Senior guard Kalob Hatcher, a four-year starter for the Knights (23-4), was involved in probably the most memorable 18 seconds of his career.
A better-than-74 percent free-throw shooter on the season, Hatcher missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with the Knights clinging to an 85-84 lead. Windward got the rebound and worked the ball downcourt before calling timeout with 10 seconds remaining. In fact, the Wildcats (17-7) called back-to-back timeouts.
Foothills Christian was unable to protect that one-point lead as Jordan Wilson, who came off the Windward bench to knock down four 3-pointers, looked as if he were going to be the hero of the night as he broke free and drove down the lane. He put the ball up but it never fell threw the net as Foothills post Jvonte Brooks slapped it away.
Brooks was called for goal-tending and Windward led 86-85 with 4.8 seconds remaining.
Turns out that was actually a good play by Brooks. Neither team had any timeouts left but the goal-tending call stopped the clock, while the officials explained the play to the scoring table. That allowed Foothills time to set up a play instead of settling for a desperation shot at the buzzer.
Troy Leaf, Foothills Christian
File photo by Kirt Winter
"I don’t know what (Windward) was thinking," said senior Troy Leaf. "They left Kalob wide open to catch that inbound pass. He’s the fastest guy probably in all of San Diego."
Hatcher streaked toward the basket but was knocked to the floor with four-tenths of a second left. He calmly stepped to the line and put the Knights in the winner’s circle by dropping in both free throws.
"It's not all that often that you get chances for redemption like Kalob got tonight and he didn't let destiny pass him by," said Knights assistant coach James McHugh.
"I think Windward got a little confused when Kalob flew up the court as quick as he did on that last play. A few of their guys kind of looked like they wanted to let him go, thinking perhaps there was not enough time to score, and then he got hacked. I'll give it to their kid (who committed a foul). He almost caused a jump ball, but he had lots of body and lots of wrist. It was the right call."
Hatcher finished with 18 points and 11 assists.
"I was glad to get a second chance," Hatcher admitted. "I made two mistakes there at the end. I knew I had to make up for it. Big players have to make big plays, so being one of the top players on our team I knew I had to make those free throws."
No one was any "bigger" than the 6-foot-3 Leaf, who landed 15 of 25 field-goal attempts and all five free throws to finish with a game-high 36 points to go along with 11 assists.
MaxPreps.com has Foothills Christian ranked No. 1 in California’s Division V ratings. Windward came into this game ranked No. 2. Earlier in the season, the Knights defeated No. 3-ranked La Verne Lutheran 83-80.
"The best part about tonight is that we paved our way," McHugh said. "We basically said that the state playoffs go through us. We really control our own destiny. But if we can manage a fourth straight section title, filling out that state playoff paperwork is going to be really nice and easy.
"We get to say we beat No. 2 and we beat No. 3, and they were both ranked No. 2 when we played them so there's no way they can refuse us the No. 1 seed," McHugh added.
Foothills Christian has reached the semifinals of the Division V Southern California playoffs the past two seasons.
"We’d like to take it all the way this time," Leaf said.
For Windward, junior Wesley Saunders knocked down 25 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while teammate Nicholas Stover added 25 points, hitting 9 of 11 shots from the field.
Compton Centennial clips San Diego Hoover
The Cardinals of San Diego Hoover faltered for one stretch and it cost them as they fell to visiting Compton Centennial in a battle of state powers. The Apaches embarked on a 16-0 second quarter run that made the difference in Centennial’s 80-68 victory.
The Apaches’ Kevin Smith, a 6-foot-1 forward, was Centennial’s pacemaker with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Hoover’s 6-9 junior post Angelo Chol led the Cardinals with 21 points and 12 rebounds. However, Chol, the nation’s premier shot blocker, rejected only two shots against Centennial.
Angelo Chol, Hoover
File photo by Kirt Winter
Cavers club Bishop’s in San Diego upset
Sophomore Tia Dixon scored 20 points, most coming on four 3-pointers in a battle of CIF-SDS top 10 girls basketball teams. Dixon pushed her career scoring total to 1,029 points as No. 7 San Diego upset No. 3 Bishop’s 64-53. Sophomore post Amie Callaway pitched in with 11 points and 15 rebounds for the Cavers (25-5). Junior point guard Alissa Campanero paced the Knights (21-5) with 21 points.
Other top performances
— Bonita Vista’s Ron Pietila is one of only four girls soccer coaches in the nation to reach the 500-victory plateau. Pietila, who began coaching at the high school level in 1972, owns a record of 503-104-79.
— Mount Miguel senior guard A.J. Stanford scored 28 points and gathered 10 rebounds as the Matadors downed Spring Valley rival Monte Vista 76-65 in a Grossmont Valley League game.
— Senior Nathan Urquhart of Escondido had 19 points, including four 3-pointers in an Avocado League win over Fallbrook and scored 20 points – 14 in the fourth quarter – to go along with six 3-pointers in a come-from-behind win over Mission Hills.
— Wrestler Bryan Grubbs of La Costa Canyon, won the 127-pound title at the La Mesa Helix Robert Jenkins Memorial Tournament with three pins in three matches.
— Coronado sophomore point guard Daniel Hebert scored 25 points, grabbed seven rebounds and made five steals to lead the Islanders past Crawford.
— La Costa Canyon’s Drew Kitchens netted 41 points and seven 3-pointers in Avocado League wins over Mission Hills and San Pasqual.
— Max McCarthy, a 6-6 senior, nailed five 3-pointers and finished with 21 points as the Ravens rocked La Jolla Country Day 65-49.
— Spring Valley Monte Vista senior Tony Jackson was a pillar for the Monarchs with 24 points and nine rebounds against Mount Miguel.
Coming attractions
Hoover (19-5), the top-ranked boys basketball team in the CIF-SDS, looks to wrap up the Eastern League championship when the Cardinals (6-0 league) travel to Morse 19-6, 5-1) on Thursday. The Cardinals tamed the Tigers 68-44 in the first round meeting.
Dickens dealings
Weather, which rarely is a factor for spring teams in the SDS, may be this season. That is, the current surge of El Ni
