CIF State basketball Saturday: Oak Ridge stun No. 4 Long Beach Poly; Westchester wins again

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Updates from Saturday’s CIF State Championships at Rabobank Arena.

Division I girls

Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills 55, Long Beach Poly 42

In one of the biggest upsets in state history, Stanford-bound Sara James had 26 points, Dakota McLarnan added 14 points and Oak Ridge (32-3) went on an 11-0 run after Poly (32-3) tied the game at 40-40 with 5:08 remaining. Poly, the nation’s fourth-ranked team, was trying to be the first girls team to win five straight state titles.

Oak Ridge fought back from a 13-6 deficit early, but took their first lead at 20-17 with 3:07 left in the first half by James, a 5-foot-10 senior who fouled out in the final minute.

Oak Ridge would never give up the lead from there, though Poly eventually caught up at 40-40 on a turnaround jumper by Sheila Boykin with 5:08 left.

Most in the building thought Poly would take off from there.

Instead, it was all Oak Ridge as Natalie Stone made two free throws, McLarnan drilled a 3-pointer and Carly Bettencourt convered a driving layup.

Oak Ridge was in total control from there.

Poly got 13 points from Tajanae Winston, but made just 14 of 48 shots (29 percent) and committed 19 turnovers. The Jackrabbits had trouble penetrating Oak Ridge's stellar zone defense. 

Oak Ridge 55, Long Beach Poly 42

LONG BEACH POLY (32-4)

Ariya Crook-Williams 1-12 2-2 4, Brittany Wilson 2-7 2-2 7, Tajanae Winston 5-8 3-5 13, Sheila Boykin 2-10 0-1 4, Destiny King 1-1 2-2 5, Jazzmine Shirley 0-2 0-0 0, Ashlee Johnson 0-1 0-0 Olivia Montgomery 0-3 0-0 0, Ta'nitra Byrd 3-4 3-5 9, Totals 14-48 12-17 42. 

OAK RIDGE (32-3)

Carly Bettencourt 1-2 4-4 6, Natalie Stone 1-4 5-8 7, Sara James 8-12 9-10 26, Caitlin Welsch 0-2 0-2 0, Megan Griswold 0-0 0-0 0, Stefanie Walberg 1-1 0-0 2, Dakota McLarnan 4-9 2-2 14. Totals 15-30 20-26 55. 

Long Beach Poly     13   10   11   8   -  42

Oak Ridge              11    18    9   17 -  55

3-point goals: Poly 2-15 (Wilson, King), Oak Ridge 5-14 (McLarnan 4, James). Rebounds: Poly 31 (Winston, Boykin 6), Oak Ridge 25 (James 6). Turnovers: Poly 19, Oak Ridge 20.  

Division I boys

Westchester (Los Angeles, Calif.) 63, Newark Memorial (Newark, Calif.) 56

The nation's No. 4 team huffed and puffed but could never quite blow the undersized and over-achieving Newark Memorial Cougars away.

But mission was accomplished.

They Comets (32-3) kept the upset-minded the Cougars (30-5) at bay, utlizing their array of athletic and skilled players, led by 16 points from 6-foot-9 senior Reggie Murphy, 12 by Denzel Douglas and 11 from Jordin Mayes.

They won their second straight and sixth state crown without a defeat.  

Newark trailed by 16 early in the third quarter but went on a 10-0 run to close to 34-28. That's as close as the Cougars would get despite a game-high 25 points from Khion Sankey and 12 by Kendall Andrews. Desite being only 6-4, Sankey and Andrews had game highs of 10 rebounds.

Westchester shot a sizzling 56 percent from the floor (23 of 41) and used a 17-7 run in the second quarter to take control.

"It's a credit to the kids and it's a great relief," Westchester coach Ed Azzam said. "It's been a lot of pressure to repeat and the kids did it. I'll tell you what though, that's a tough team we just beat. I didn't feel comfortable until the final 12 seconds. If they asked us to play two out of three, I don't think I'd take them up on it."

