Only Memories Are Close in Rivalry

It used to be that a high school basketball game between Mater Dei and Servite was considered one of the county’s best rivalries.

There was Mater Dei’s 48-46 victory in 1980 on two George Gregory free throws in the last 10 seconds of overtime.

And then there was the Friars’ 68-67 double overtime win in 1978. Don’t forget, the 56-55 Servite victory in the other 1980 game.

After the Monarchs beat the Friars, 47-45, in a 1983 heartstopper, Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight said the contests between the two rivals were decided “more on emotion than talent.”

But those days are gone, at least temporarily. When Mater Dei was finished Friday night at the Long Beach Arena, the score read Mater Dei (read Talent) 86, Servite (read Emotion) 51.

In contrast to the holy wars of days gone by, this game would hardly rate. The Monarchs (4-0, 19-0) have now won 26 straight Angelus League games, and they haven’t lost a game to the Friars (2-2, 6-10) in three years.

Not that Servite didn’t play hard. In fact, the Friars won the hustle competition in the first half and still trailed 39-26.

The Monarchs simply have the ability to do things routinely that are unheard of on the high school level. Although Tom Lewis scored 34 points, only three points than his average, it was still as many points as the entire Friar team could manage in the first three quarters Friday.

“Coach (Larry) Walker is doing a good job over there,” McKnight said of his counterpart at Servite. “But he’s trying to blend together a varsity real quick, and against a veteran club like ours, it’s very tough.”

None of Servite’s starters on Friday were among last year’s starting core. Seven Servite players left the program after last season, and many of the replacements, while promising, are still developing.

The match-up between Servite’s leading offensive threat, Matt Honikel, and the Monarch’s designated defender, Mike Mitchell, was no contest. Honikel, who scored 65 points in two games last week, was held to three in the first half under Mitchell’s capable supervision.

Angelus League League Overall School W L W L Mater Dei 4 0 19 0 Pius X 2 1 12 8 St. Paul 2 2 6 9 Servite 2 2 6 10 Bishop Amat 1 3 4 11 Bishop Mont 0 4 4 13

Despite observations to the contrary, Honikel said the Friars weren’t sufficiently intense Friday. “Against a team like that, you’ve got to play harder than hard.”

With Honikel under Mitchell’s version of house arrest, it was up to Friars Tony Smalley and Bob Coady to keep Servite in the game.

Coady contributed eight first-half points, and Smalley helped to control the ball against the Mater Dei press and collect rebounds. But Smalley picked up four first-half fouls.

Smalley’s fourth foul came on a Lewis slam with four minutes left in the first half and the Monarchs leading, 29-22. Lewis made the free throw, triggering a shift in momentum.

The Friars began turning the ball over, while Mitchell and Lewis led Mater Dei to the 13-point halftime advantage. Servite committed 13 turnovers in the half to the Monarchs’ 6.

In the second half, when every Friar starter except Honikel had four fouls, the Monarchs’ greater depth and experience became evident.

McKnight ushered in a seemingly inexhaustible supply of good players, and the Monarchs took a sudden 53-29 lead in the first four minutes of the third quarter.

The only suspense from that point was how many free throws Lewis would miss with Jerry Tarkanian of Nevada Las Vegas and Walt Hazzard of UCLA in attendance.

In fact, Tarkanian, along with several of his players, did not appear greatly impressed with what used to be the county’s best rivalry. He left during the third quarter. Lewis made 14-of-20 free throws and 10-of-14 shots from the field before giving way to a school of substitutes in the fourth quarter.

One substitute, 6-4 freshman Kevin Rembert, made a spectacular slam dunk to provide the highlight of the fourth quarter. How many programs have a 14-year-old on the varsity who could do that against a decent opponent?

But Honikel hasn’t given up. “We’ll come out and get them the second time (in league),” Honikel said. “We need a lot of work, but I’m sure we will.”

SERVITE (51)--Hornung 2, Cho 1, Sullivan 5, Coady 13, Smalley 10, Osgood 6, O’Donnell 2, Honikel 10, Casey 2.

MATER DEI (86)--Mitchell 16, Lewis 34, Thomas 10, Peabody 2, Kelly 4, Dwyer 2, Mounce 6, Spencer 2, Joyce 2, Rembert 4, Redoutey 2, Stricklin 2.

Servite 14 12 8 17--51

Mater Dei 18 21 24 23--86