543
20.11
Eric Barajas
University
26
499
19.19
Travis Knight
Ramona
26
498
19.15
Pike
Patrick Henry
24
479
19.96
FINALS
1 Oxnard Santa Clara (28-4, Southern) 68, 3 Lincoln 55, 21-10.
By winning, Santa Clara positioned itself to bid third straight state championship, which it lost to Hayward, 62-45.
D-V
FIRST ROUND
Francis Parker-Lutheran, no score.
Tri-City 58, Calexico Vincent Memorial 54 (18-8).
Marian 71, Borrego Springs 28 (7-10).
4 The Bishop’s 77, Victory Christian 38 (1-16).
Santa Fe Christian 55, Calvin Christian 51 (11-12).
QUARTERFINALS
2 La Jolla Country Day 87, Francis Parker 54 (5-19)
6 Arcadia Rio Hondo (26-2, Southern) 61, 3 Christian 51 (22-6).
The Patriots lost the nightcap of a doubleheader with the Kares’ boys and girls teams at Valhalla.
Castle Park rolled with Christina Murguia.
GIRLS PLAYOFFS
DIVISION I
FIRST ROUND
1 Poway 73, Mount Miguel 15 (4-12).
Mira Mesa 62, Bonita Vista 43 (9-12).
Southwest 65, San Diego 41 (5-18).
4 Fallbrook 56, Hilltop 36 (8-16).
3 Granite Hills 67, Orange Glen 37 (5-20).
Christina Adams scored 27 points, including seven from beyond the three-point arc.
Rancho Buena Vista 62, Morse 44 (6-15).
San Dieguito 62, Chula Vista 47 (10-15).
2 Mt. Carmel 69, Montgomery 22 (8-17).
QUARTERFINALS
1 Poway 68, San Dieguito 58 (15-12).
2 Mt. Carmel 68, Mira Mesa 34 (11-15).
4 Fallbrook 59, Southwest 52 (16-6).
3 Granite Hills 84, Rancho Buena Vista 45 (13-13).
SEMIFINALS
1 Poway 50, Fallbrook 37 (18-10).
2 Mt. Carmel 93, Granite Hills 73 (20-8).
CHAMPIONSHIP
1 Poway 55, 2 Mt. Carmel 41 (21-3).
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
QUARTERFINALS
5 Chino (29-4, Southern) 62, 4 Poway 53 (26-2).
El Cajon Valley’s Monica Frakes dribbled out of trouble during playoff battle with Castle Park.
D-II
FIRST ROUND
Escondido 46, Monte Vista 40, OT (15-9).
Freshman Truc Huynh scored 24 points, including five in overtime. “She played the game of her (very young) career,” said Cougars coach Lori Becker.
San Pasqual 60, Vista 32 (12-12).
2 Carlsbad 57, Grossmont 26 (6-14).
1 El Cajon Valley 90, Serra 45 (7-16).
Heidi Holm led the 24-1 Braves with 28 points. Sister Heather had 20.
University City 53, Helix 32 (10-11).
Torrey Pines 49, San Marcos 43 (12-12).
Point Loma 62, Mar Vista 23 (10-12).
Castle Park 61, Mission Bay 36. (11-12).
QUARTERFINALS
1 El Cajon Valley 89, San Pasqual 57 (19-3).
Heather Holm had 27 points, Monica Krakes 20, and Julie Woodley 13 points and 10 rebounds.
2 Carlsbad 61, Escondido 38 (14-10).
Torrey Pines 39, 3 Point Loma 38 (24-3).
4 Castle Park 63, University City 47 (20-5).
“Nobody ever gives the South Bay (teams) any respect…all those North County and East County schools. We’re going to represent the South Bay,” said the Trojans Christina Murguia, to writer Buster Olney.
Murguia accentuated the point with 28 points, 25 rebounds, 11 assists, and four blocked shots, although the losing Centurions geographically were not North or East but more or less Central.
