The Monarchs wipe out a 17-point halftime deficit to defeat the Mustangs in a Southern Section Division 1 boys' basketball semifinal playoff game.
Forty-five minutes before tipoff Friday night, Santa Ana Mater Dei boys’ basketball coach Gary McKnight sat patiently at his desk, his cluttered office looking more like an airy trophy case than a workplace.
The Monarchs’ position in the Southern Section basketball landscape is well-known, the collection of Southern Section and state championship trophies in McKnight’s office serving as blatant proof. But this has been a bit of a strange season for the program — falling to Division 1 in the Southern Section playoffs with a young team.
McKnight isn’t just coaching for this season, he said in January. He’s coaching with an eye to two years from now. Maybe three. But down 17 at the half in Friday’s semifinal against Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, McKnight threw the game plan out the window and let his young bucks roam free, the Monarchs looking like veterans in a raucous 60-54 comeback win.Mater Dei advances to the Division 1 finals Feb. 25 against Etiwanda, which beat Anaheim Canyon 67-57.
Mater Dei, which relies on three-pointers, made only one in the first half. And on the other end, Mira Costa’s offense simply overwhelmed in a whirlwind of ball and player movement, touch-passing and quick-hitting in transition for easy buckets. Late in the first quarter, senior guard Will Householter waved off any other action to attack off a screen-and-roll, extended for an and-one-finish after a Mustangs fan in the stands yelled “he can’t guard you,” and Mira Costa went into halftime a bundle of smiles and high-fives.
Österreich Neuesten Nachrichten, Österreich Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
Frank McManus hired to replace Bruce Rollinson as Mater Dei football coachMcManus has been part of the Mater Dei program for 16 years and served as an assistant coach on the school’s two recent national championship teams.
Weiterlesen »
Frank McManus to replace Bruce Rollinson as football coach at Mater DeiDefensive backs coach Frank McManus is promoted to head coach at Mater Dei, taking over for the retiring Bruce Rollinson.
Weiterlesen »
Harvard-Westlake boys basketball tops West Ranch, but won’t play in Open Division finalHarvard-Westlake beat West Ranch in the final round of Open Division pool play, but won’t play in the Open final due to tie breaking rules.
Weiterlesen »
Los Osos girls basketball team overcomes slow start, pulls away from Louisville in Division 3AA quarterfinalJackie Polk and Hailey Estrada scored 20 and 18 points, respectively, as the top-seeded Grizzlies advance to the semifinals.
Weiterlesen »
Ruling Taliban display rare division in public over bansISLAMABAD (AP) — A rare public show of division within the ranks of Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban emerged in recent days when Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, a powerful government figure, gave a speech seen as implicit criticism of the movement’s reclusive supreme leader.
Weiterlesen »
Wednesday’s NCS basketball playoffs: Another top team unhappy about Open Division rejectionBoys: Campolindo rolls past Vintage, Las Lomas stays hot. Girls: Miramonte wins its 23rd game, advances to the quarterfinals.
Weiterlesen »