In a battle of nationally-ranked teams in California's Southern Section Open Division championship game Saturday, five-star senior
Brayden Burries scored 17 points in the second half as No. 5
Roosevelt (Eastvale) topped No. 16
Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) 74-67 at Toyota Arena in Ontario.
Roosevelt reached the championship game last season but fell to Harvard-Westlake (Studio City) 54-47.
The second half was a back and forth battle between Burries and
Tyran Stokes of Notre Dame, the No. 1 player in the Class of 2026.
After scoring two points in the first half, Burries took over in the second half and finished with 19 points as the Mustangs brought home the championship.
Roosevelt senior Brayden Burries scored 17 points in the second half as the Mustangs won 74-67 over Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) in the Southern Section Open Division championship. Burries is an uncommitted five-star who will play in the McDonald’s All American game. (Photo: Kevin Ballton)
Stokes was there to answer with a bucket every step of the way, showing a wide arsenal of skills that included key shots, offensive rebounds and emphatic dunks.
Roosevelt improved to 33-2 with its only losses coming to No. 4 Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) and No. 14 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.).
To get to Saturday's championship game, the Mustangs beat No. 16 St. John Bosco (Bellflower), Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) Redondo Union (Redondo Beach) and Heritage Christian (Northridge).
Notre Dame started the title game with a 9-3 lead paced by Stokes.
Roosevelt locked down on defense and started making 3-point baskets to take a 14-13 lead. The long distance shots kept falling and the Mustangs took a 37-32 lead into halftime.
Senior point guard
Myles Walker had 11 first half points for the Mustangs and continued his success in the second half by drilling a 3-pointer to open the third. He had another big basket from downtown in the fourth quarter and finished with 19 points.
Burries dominated in the second half with 12 points in the third quarter and five more in the fourth quarter.
At one point he scored three baskets in a row to take a 54-47 lead late in the third. Stokes answered right back with five straight points of his own.
Roosevelt led 54-53 at the end of the third quarter and extended that lead to 61-55 with five minutes left. Stokes had another five-point run in him and cut the deficit to 61-60 with 3:54 left.
Then junior
Jackson Haggins and senior New Mexico pledge
Issac Williamson made 3-point baskets as the Roosevelt lead grew to 70-64 with one minute left.
That was enough as the Mustangs held on to win 74-67. Burries and Walker each had 19 points while Williamson had 15 for Roosevelt. Stokes led Notre Dame with 21 points while junior
Zachary White scored 15.
Lino Mark and
NaVorro Bowman Jr. each added 11 points the Knights.
