SACRAMENTO — Monterey won its first state title 74-66 over
Chatsworth 74-66, getting a trio of big-time performances to overcome the record 44 points from the Chancellors sophomore five-star
Alijah Arenas the CIF Division IV state championship over
Chatsworth 74-66.
Senior
Ryan Roth and juniors
Kavon Collins and
Joshua Roth each turned in stellar games in the CIF Division IV title game on Saturday at Golden 1 Center.
"I just wanted to win and I wanted to do whatever it took to win," Collins said.
The trio combined to score 59 points and played lockdown defense. While Arenas scored 44 points, the rest of the Chancellors scored 22 total points.
"I'm definitely proud of my guys today, they worked really hard all season," said Monterey head coach Greg Daniels. "We push them and critique them, they are a resilient group. They love each other and they play for one another."
Arenas set the CIF Division IV record on 17 of his 32 shots. The overall state record is 64 by Tracy Murray in 1998.
"I wish I could have gotten the win," Arenas said. "I feel like we really played hard and gave it our all."
Five-star sophomore Alijah Arenas of Chatsworth scores Division IV-record 44 points in state championship loss to Monterey. (Photo: David Steutel)
As a 14-seed in the North, Monterey had to make several long road trips, including against Union Mine earlier this week. Monterey won that game 74-51 to win the NorCal crown and earn a trip to state.
After winning the NorCal crown, Monterey started out the game against Chatsworth strong by jumping out to a 16-10 lead at the end of the first quarter. Collins had 10 first-quarter points for the Dores.
"I've known Kavon for a really long time so when he went out there I knew what he was going to do and he's a hooper," said senior
Suheib Ibrahim.
Collins has an offer from Idaho in football and scored 22 points in the game, 18 in the first half.
Monterey began to pull away in the second half as Joshua Roth and Ryan Roth caught fire. Joshua Roth knocked down five 3-point baskets and finished with 19 points and eight rebounds. One of his 3-pointers extended the Dores lead from 54-51 to 57-51.
The Roth brothers both moved back to Monterey this school year from Mississippi.
Monterey defeated Chatsworth 74-66 in the CIF Division IV state championship Friday. (Photo: David Steutel)
"Winning a state championship was always our goal," said Ryan Roth who finished with 18 points. "Coming in, this team has just embraced us. Everybody has shown love and brought us into their family. It's easy to compete when you feel loved."
The Dores got a stop up 59-53 when Ibrahim left his mark on the game, driving to score at the basket while drawing a foul to extend the lead to eight.
"It was just hyped because I was in a slump the whole game," Ibrahim said. "It felt really good because after I made that we started getting back on a run getting back on a rhythm. Then my teammates came down and they got a couple of buckets and that helped us extremely."
Monterey shot 13 free throws in the fourth quarter and knocked down nine of them while pulling out the 74-66 win.
"I had a lot of fun," Ryan Roth said. "The bus rides with the guys, Its going to be a lot of good memories to always look back on."
