After playing three games in five days to reach this point, there is no more waiting, except for the excruciatingly long seven days the California Interscholastic Federation painfully wedged between the Southern California Regional semifinals and finals.
The wait, though, will probably be worth it.
Kareem Jamar had 12 points in Westchester's semifinal win.
File photo by David Hood
and
Westchester (Los Angeles) – the best of the Southern Section against the best of the City Section – will meet on March 20 at the Galen Center after both programs won on Saturday against spirited opponents.
Mater Dei (32-1) went to the wire against Taft (Woodland Hills), the No. 2 team from the City Section, in its 75-73 victory. Likewise, Westchester (31-3) had to come from behind against Poly (Long Beach) in the second half in order to keep alive hopes of successfully defending its Division I state title; the Comets won, 67-53.
Mater Dei is ranked No. 6 and Westchester 19 in the Xcellent 25 national ranking.
In the computer-based Freeman Ratings, Mater Dei is No. 3 nationally, Westchester is No. 6, Taft is 34 and Poly is 46. Statewide, Mater Dei is No. 1, Westchester is No. 2, Taft is 5 and Poly is 7.
Most nights, Mater Dei's three leading scorers – in some order – are Tyler Lamb, Gary Franklin and Keala King. But against Taft, Katin Reinhardt broke up that triumvirate. Even though King had what might be considered an off night with foul trouble – 10 points, 10 rebounds – Reinhardt picked up the slack with 15 points.
Lamb was typically brilliant with 21, and Franklin scored 19, including a pair of free throws that gave Mater Dei the lead for good, 69-68. Lamb then hit a three-point basket at 1:21 for a 72-68 advantage. There would not be a 16th lead change between the schools.
Pierson Williams scored 24 for Taft, which held a 39-35 halftime lead. Bryce Jones, who had been spectacular throughout the playoffs, including the three-point buzzer-beater to defeat Leuzinger (Lawndale) on Thursday, made two free throws and a three-point basket to pull Taft to within 75-73.
Deandre Daniels added 17 for Taft; after grabbing a rebound with just a couple of seconds remaining, his halfcourt shot hit the backboard. Jones finished with 12 points.
For awhile, it looked like Westchester was in even more dire straits that Mater Dei. The Comets trailed at halftime, 33-26, as Dwayne Polee Jr., was plagued by foul trouble. Down by as many as eight points, a third quarter surge pushed Westchester to a 43-40 lead going into the fourth.
Polee finished with 22 points, while Kareem Jamar had scored 12 and Reggie Murphy 11.
Notes from the Southern California Regionals
Boys: Compton (Compton) avenged a 69-48 loss to defending Division II state champion Eisenhower (Rialto) in December as the Tarbabes (21-13) became an unlikely finalist in Division II with a 64-61 upset of top-seeded Eisenhower. . . . Top-seeded Serra (Gardena) rallied from a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Ocean View (Huntington Beach), 50-45, behind Marquise Lee, who had 16 points, and Keith Shamburger, who had 12, in Division III. . . . Third-seeded Centennial (Compton) benefited from missed free throws, just as Gahr (Cerritos) had a round earlier, in a 83-77 victory. Gahr was only 15 of 30 from the line, while Centennial made 25 of 28. Deonte Burton scored 34 for Centennial, outdueling Gahr's Davon Potts, who scored 24. . . . Price (Los Angeles) beat Pacific Hills (Los Angeles), 59-50, and Parker (San Diego) beat Horizon (San Diego) 77-65, to set up a final between the two top-seeded teams in Division IV. . . . To avenge a one-point loss from earlier this season, fourth-seeded Windward (Los Angeles) overcame a 21-8 first quarter deficit to beat Foothills Christian (El Cajon) 78-73, in overtime. The Wildcats trailed by five points going into the fourth quarter. . . . Grant Jerrett scored 27 points, 19 in the second half, to lead Lutheran (La Verne) to a 67-50 victory over Maranatha Christian (San Diego, Calif.).
Brea Olinda won, but Alexis Perry is out for the year.
File photo by Dirk Dewachter
Girls: Brittany Wilson scored 21 of her 27 points in the first half to help top-seeded Poly (Long Beach) roll, 80-53, in Division I against the bigger lineup of Summit (Fontana) which trailed only 21-17 after one quarter. . . . Brianna Orlich scored 39 as second-seeded Clovis West (Fresno) defeated Santa Monica, 61-57. . . . Kelsey Harris scored 21 as top-seeded Brea Olinda, ranked No. 2 in the nation, scored a 68-46 victory over Yosemite (Oakhurst). Brea played without junior point guard Alexis Perry, who suffered a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus in Thursday's game. It is a critical loss for the Ladycats who will play No. 3 Mater Dei in the Division II Regional finals. Mater Dei has lost only twice in the last two seasons -- both times to Brea, including last year's Regional final. . . . Mater Dei (Santa Ana) got a season-high 29 points from Jessica Duarte and a typical 21 from Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis to beat third-seeded Hanford, 70-61. . . . Arielle Wideman scored 17 points and Bishop Amat (La Puente) played tough defense and got more balanced scoring in a 58-48 victory over top-seeded Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) in Division III. Melissa Zornig scored 28 in a losing cause. . . . DeAjanae Scurry had 35 points and 15 rebounds to lead third-seeded Inglewood to a 85-60 road victory over Mount Miguel (Spring Valley). . . . Top-seeded Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood) scored a 78-56 victory over St. Joseph (Santa Maria) in Division IV. . . . Third-seeded Bishop Montgomery (Torrance) came back from a 26-16 deficit and defeated second-seeded La Jolla Country Day, 61-54. Chelsey Aron scored 14 for Montgomery, and Devon Brookshire and Kristen Ale scored 13 apiece. . . . St. Anthony (Long Beach) got seven points and 11 rebounds apiece from sisters Kendall Cooper, a freshman, and Jourdan Cooper, a junior, in a 49-26 victory over St. Bernard (Playa del Rey). St. Anthony allowed only one field goal in the second half. . . . Third-seeded Montclair Prep (Van Nuys) scored a 52-45 victory over second-seeded View Park (Los Angeles).