Westchester 63, Newark Memorial 56

WESTCHESTER (32-3)

Dwayne Polee 3-8 1-2 7, Menas Stephens 1-2 2-2 4, Jordin Mayes 4-7 3-5 11, Kareem Jamar 6-12 2-2 16, Reggie Murphy 2-4 1-2 5, Denzel Douglas 4-5 2-4 12, Tre'vonne Williams 3-3 2-2 8. Totals 23-41 13-19 63.

NEWARK MEMORIAL (30-5)

Isaih Clark 2-6 0-2 4, Casey Norris 0-4 2-2 2, Khion Sankey 9-20 5-9 25, Gavin Presley 1-2 0-0 0, Jisuan Randle 3-4 0-1 7, Shykill Byrd 1-4 0-0 3, Kendall Andrews 3-11 6-14 12. Totals 19-51 13-28 56.

Westchester          13  17  11  22  -  63

Newark Memorial   11    7  15  23  -  56

3-point goals: Westchester 4-11 (Jamar, Douglas). Newark Memorial 5-10 (Sankey 2, Presley, Randle, Byrd). Rebounds: Westchester 30 (Polee 6), Newark Memorial 30 (Sankey, Andrews, 10). Turnvoers: Westchester 13, Newark Memorial 15.

Division III boys

Serra (Gardena, Calif.) 63, Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif.) 59 (OT)

It was everything everyone anticipated and more. Four minutes more in fact.

The Dragons and Cavaliers staged an all-out, end-to-end war that was ultimate decided by Serra's depth and will and spirit.

With the win, Serra (34-2) became the first school in state history to win a state football and basketball champions.

Keith Shamburger had 14 points and Steven Archibald added 12, but eight other Serra players scored, including one key bucket each from Ronnie Steve, Bene Benwickere, George Farmer and Steve Hester.

It helped offset huge efforts from 6-8 sophomore Brandon Ashley (17 points, 13 rebounds), Jordan Barton (nine points, 15 reounds) and reserve guard Nick Capiti (12 points), who helped O'Dowd (30-4) back from a 10-point fourth quarter deficit.

Serra's uber quick press forced 29 turnovers but Capiti helped the Dragons get into offense. They used a 16-6 fourth-quarter run to close to 54-53 after a 3-pointer from J.T. Thomas.in the final minute. Barton, a 6-5 manchild, eventually grabbed a putback with 5.5 seconds left in regulation and was fouled.

After swishing the first and a timeout, the Dragons were called for a lane violation before Barton was able to shoot the ball. That led to overtime.

"That was on me," O'Dowd coach Doug Vierra said. "I should have made it clear that we were going to have just one on the line. It was a communiction problem."

That led to overtime, where Serra scored seven of the first eight points, on a 3-pointer by Farmer, a frew throw by Stevens and a steal, coast-to-coast drive and layup from Marquis Lee (six points, team-high 11 rebounds). But O'Dowd, like it did all night, fought right back on a 3-point play by Capiti and a free throw from Thomas, the latter with 28.4 seconds left.

Shamburger missed two free throws with 18.0 seconds left, but there was Stevens to take advantage. He picked off the rebound of Ashley and banked home his only bucket. "During the timeout coach reminded us what we were playing for," Stevens said.

And it was more than just for a state final.

It was for that spirit - starting guard Vaughn Autry's father Stephen who passed away earlier this month due to complications from leukemia. Serra coach Dwan Hurt promised Stephen he would get the Cavaliers to Bakersfield and the team has worn black uniforms in his honor.

So, after Lee blocked a 3-point attempt by Thomas and forced a turnover, it was fitting Vaughn Autry went to the free throw line with a chance to cinch the win with 8.0 seconds left. He said he felt the presence of his dad sitting in the stands watching him play.

"I told him I just needed one," Vaughn Autry said. "(If he was alive) he would have told me to just make the shot man."

And Vaughn did and eight seconds later, setting off a wild celebration.

A few minutes later, in scheduled separate press conferences, O'Dowd players were understandably subdued. They had played their hearts off, obviously. They left it all on the court. But they were kicking themselves for missing 13 free throws and committng all those turnovers.

"Everyone is hurting and they're not going to want to talk for a while," Vierra said. "I tell you what, that was a heck of a comeback."