SEMIFINALS
2 Carlsbad 69, Torrey Pines 43 (16-12).
1 El Cajon Valley 60, Castle Park 53 (23-5).
Heather Holm scored 23 of her 30 points in the second half and buried a three-point shot with 1:28 remaining to break a 53-53 tie.
Braves coach Bob Holm, Heather’s father said of Heather’s attempt to Buster Olney of The San Diego Union: “If my old man was on the bench I don’t know if I would have had the guts to shoot it.”
“We beat them if we don’t get the fouls (three starters fouled out in the last five minutes),” said Castle coach Chuck Mills. “I think if we’d play them tomorrow we’d beat them.”
CHAMPIONSHIP
1 El Cajon Valley 55, 2 Carlsbad 42.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
QUARTERFINALS
7 Ventura (24-4, Southern) 71, 2 El Cajon Valley 67 (27-2).
Twenty-nine points by Stephanie Thompson and 19 by Desiree Weiman were not enough as the Sultans were upset.
D-IV
QUARTERFINALS
3 Coronado 48, Clairemont 12 (0-17).
The Chieftains were improving. They lost an earlier game to the Islanders, 55-2.
4 Imperial 44, Mountain Empire 40
SEMIFINALS
3 Coronado 49, 2 Holtville 48 (16-9).
A see-saw final five minutes saw Holtville, trailing, 46-40, take a 48-46 lead, but the Islanders rallied, thanks to a basket by Michelle Stevens and free throw by Kristie Luckenbill.
1 Lincoln 104, Imperial 35 (3-15).
CHAMPIONSHIP
1 Lincoln 63, Coronado 34 (17-8).
Freshman Shondel Robinson scored 19 points and avoided Woodlake defender as Hornets advanced.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
QUARTERFINALS
3 Lincoln 71, 6 Woodlake (21-6, Central) 47.
1 Santa Maria St. Joseph (24-5, Southern) 64, 8 Coronado 19 (17-9).
SEMIFINALS
2 Morro Bay (26-3, Southern) 54, Lincoln 43 (19-3).
D-V
FIRST ROUND
Marian-Calexico Vincent Memorial, no score.
Francis Parker 57, Calipatria 42 (5-13).
Lutheran 52, Borrego Springs 47 (10-8).
4 The Bishop’s 77, Victory Christian 36 (1-16).
QUARTERFINALS
Francis Parker 56, 3 La Jolla Country Day 50 (14-11).
1 Christian 77, Marian 45 (7-16).
Tiffany Stutz (37 points), Jenny Culberson (16 points, 12 rebounds), and Jennifer Reyes (16 points) led the Patriots.
4 The Bishop’s 59, Julian 52 (14-7).
Lutheran 2 Calvin Christian, no score.
SEMIFINALS
2 Calvin Christian 51, Francis Parker 43.
1 Christian 79, 4 The Bishop’s 46 (12-15).
CHAMPIONSHIP
1 Christian 63, Calvin Christian 51.
Christian trailed, 34-25, at halftime. “We’d looked at film of Calvin early in the week and some of the girls were laughing,” recounted Patriots boss Kenny Weeks to Steve Brand of the Union. “At halftime I told them the laughing was over.”
Tiffany Stutz scored 32 points for the Patriots, who won their 15th straight game.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
QUARTERFINALS
3 Christian 63, 6 Arcadia Rio Hondo (22-5, Southern) 59.
“I told them I wanted them to play knock-down, drag-out full court for the final four minutes,” Patriots coach Kenny Weeks told Buster Olney.
Christian, trailing, 59-52, with 3:02 remaining, closed out the Kares with an 11-0 finish.
Tiffany Stutz was 22-point scorer for Christian’s state finalist.
SEMIFINALS
3 Christian 43, 2 Strathmore (22-6, Central) 40.
FINALS
3 Christian 62, 1 San Luis Obispo Mission Prep 51 (22-6, Southern).
Tiffany Stutz scored 25 points and the Patriots, leading 52-49, closed with a 10-2 finish.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Atherton Menlo 65 (28-8, Central Coast), Christian 48 (24-6).
Playing for coach John Paye, her brother, Kelly Paye bombed the Patriots with 21 points, 10 assists, and 8 steals.
