La Canada wins Southern Section Division 3AA boys’ title

Dario CiVon made two free throws with 12.6 seconds left, then caught an outlet pass from Matt Faber after a missed three-pointer and ran out the clock as La Canada upset Los Angeles Price, 50-47, in the Southern Section Division 3AA boys’ championship game Thursday afternoon at the Anaheim Convention Center.

The third-seeded Spartans (28-3) never trailed and led by eight points midway through the fourth quarter, but Askia Booker’s layup tied it, 46-46, with 2:03 left. Faber and Michael McGlashan each scored 14 points and CiVon added 13 for La Canada, which won its first section title since 1992.

With the Spartans ahead, 48-47, Booker stole the ball but missed a layup and Skylar Spencer missed a follow-up dunk. Booker fouled CiVon with 12.6 seconds left and he made both free throws to give La Canada a 50-47 lead. Booker’s tying three-pointer was short and Faber lobbed a pass to CiVon streaking across midcourt. Rather than try a layup, CiVon dribbled back toward his own basket as time expired.

“I wasn’t going to lay that up,” CiVon said of the final play. “It was almost a surreal moment to be that open. I was thinking of what Kobe [Bryant] did at the end of the NBA Finals.”

Chance Murray scored 17 points for the top-seeded Knights (22-7), who were held to their lowest point total of the season and fell short of an 11th section title in 13 years. Price trailed, 39-25, before closing the first half on a 10-0 run.

Mesa Grande Academy 48, Arcadia Rio Hondo Prep 44: Rachel Tohm made the clinching free throws with 4.3 seconds left for the top-seeded Cardinals in the girls’ Division 6AA final. Jennifer Dupper had 16 points and Tohm had 14 for Calimesa Mesa Grande Academy (26-2). Kayley Martin scored 15 points for the second-seeded Kares (21-7).

Anaheim Canyon 66, North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake 45: Tyler Prange scored 22 points for the second-seeded Comanches (23-8), who shot 53.1% from the floor to win the girls’ Division 2A final. Esther Lee had 13 points for the top-seeded Wolverines (24-9).