Serra players were understandably giddy, describing plays like Benwickere's spectacular flying following dunk and three-point play in the third quarter.

But the floor ultimately got to Vaughn, who somehow stayed composed.

"This is the probably the best experience I've had in my life," he said. "Losing my dad was hard, but this team, these guys are like having 14 brothers."

Serra 63, Bishop O'Dowd 59

SERRA (34-2)

Vaughn Autry 3-13 1-2 9, Criag Carter 2-10 0-0 5, Jordan Mithcell 0-1 3-5 3, Keith Shamburger 5-18 3-7 14, Ronnie Stevens 1-5 3-4 5, Steven Archibald 5-8 0-0 12, Bene Benwickere 1-3 1-1 3, George Farmer 1-3 0-0 3, Steven Hester 1-2 0-0 3, Marquise Lee 3-7 0-2 6. Totals 22-70 11-21 63.

BISHOP O'DOWD (30-4)

Brandon Ashley 6-12 5-7 17, Jordan Barton 3-7 3-9 9, Anders haas 3-4 0-0 6, Richard Longrus 3-7 0-0 6, James Thomas 2-6 1-2 7, Nick Capiti 2-5 8-12 12, Terrence King 1-2 0-0 2, Alex Martin 0-1 0-0 2. Totals 20-44 17-30 59.

Serra     11   17   20   6   9  - 63

O'Dowd    9  15   14   16  5  - 59

3-point goals: Serra 8-35, O'Dowd 2-7. Rebounds: Serra 40 (Lee 11), O'Dowd 43 (Barton 15). Turnovers: Serra 17, O'Dowd 29.

Division III girls

St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.) 89, Bishop Amat (La Puente, Calif.) 41

The Rams, ranked No. 1 in the country, made it perfectly clear. They weren't just playing for a state championship but a national crown as well.

The showed a sparse but certainly impressed crowd at Rabobank Arena all their vast skills while breaking a state CIF title-game record for points and margin of victory.

And the Rams did it with a running clock throughout the fourth quarter, otherwise they likely would have scored 100.

"We were hoping they wouldn't shoot the ball real well because of the new surroundings (none of the players on either team had played at Rabobank)," Bishop Amat coach Richard Wiard said. "But our hopes weren't answered obviously."

Obviously.

Ali Gibson drilled a 3-pointer in the first 20 seconds and the Rams (34-1) were on their way to onslaught, drilling 13 3-pointers in 22 attempts (54 percent) and shooting 37 of 61 overall (61 percent).

The team's McDonald's All-Americans led the charge as Duke-bound Chelsea Gray (20 points, eight assists) and Afure Jemerigbe (19 points) had huge games. Teammates Gibson (13 points), Kendall Kenyon (12) also added some needed relief.

St. Mary's-Berkeley 89, Bishop Amat 41

BISHOP AMAT (27-8)

Andrea Villanueva 1-1 0-0 2, Vianai Austin 1-10 2-2 4, Michelle Yamamoto 2-4 0-0 6, Arieele Wideman 4-11 3-5 11, Leticia Galarza 1-2 0-0 2, Leeah Powell 2-6 1-3 5, Gina henderson 2-3 4-4 8, Alexis Wideman 1-7 1-2 3. Totals 14-44 11-16 41.

ST. MARY'S (34-1)

Chelsea Gray 7-14 2-2 20, Afure Jemerigbe 9-14 0-0 19, Ali Gibson 5-8 0-0 13, Annissa Garcia 4-7 1-1 6, Onome Jemerigbe 1-1 0-0 2, Kendall Kenyon 6-7 0-0 12, Emily Gonsalves 3-4 0-0 9, Unique Coleman 0-3 0-2 0. Totals 37-61 3-6 89.

3-point goals: Bishop Amat 2-6 (Yamamoto 2), St. Mary's 12-22 (Gray 4, Gibson 3, Gonsalves 3, A. Jemerigbe, Moreno). Rebounds: Amat 34 (Wideman, Powell 8), O'Dowd 24 (Gray 6). Assists: Amat 5, St. Mary's 14 (Gray 8). Turnovers: Amat 24, St. Mary's 7.

