Junior Zachary White (left) from Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks & senior Brayden Burries from Roosevelt of Eastvale show focus getting ready for inbounds pass during CIF Southern Section Open Div. title game on Saturday in Ontario. Photo: Saturnino Photography.
After losing in the CIF Southern Section Open Division championship last season, Roosevelt of Eastvale makes clutch shots down the stretch and beats Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks on Saturday night in Ontario to win this year’s title. The big matchup of No. 1 vs No. 2 teams in the state could be replayed in the CIF Southern California Open Division finals, but Notre Dame will be the No. 3 seed in those playoffs behind No. 2 St. Joseph (Santa Maria). That was announced Sunday. Go inside for details on the last game plus two other CIFSS finals played Saturday in Ontario.
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One thing the boys hoops team at Roosevelt of Eastvale didn’t want to do in Saturday night’s CIF Southern Section Open Division title game was fall behind its foe, Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks. After all, this No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the state showdown at Toyota Arena in Ontario was a rematch of the Tarkanian Classic title game back in December in Las Vegas. In that game, Notre Dame took a commanding 27-12 lead, only to see Roosevelt storm back to win the tournament title.
In this game, Notre Dame again got off to a quick start, but didn’t get quite that big of a lead. Notre Dame head coach Matt Sargeant knew Roosevelt, the state’s top ranked team, would make a run and it would be a game of swings. Sure enough, state No. 2 Notre Dame went up 9-3, only to see Roosevelt take a 13-11 lead with a 10-2 run. From there, Roosevelt answered every run the Knights could muster to record a 74-67 victory before a sizable crowd of approximately 7,000 fans. The CIFSS also announced 11,625 paid attendees for the evening session.
With the victory, state No. 1 Roosevelt won the program’s first ever CIF Southern Section title after losing in this same No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the state matchup last season versus eventual CIF open champ Harvard-Westlake. In 2017, the Mustangs participated in the 16-team CIFSS open playoffs, but did not win a section title before storming back to win a CIF D1 title. With the win, Roosevelt will earn the top seed in the SoCal open regional playoffs announced Sunday and play the regionals in the friendly confines of the Inland Empire in its quest to win a CIF open state title.
“I knew there was going to be runs; I wanted my team to be even keel, and I don’t think we did a good job there,” Sargeant said.
Roosevelt head coach Stephen Singleton looks towards cameras during team photo shoot after CIFSS Open Division championship. Photo: Saturnino Photography.
After Roosevelt enjoyed a comfortable lead in the third period, Notre Dame (26-7) eventually made its final run and actually took a 55-54 lead on a dunk by physical junior Tyran Stokes on its first possession. The Knights battled, but just couldn’t get to the line to their liking to put pressure on Roosevelt and set up their defense. Roosevelt (32-2) thrives on turning teams over and converting buckets off those turnovers and did just that at opportune times during the fourth period. That was never more apparent than with 1:28 remaining and Notre Dame trailing 67-64, in its half court set. The coaching staff wanted to look to draw a foul going to the basket, but instead, Rutgers-bound Lino Mark took a quick 3-point attempt and the Mustangs got a fast break opportunity. They didn’t score, but when play settled down, Roosevelt made Notre Dame pay when with 1:07 remaining New Mexico-bound ace defender Issac Williamson hit a tough angle 3-pointer off a down screen to give his team an insurmountable 70-64 lead. It was a foul game the rest of the way after Notre Dame couldn’t convert on its ensuing possession.
“We like to turn teams over and in the second half, we converted those,” Singleton said. “We’ve played bigger teams than that and we’re used to playing teams that are taller.
“We’re very happy to make history for Roosevelt and I’m extremely proud of my team. Everyone who got on the floor made big plays. I told the guys all season along, just to be ready. Jackson (Haggins) and Cameron (Anderson) have been ready for us.”
Notre Dame shot over 69 percent from the field through three quarters and out-rebounded Roosevelt, 28-19. The difference was Notre Dame had 13 turnovers to Roosevelt’s seven and both teams went to the charity stripe 13 times. Roosevelt made all 13, while Notre Dame made 6-of-13. For its style of play, Sargeant found it a “wild” stat that his team shot only 13 free throws.
Haggins, who has stepped up in the second half of the season for Roosevelt, finished with nine points, as did Anderson, a candidate for State Freshman of the Year honors. He made all three of his field goal attempts. Senior point guard Myles Walker had 19 points, including five wide open 3-pointers, five assists and four steals. All-American Brayden Burries, still undecided for college and in line for a lucrative Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deal for his next level services, also had 19 points after scoring two points in the first half with his team holding a 37-32 lead. Williamson had 15 points.
“Part of basketball is knowing how to draw fouls,” Sargeant said. “If I had two points at halftime, I would get to the free throw line. Burries is a great player.”
