Tarkanian Classic: Mater Dei outlasts Bishop O'Dowd in OT to take title

LAS VEGAS – After winning its second consecutive tournament title Saturday night at the Tarkanian Classic, the celebration by national No. 2 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) was a bit muted.

Maybe that's because after winning their first nine outings of the season by an average margin of 33 points per game, the Monarchs found out against Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif.) that they were mortal.

Or maybe after being taken to overtime in a tense 63-59 win, the three-time defending California state champs were simply exhausted.

"This is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the country and to win it back-to-back years is great," Mater Dei head coach Gary McKnight said.

After jumping on Bishop O'Dowd 9-2 to start the game, Mater Dei standouts Stanley Johnson and M.J. Cage were saddled with foul trouble – a development that changed the complexion of the game.

Without the 6-foot-6 Johnson and 6-9 Cage, O'Dowd big man Ivan Rabb went to work on the Monarchs, finishing with 24 points, 21 rebounds and five blocked shots.

Rabb scored 12-straight points for the Dragons midway through the second half to bring the score to 54-52, then notched a late bucket that sent the game into overtime.

Meanwhile, a fourth foul on Johnson made the Arizona-bound star dial back his hard-charging style.

"It changed things because I wasn't as aggressive," Johnson said. "I had to be more cautious and rely on technique."

Johnson still tallied a game-high 25 points to go along with eight rebounds in securing MVP honors at the Tarkanian Classic for the second year in a row.

La'vette Parker added 13 points for Mater Dei while junior Rex Pflueger contributed 11.

Despite the close call and fatigue from playing five games in four days, Johnson still had the energy to give his friend and former club teammate Rabb a little jab post-game.

"He's always talking about how he's going to beat me but it never happens," Johnson joked. "He's doing a great job for himself and doing a great job leading his team and he's only a junior."

La Lumiere turns tables on Prime Prep

A day after beating No. 5 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), No. 3 Prime Prep (Dallas) fell victim to a spirited effort by La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.) in a 59-55 loss. The game was part of the Tarkanian Classic Prep Division slate, which was played shootout style (non-bracketed) and provided results that will be difficult to process when it comes time to update the national rankings Monday night.

"We were in their situation a couple of years ago when we beat Findlay," La Lumiere head coach Alan Huss said. "We had to come out and play the No. 1-ranked in South Dakota the next night. They really should have beat us. We got way down kind of similar to the way they (Prime Prep) did tonight. We felt like we had to be the aggressor early on because it was going to be hard to come back from that one."

Sam Logwood, a 6-foot-6 senior forward, led La Lumiere – ranked No. 8 nationally by MaxPreps in the preseason – with 17 points. The future Auburn Tiger closed the door on Prime Prep in the final minutes with a thunderous fast break dunk that gave the Lakers a 56-50 advantage.

"Sam is a senior who cares a lot about his school and cares about the name on the front of his jersey and what he has worked to help develop in the program," Huss said. "You count on guys like that to make plays when you need them."

After falling behind by double digits in the first half, Prime Prep took the lead at 24-22 early in the second. But a 3-pointer by Joseph Toye then two more from 6-8 junior Alex Olesinski gave the advantage back to La Lumiere at 31-24.

Prime Prep (9-2) cut the deficit to three in the final minute but that was as close at it would get.

Toye also made major contributions on the defensive end for the Lakers (12-1), limiting Prime Prep star Emmanuel Mudiay to a hard-earned 16 points.

"Joe guarded him (Mudiay) the whole game and I don't know what he ended up with but he worked for every basket he got," Huss said. "At 6-7, Joe really showed the kind of athlete he is. My assistant Shane Heirman made the call to do that and Joseph did a great job."

Bishop Gorman closes out Redondo Union for third

Noah Robotham scored 22 points and 6-9 junior Chase Jeter added 19 as host Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) captured third place in tournament action with a 62-53 win over Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.).

The Gaels jumped to an 8-0 lead and never trailed to earn their fourth win in four days at the event.

Stephen Zimmerman, a 6-10 junior, added nine points and eight boards for Bishop Gorman (5-3).

Redondo fell to 7-3 against a rugged schedule that has included three defending state champions and teams from four states outside of California.

Saturday's Platinum Division scores
Fifth place: Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) 63, El Camino Real (Woodland Hills, Calif.) 45
Consolation championship: Bountiful (Utah) 69, Pinnacle (Phoenix) 56
Constitution (Philadelphia) 67, Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) 64
Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) 70, Modesto Christian (Modesto, Calif.) 45
Clark (Las Vegas) 72, Durango (Las Vegas) 58
Sheldon (Sacramento, Calif.) 58, Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.) 53

Saturday's Prep Division scores
Our Savior New American (Centereach, N.Y.) 87, Faith Baptist Christian (Ludowici, Ga.) 62
Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.) 63, Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 61
* See video of Montrose Christian's alley-oop buzzer beater to beat Findlay Prep here.