Division V boys

Lutheran (La Verne, Calif.) 35, Branson (Ross, Calif.) 32 

Down 10 against Branson in the second half is like being down 20 against most squads.

The Bulls, in their slow, methodical, precise way, are a difficult matchup for any squad, especially those who love to speed it up and play on the run. A team like Lutheran, for instance.

So, when his team fell behind 25-15 early in the third quarter, Lutheran coach made no bones about it: his team was in trouble.

"It didn't look good," Lutheran coach Eric Cooper. "It didn't feel good."

But this is the same Lutheran team that fought back from a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit last week to beat defending state champion Windward.

So slowly, methodically and then rapidly with a pair of steals and buckets, the Trojans clawed back, took the lead, gave it back and then regained it in about as good a game featuring just 67 points imagineable.

Three fastbreak hoops by Bruce English (10 points) and another by Eric Cooper helped Lutheran take a 31-27 lead with 3:29 left.

The Bulls (25-7) took the lead back on a 3-pointer from Adam Boone and steal, coast-to-coast drive and layup from Tyler Gaffanay (game-high 16 points), making 32-31 with 2:24 left.

But Carl Cooper made a tough leaner in the lane with 1:01 left and Kevin Payne made two free throws with 25.0 seconds left. Three-pointers by Boone and Josh Konstin missed down the stretch and Lutheran captured its first title in first try.

Lutheran 35, Branson 32

LUTHERAN (27-8)

Carl Cooper 3-9 2-3 8, Eric Cooper 3-9 0-0 6, Bruce English 4-11 2-3 10, Grant Jerrett 3-3 3-4 9, Nick Colleta 0-1 0-0 0, Kevin Payne 0-2 2-2 2-2 2. Totals 13-35 9-12 35.

BRANSON (25-7)

Kenny Rabin 0-4 0-0 0, Tyler Gaffaney 6-14 2-2 16, Eli Morris 1-3 0-0 2, Josh Konstin Marci Viti 1-1 0-0 2, Adam Boone 3-10 0-0 8. Totals 12-37 4-4 32.

Lutheran     8   8   10   9  -   35

Branson     11 12   4   5   -  32

3-point goals: Lutheran 0-4, Branson 4-19 (Gaffaney 2, Boone 2). Rebounds: Lutheran 24 (Jerrett 9), Branson 25 (Gabe Moynihan 7). Turnovers: Lutheran 14, Branson 14.

Division V girls

Pinewood-Los Altos Hills (26-6) vs. St. Anthony-Long Beach (26-9)

Final: Pinewood 62, St. Anthony 44

Pinewood had a reason to be good Saturday.

The Panthers lost in the state finals last year. They lost to Saturday's opponent St. Anthony earlier in the season at the Nike Tournament of Champions. Their coach Doc Scheppler had been in four previous state title games, winning three.

But no one - not Scheppler himself - expected the Panthers to be this good.

They took control from the opening tap, led start to finish and beat a young, but much taller and a talented squad led by a coach who won three state titles on the court at nationally-knowned Narbonne-Harbor City.

They utilized each of their small but mighty weapons led by 17 points from Miranda Seto, 16 from Hailie Eackles and 13 by Jenna McLoughlin, who didn't play in the first meeting against St. Anthony (26-10). 

"That's as well as any of our teams have played in a big-game setting," Scheppler said. 

There were definitely signs this was coming.  

Early in the second quarter, Pinewood senior guard Emily Liang drove toward the lane and lost the handle slightly.

"I didn't want to lose it so I just wanted to tip it to somone," she said.

From just below the free throw line, she tipped it straight into the basket, drawing a giant groan from the largely vacant Rabobank Arena and a giant smile from the entire Pinewood bench.

"You don't see that every day," Pinewood coach Doc Sheppler said. "When a shot like that goes in you know it's your day."

The team's tallest player at 5-10, McLoughlin helped Pinewood improve a 53-15 rebounding desparity it enduried at the Nike TOC, but not by a long way. St. Anthony, which got 11 points from Jordan Jackson, held a 41-25 edge on Saturday.