The Patriots’ Tiffany Stutz, averaging 22.2 points, scored 11 and spent time on the bench after reinjuring ankle that first was sprained in the volleyball season the previous spring.
2019-20 Week 16: Cathedral, La Jolla Country Day Win Open Titles
CHAMPIONSHIPS
SEEDS IN ITALICS
OPEN BOYS
Cathedral was hot. The No. 1-seed Dons had won 14 of their last 16, but No. 2 Torrey Pines was hotter, on a 15-game winning streak.
It wasn’t about heat; it was defense.
The Dons, who won the Division I championship in 2018-19, trailed, 28-25, at halftime but broke to a 39-34 lead in the third quarter, forcing Torrey Pines into six turnovers en route to a 59-51 victory.
It was the second consecutive championship for Cathedral’s Will Cunningham, who has coached largely in the background of other veteran mentors, such as John Olive of Torrey Pines and Mike Haupt of St. Augustine.
Olive has won 526 games and Haupt 521 in 23 years, but Cunningham has enjoyed similar success with the Dons, posting a 215-106 record in 11 seasons.
Announced attendance was 4,250 at Rimac Arena on the University of California at San Diego campus.
OPEN GIRLS
The Torreys (30-1) and the top team in California, according to Cal-Hi Sports, relished their 1 seed in the school’s first foray into Open Division competition in any sport.
Coach Terry Bamford’s team got off to 9-0 start and never trailed, riding the 26 points and 13 rebounds of Te-hina Paopao to win, 54-37.
No. 2 Cathedral led, 22-21, at halftime.
“Coach told us to run our stuff,” Paopao said. “She also told us to start knocking down shots,”
BOYS D-I
“How you move on after adversity is everything,” said Santa Fe Christian coach Chad Bickley after the top-seed Eagles (23-9) dispatched No. 2 seed Carlsbad (24-9), 71-58.
The Eagles regrouped to win their third championship in the last four years after Trevan Martin, their top returning player, was lost with a knee injury before the season.
Bickley, 253-162 as the Solana Beach school’s coach since the 2006-07 season, told John Maffei of The San Diego Union, “Ultimately all you can control is how hard you play, if you play together, and how smart you play.”
Jailen Nelson scored 26 for Carlsbad. Sam Dudley and Keatten Smith each scored 14 for the winners.
GIRLS D-I
No. 2 seed Serra was in front of top-ranked Mission Hills, 56-49 with 1:39 remaining, when the Grizzlies went on a 9-2 run and tied the score at 58.
The Grizzlies (20-12) were stunned when the Conquistadors’ Charissa Thomas, staring at six seconds left on the scoreboard clock, dribbled the length of the court and laid in a basket for a 60-58 victory.
Sa’de Wiley Gatewood, the state player of the year at Lynwood High in 2001-02 and who coached Mission Bay to a San Diego Section championship in 2011-12, won a championship in her first season at Serra (20-9).
Mission Hills was making its seventh consecutive championship appearance and lost its third in a row,
BOYS D-II
San Diego will be making its third trip in three seasons to the regional playoffs, compliments of coach Basil Fontenot and his players, who revived a comatose program in 2016.
The No. 2 Cavers, winners over No. 5 University City, 87-79, are 81-42 under Fontenot and now have two consecutive titles, following a D-III championship last season.
The Cavers were 27-102 in the five seasons Fontenot assumed the program in
San Diego (21-10) enjoyed a 16-4 run at the end of the first quarter and was ahead, 30-13, after a 12-2 push in the second. The Centurions, playing without leading scorer Francky Naguidebe, out with a leg injury for much of the game, fought back.
The Centurions closed a 50-34 deficit to 52-48, but the Cavers stretched the lead to 73-57 and withstood U.C.’s 22-14 finish.
“Was it scary when they cut it to four?” replied A.C. Burgin to writer John Maffei, “It (was) scary when we’re up ten, up twenty.”
Burgin led both teams with 31 points, 18 rebounds, and 8 assists. Tyler Castillo added 24 points and 16 rebounds, Luke Minnick had 24 points and Kasen Dickerson 20 for U.C.
