Monte Vista celebrates its first Northern California title, a Division I overtime win over Freedom.
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
Monte Vista (Danville) 59, Freedom (Oakley) 51 (OT)
Elliot Smith, Freedom
Photo by Todd Shurtleff
When Freedom's
Elliot Smith banked in a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime, top seed Monte Vista didn't waver. The Mustangs (31-1) fell behind 51-49, then scored the final 10 points en route to its first NorCal title against a determined Freedom team (26-7) it had beaten soundly twice earlier.
Two free throws by Cal Poly-SLO signee
Trevor John (12 points) put Monte Vista ahead 53-51 and consecutive 3-pointers by
Grant Jackson (14 points) and
Brendan Pedley (13) put this one away. The Mustangs will play Centennial (Corona) in next week's state championship game.
Smith was everywhere with 19 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks. But as well as Freedom played and seemed somewhat destined with Smith's banker, Monte Vista's experience with five senior starters was too much. Center
Spencer Rust added eight points and nine rebounds.
"We didn't come too far to lose on a big shot like that," said Jackson, who had four steals. "We just huddled together like we always do and said, we got four minutes to go. Let's get after it."
Freedom coach Drew Torres thought his team carried out its defensive plan "to perfection." The Falcons, who lost 71-54 and 57-41 earlier this season, stayed close and then took a brief 33-31 lead late in the third quarter following a 6-0 run.
Rodney Pope (12 points) made one of his three 3-pointers in the run.
Monte Vista came right back and looked like it knocked Freedom out with a 10-0 run, capped with a 3-pointer from
Rishi Satoor (12 points), to go up 41-33. But Freedom battled back and eventually tied the game at 46 on a putback by
Kendall Mcintosh. John drilled a 3-pointer with 1:14 left to make it 49-46 and the score remained that way until Smith's dramatic and unlikely buzzer-beater.
"It felt good when it left my hand and rattled in," Smith said. "But bottom line we lost. We gave a great effort. We played our hearts out. But they got us."
Monte Vista 59, Freedom 51FREEDOM (26-7)Nathan Mallett 2-8 1-2 7, Elliot Smith 8-19 2-3 19, Rodney Pope 4-15 1-2 12, Kendall McIntosh 4-5 0-0 8, Joe Mixon 1-5 1-2 3, Nick Evans 0-1 0-0 0, Donovan Pop 2-2 2, Stephen Roxas 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 19-54 7-11 51.
MONTE VISTA (31-1)Trevor John 4-11 2-2 12, Brendan Pedley 5-8 1-1 13, Grant Jckson 5-12 2-2 14, Rishi Satoor 3-6 3-4 12, Spencer Rust 1-8 6-7 8, Joseph Mileski 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-48 14-16 59.
Freedom 7 13 13 16 2 — 51
Monte Vista 12 13 11 13 10 — 59
3-point goals: Freedom 6-17 (Pope 3, Mallett 2, Smith), Monte Vista 9-20 (Satoor 3, John 2, Pedley 2, Jackson 2).
Rebounds: Freedom 41 (Smith 14), Monte Vista 28 (Rust 9).
Assists: Freedom 3, Monte Vista 2.
Turnovers: Freedom 17, Monte Vista 12.
Next page: D2 boys — Nothing holds back Folsom over Cosumnes Oaks