But McLoughlin's presence in the middle no doubt helped, as did a near perfect game plan carried out to perfection.

"Pinewood played a great game and (Scheppler) definitely outcoached me," St. Anthony coach james Anderson said. "They made adjustments after the first game and we didn't. That's on me."

It helps when you're making shots and the Panthers did that, from all spots on the court. They made 6 of 18 3-pointers by five different players, including two by point guard Kelsey Morehead (eight points). Eackles and Seto made a variety of driving hoops, many of the spectacular variety.

None, of course, were more amazing that Liang's 14-foot tip shot.

"We hit a lot of big ones, but that one definitey deserved an OMG," Scheppler said.

The whole performance kind of did.

Pinewood 62, St. Anthony 44

ST. ANTHONY (26-10)

Jordan Jackson 4-12 2-2 11, Talor Hixon 2-6 0-0 4, Paris Lamar 0-2 0-0 0, Rina Towne 2-8 4-4 8, Jourdan Cooper 3-6 1-1 8, Breanna Panaguitan 0-1 0-0 0, Natalie Williams 2-4 0-0 4, Kendall Cooper 3-7 1-2 7, Sydney Heard 0-2 1-2 1, Raquel Johnson 1-6 0-0 2. Totals 17-54 9-11 44.

PINEWOOD 62 ( 27-6)

Kelsey Morehead 3-6 0-0 8, Jenna McLoughlin 5-9 3-4 13, Emily Liang 2-6 0-0 5, Hailie Eackles 4-13 7-7 16, Miranda Seto 7-11 2-2 17, Lauren Taniguichi 1-3 0-0 3, Angelina Mapa 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 22-49 12-13 62.

3-pointers: St. Anthony 1-10 (Jackson), Pinewood 6-18 (Morehead 2, Liang, Eackles, Seto, Taniguchi). Rebounds: St. Anthony 41 (Cooper 8), Pinewood 25 (Eackles 7). Turnovers: St. Anthony 20, Pinewood 11.

FIRST QUARTER: It couldn't have gone much better for Pinewood, which scored about every way possible, including 3-pointers from three different players - Miranda Seto, Hallie Eackles and Kelsey Morehead.

As expected, St. Anthony dominated rebounding on the offensive end, but it converted few putbacks. The Panthers meanwhile forced six turnovers, and scored eight points off them en route to a 15-8 lead. PINEWOOD 15, ST. ANTHONY 8.

SECOND QUARTER: More good stuff from Pinewood as it extends its halftime to 12 with a near perfect first half.

The Panthers made 12 of 23 shots, forced 10 turnovers and Eackles, a terrific 5-8 junior guard, began to take over. She scored on a pair of driving fastbreak hoops as the Panthers took a 34-22 lead. She had 10 points, Jenna McLoughlin made three of four shots and had seven and despite being outrebounded 23-13, Pinewood looks in complete command.

Jordan Jackson is keeping St. Anthony close with seven points and five rebounds. PINEWOOD 34, ST. ANTHONY 22.

It's hard to see at this point how St. Anthony beat Pinewood the first outing, 43-42 on Dec. 22. Then again Pinewood is playing a nearly flawless game. 

THIRD QUARTER: More of the same as Pinewood is putting on a clinic. Emily Liang opened the second half with a 3-pointer, Seto drove in for a hoop and Eackles goes end-to-end for another hoop. After a driving layup by St. Anthony's Kendall Cooper, the Panthers rattled off seven more in a row on a Seto jumper, Kelsey Morehead 3-pointer and two free throws from McLoughlin.

This one is over. Pinewood lead 48-22 with 3:09 left in the quarter.

The impressive part for the Panthers is everyone is on their "A" game. They have contributions all around.

PINEWOOD 56, ST. ANTHONY 34.

FOURTH QUARTER: Wow. The onslaught continues. As Eackles took over in the second and third, Seto is now taking command in fourth with three consecutive buckets, all on pretty driving layups. St. Anthony can never take advantage of its huge height edge. FINAL: Pinewood 62, St. Anthony 44.