The teams attempted 63 free throws and officials called 50 fouls.
GIRLS D-II
No. 2 Lincoln (27-4) opened a 10-point advantage with 3:52 to play after sharing the lead 11 times in the first three quarters of the Hornets’ 49-44 win over No. 1 Otay Ranch (24-8).
Imani James scored 10 of her 14 points and was 6×6 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter. Maria Flores, all of 5 feet, led the Hive with 15 points.
Of her fourth quarter, James informed writer John Maffei, “My team looks to me for leadership. I’m the backbone of the team.
“We have other players to score, but I need to come through in the clutch,”James added.
James also noted that “Maria is my partner in crime, has been since freshman year.”
BOYS D-III
Jurian Dixon, the less-heralded of 24-8 San Ysidro’s fab freshmen scored 31 points and pulled 21 rebounds to lead the Cougars to a 71-59 win over 21-10 Coronado, itself led by junior Wayne McKinney III, a transfer from Lake Oswego, Oregon, who scored 32.
Mikey Williams, San Ysidro’s more ballyhooed ninth-grader, played through a leg cramp and scored 16 points, and Kailen Rains, the third 20-plus scorer on the team, added 16.
The Cougars led the Islanders, 45-35, at the end of three quarters and kept them at a distance in a 26-24 fourth.
The Montgomery-hosted game was sold out at halftime of the Point Loma-Madison girls championship contest and was witnessed by a standing-room-only crowd of more than 3,000 persons, according to John Maffei of The San Diego Union.
Williams, who set a San Diego Section with 77 points in a December game, is second among the state’s leading scorers, according to Max Preps, with a 30.3 average and has scored 908 points in 30 games.
Williams could catch Oak Park’s Clark Slajchert, the state leader with a 31-point average and 930 points. Slajchert’s season ended at 27-3 with a second-round loss in the Southern Section D-I playoffs.
McKinney is fifth in the state with a reported 27-game average of 28.8 and 778 points. Dixon is 22nd with a 24.8 average and 794 points in 32 games.
GIRLS D-III
No. 1 Point Loma (22-2) made its first championship game appearance in seven years and finally put away upset-minded No. 10 Madison (15-17), 56-55, in overtime at Montgomery High.
“I’ve hit clutch free throws before, but I’ve never hit a bigger shot,” Pointers sophomore Mikaela Miles told John Maffei.
Miles whose 15 points augmented the 24 by teammate Sarah Heckman, drained a three-pointer with six seconds left in the three-minute, extra session
BOYS D-IV
The 27-3, No. 1 seed Bulldogs and their loyal fans, who outnumbered local El Capitan’s, enjoyed Queen’s “We are the Champions“, after battling desert winds and the sudden gusts of the In-Ko-pah Pass, which takes visitors from Calexico, 3 feet above sea level, to an elevation of 4,647 feet, on a 120-mile trip to Serra High.
Calexico’s 70-57 victory over the No. 6, 14-15 Vaqueros seemed piece of cake when the Bulldogs bolted to a 29-13, second-quarter lead. But the Vaqs made a 15-3 rally and suddenly were in contention, trailing, 32-29.
The Bulldogs’ Fabian Reyna (23 points), Aaron Tabarez (19), and Julian Beltran (17) and the Bulldogs held serve. Jacob Pfitzner, a 6-foot-4, the tallest player on the floor scored 26 for the Lakeside squad.
GIRLS D-IV
“I was more nervous before this game than any one I played in high school,” said coach Andrea Bird of the top seeded Cavers (21-8) after they defeated 3 seed Clairemont (19-13), 56-48.
Bird was a member of San Diego’s last San Diego Section championship team, the 27-6 squad of coach Lonnie Jones in D-I in 2011-12.
Maddie Black scored 20 points for the Cavers, who opened a 53-40 lead after Black made three consecutive layups following Elisabeth Beesley’s three pointer.