Notre Dame’s Stokes, one of the nation’s best juniors who puts big pressure on defenses and high school referees with his downhill, physical style, finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists despite battling a bloody palm. Rapidly-improving junior Zach White had 15 points and three rebounds. Mark and sophomore NaVorro Bowman each netted 11 points.
“You just can’t win a game if you can’t make free throws or have that many turnovers,” Mark said.
“I had to flip the switch in the second half,” Burries said. “Myles talked to me to tell me who I am and what I needed to do for us to win. This win was a step in the right direction, because I felt like last year we should have won this game. With our mindset, we couldn’t lose this game. To win this and to have a chance to win a state title means alot. This is a step in the right direction, but we get back to practice on Monday.”
The flip this time around is Roosevelt heading into the SoCal Open Division regional as a first-time section champion and the No. 1 seed, instead of having to play a potential regional final on the road. Its players also are ultra focused because of last year’s experience and getting the program’s first section title behind it and looking forward to the state’s ultimate prize.
Historic season continues for Los Al
In the CIFSS D1 final, state No. 20 Los Alamitos continued its terrific post-season with a 63-60 victory over No. 16 Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach) to secure the program’s first CIF Southern Section title since winning back to back in 2006 and 2007. The story of the game was turnovers and momentum swings and Los Alamitos (25-8) got the final swing, as Mira Costa (29-4) trailed by 13 points early in the third period but fought back to tie the game at 54-54 on a free throw by Luke Hammerschimdt.
Jordan Taylor of Los Alamitos has some open court in front of him as Mira Costa’s Christian Kranz gives chase during CIFSS D1 title game. Photo: Saturnino Photography.
The Griffins snatched the momentum back with two consecutive buckets and held on after a series of missed three-pointers down the stretch by Mira Costa and some costly turnovers by both clubs. With 22.9 seconds remaining, Los Al’s Trent Minter made one of two free throws to give his team a 61-57 lead. Mira Costa still had plenty of hope when guard Christian Kranz threw in a running, desperation 3-pointer with nine seconds remaining to make it 61-60, but Los Al’s Wesley Trevino made both free throws to account for the final points.
Mira Costa coach Neal Perlmutter stated his team didn’t take care of the ball against Los Al’s pressure and that was one of the pre-game keys. The Mustangs had 21 turnovers and Los Al nine. Mira Costa out-rebounded the Griffins, 32-24.
“Thank goodness we scored more points than they did,” said 33-year-old Los Alamitos coach Nate Berger, who was a underclass reserve on those championship teams over 15 years ago. “I’m proud of our team and I think our culture and unity got us over the top. We got some big rebounds, as we’re obviously undersized for teams in D1. (Going) 21-9 on turnovers helps when you only shoot 4-of-19 on threes.”
Trevino led Los Alamitos, which lost to three CIFSS open teams during the regular season, with 15 points, while Minter added 14. Trevino and Minter were two of the four seniors on this Los Al team that have all scored 1,000 career points or more. The other two have been Liam Gray and Samori Guyness.
Eneasi Piuleini led Mira Costa, which split with open participant Redondo Union of Redondo Beach, with 17 points, while Kranz finished with 13.
On Sunday, Los Alamitos received the No. 6 seed for the CIF SoCal D1 playoffs while Mira Costa was seeded No. 7. Both will have home games on Tuesday with the Griffins playing Cathedral Catholic of San Diego while the Mustangs are up against Crean Lutheran of Irvine.
San Joaquin League team prevails
In Division 2AA, Fairmont Prep (Anaheim) took down Pacifica Christian (Newport Beach), 64-60, in overtime. With 2:43 to go in regulation, star Fairmont Prep junior center David Abisogun fouled out with his team leading 48-46. It gave the Tritons a glimmer of momentum and with 27.5 seconds remaining an inside half hook by star guard E.J. Spillman gave Pacifica Christian a 53-51 lead. But with 6.8 seconds remaining, guard Oliver Jones of Fairmont Prep was fouled on the floor and he made both foul shots to force overtime.
Jones, who made only 2-of-8 field goals, made two more free throws with 31.9 seconds to go in overtime, and made 8-of-8 down the stretch to help his team beat its San Joaquin League rival for the second time in three tries this season. Jones finished with 13 points. Abisogun, a tremendously improved prospect over the past six months with a 3.9 GPA on a team with a great cumulative GPA, finished with 20 points, 15 rebounds, three assists and three blocks.
Spillman, last week’s Cal-Hi Sports SoCal Player of the Week, led the Tritons with 29 points. They will look to regroup just as they did two years ago when they lost in the section semifinals and rebounded to advance to the CIF D2 state title game. Unfortunately, Pacifica Christian will be in the D1 SoCal playoffs (not D2) and has a tough first-round game at No. 3 Redondo Union.
Fairmont Prep’s next game also will be in the D1 SoCal playoffs on Tuesday on the road at Carlsbad of the CIF San Diego Section.
Ronnie Flores is the managing editor of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at ronlocc1977@gmail.com.
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