BOYS D-V
About 2.3 miles and approximately eight minutes drive separate the campuses of Calvin Christian (1868 North Broadway) from Classical (207 East Pennsylvania) in Escondido, but the neighboring rivals decided matters 19 miles west at Carlsbad High.
The Caimans of Classical (21-8) clinched their eighth consecutive victory as first section title when senior Maximus Brown went coast to coast for a game-tying layup and added a free throw with 1.4 seconds left to beat the 16-8 Calvin Crusaders.
Calvin had taken a 41-39 lead with 6.8 seconds remaining when 6-foot, 10-inch Martin Gumwel, who scored 18 points and had 19 rebounds, tipped in a basket.
GIRLS D-V
The Hoover Cardinals took flight on the wings of Namaya Sowunni’s 32 points and two critical free throws by Jurnee Harriage with 12.6 seconds remaining to edge Calexico Vincent Memorial, 63-61, at Carlsbad High. .
Carey Miller, Hoover’s third coach in three seasons, lifted Cardinals from the wreckage of a 6-21 previous year. Recent history included a 14-9 record in 2017-18, which followed an 0-38 slog from 2015-17.
The 1 seed Cardinals overcame a 24-6 lead by the 2 seed Scots (25-1) early in the second quarter.
Hoover’s losses were to 11-17 University City, 51-39; 21-8 Holtville, 44-33, and 74-41 to 19-12 Clairemont.
RESULTS THROUGH SEMIFINALS
BOYS
OPEN DIVISION
QUARTERFINALS
8 Christian 9 (21-6) 61, @1 Cathedral 72 (22-7).
5 Francis Parker (22-4) 70, @4 Foothills Christian 63 (20-9).
6 Poway (24-5) 43, @3 Torrey Pines 74 (25-4).
7 Mater Dei (22-6) 60, @2 St. Augustine 65 (23-7).
SEMIFINALS
5 Francis Parker 64 (22-5) at 1 Cathedral 87 (23-7).
3 Torrey Pines 56 (26-4), @2 St. Augustine 54 (24-7).
D-I
FIRST ROUND
UPPER BRACKET
16 Mount Miguel (4-21) 36, @1 Santa Fe Christian 75 (20-9).
9 Mission Bay (12-17) 66, @8 Rancho Buena Vista 58 (14-15).
12 Vista (10-19) 58, @5 Helix 72 (23-6).
13 The Bishop’s (11-18) 50, @4 San Marcos 73 (17-10).
QUARTERFINALS
9 Mission Bay (12-18) 51, @1 Santa Fe Christian 60 (21-9).
5 Helix (23-7) 50, @4 San Marcos 73 (18-10).
SEMIFINALS
4 San Marcos (18-11) 50, @1 Santa Fe Christian (22-9), 53.
LOWER BRACKET
14 Westview (12-16) 38, vs. 3 El Camino 56 (23-5) @Army-Navy.
11 Rancho Bernardo (12-15) 38, @6 La Costa Canyon 64 (18-12).
10 La Jolla Country Day 48, (12-16) @7 Mission Hills 64 (17-12).
15 Montgomery (12-16) 41, @2 Carlsbad 59 (22-7).
QUARTERFINALS
6 La Costa Canyon 46 (18-13), @3 El Camino 50 (24-5).
7 Mission Hills 41 (17-13) @2 Carlsbad 57 (23-7).
SEMIFINALS
3 El Camino (24-6), 44, @2 Carlsbad 72 (24-7).
D-II
FIRST ROUND
UPPER BRACKET
16 Point Loma (13-16) 58, @1 Bonita Vista 57 (20-9).
9 Olympian (18-10) 55, @8 Orange Glen 63 (15-14).
12 Lincoln (11-13) 57, @5 University City 61 (18-8).
13 Serra (14-15) 73, @4 Otay Ranch 78 (19-10).
QUARTERFINALS
16 Point Loma (13-17) 51, @8 Orange Glen 54 (16-14).
5 University City (19-8) 73, @4 Otay Ranch 71 (19-11).
SEMIFINALS
8 Orange Glen (15-15) 41, @5 University City 69 (20-8)..
