PREP BASKETBALL : Boys’ Roundup : Mater Dei Is Pressured, but Escapes With Victory

A fullcourt press by Westminster High School caused 28 Mater Dei turnovers Saturday night, but the Monarchs were able to hold on and defeat the Lions, 80-77, in a nonconference game played at Chapman College’s Hutton Sports Center.

Mater Dei’s record improves to 14-0 and its winning streak increases to 43. When Mater Dei was able to solve the Lions’ press, it got several easy baskets from inside. As a result, the Monarchs shot 69% from the floor, making 34 of 49 attempts. They were led by center Stuart Thomas, who scored a game-high 28 points and grabbed 16 rebounds.

But Mater Dei shot poorly from the free-throw line, making just 12 of 30 foul shots for 40%. The Monarchs were ahead by as many as 15 points in the first half but couldn’t put away the Lions.

Westminster was led by guards Tom Dever, who scored 23 points, and Tony Cabias, who scored 22 points. Joe Smith added 10 points for the Lions, while LeRon Ellis (14 points and 14 rebounds) and Jim Dwyer (11 points) each scored in double figures for Mater Dei.

WESTMINSTER (77)--Svodoba 8, Chaisson 5, Dever 23, Cabias 22, Smith 10, Austin 9.

MATER DEI (80)--Mounce 7, Dwyer 11, Peabody 6, Ellis 14, Thomas 28, Rembert 5, Peterson 2, Quigley 7.

In other nonleague action:

Mission Viejo 72, Marina 65--Jeff Herdman scored 18 points and Tim Knowles had 16 points to lead the Diablos (10-4) to the win. Mike Meyers scored a game-high 21 points and teammate Mark Georgeson added 16 for Marina (10-5).

MISSION VIEJO (72)--Knowles 16, Herdman 18, Pedersen 15, Mathews 10, Brown 1, Billups 10, Aldrian 2.

MARINA (65)--Georgeson 16, Guild 12, Meyers 21, Quinn 6, Craft 2, Sterzer 4, Hayslette 2, Hattabaugh 2.

Dana Hills 66, Mira Mesa 57--Guard Eddie Esteban scored 26 points, including 10 in the third period when the Dolphins outscored the Matadors, 24-14, to lead Dana Hills to the win at San Clemente High. Dave Lyon, who scored 8 points in the third quarter to help the Dolphins break open a close game, finished with 20 points. Esteban added 8 assists for Dana Hills, which improves to 6-4.

MIRA MESA (57)--Lee 16, B. Lee 12, Odom 10, Hannon 1, Carter 11, Lee 4, Coffin 2.

DANA HILLS (66)--Esteban 26, Crawford 5, Lloyd 6, Lyon 20, Jones 2, Hilliard 2, Duby 6.

Mission Bay 51, San Clemente 45--Guard Mike Williams scored a game-high 24 points and forward Pat Richards added 15 as the Buccaneers defeated the Tritons in San Clemente.

Gary Wade led the Tritons (7-6) with 14 points.

MISSION BAY (51)--Johnson 4, Patrick 4, Richards 15, Sullivan 4, Williams 24.

SAN CLEMENTE (45)--Wade 14, Steadman 7, Love 8, Valdez 6, Koepsell 6, Christiansen 4.

Fountain Valley 45, Pasadena 41--Todd Hanson scored 16 points, Scott Wessler scored 13 points and Tim Johnson added 10 points to lead the Barons (9-5) past the Bulldogs at Pasadena High. Tommie Dunham (16 points) and Raynell Tillis (13 points) were leading scorers for the Bulldogs.

FOUNTIAN VALLEY (45)--Wessler 13, Johnson 10, Waite 4, Hanson 16, Gordon 2.

PASADENA (41)--Wilson 8, Dunham 16, Tillis 13, Hunter 4.

In Santiago Tournament action:

Laguna Beach 51, Magnolia 48--The Artists took advantage of the Sentinels’ poor free-throw shooting to win third place in the tournament. Magnolia had a 7-point lead with four minutes remaining but made only 1 of 5 foul shots in the final 2 1/2 minutes. The Sentinels were 6 of 21 from the free-throw line in the game.

Magnolia limited Laguna Beach center Coby Naess to 5 points, but Scott Herdman scored 20 points and Bill Elfstien added 14 points to lead the Artists (6-4). Victor Banuelos and Mike Goff each scored 12 points for Magnolia (3-7) and Mark Lyons added 11 points.

LAGUNA BEACH (51)--Lawlen 6, Herdman 20, Elfstien 14, Naess 5, Fortune 4, Spath 2.

MAGNOLIA (48)--Osuna 4, Banuelos 12, Goff 12, Czech 6, Lyons 11, Gorrien 3.

Valencia 52, Garden Grove 42--In a game marred by 51 turnovers, Dennis Burbank scored 19 points to lead the Tigers (9-3) to the win and the consolation championship. The Argonauts (9-5) turned the ball over 14 times in the first half (24 in the game) and fell behind, 24-12. They outscored Valencia, 19-13, in the third quarter but were unable to mount a threat in the fourth. Mark Keefer scored 13 points for Garden Grove.

GARDEN GROVE (42)--Contreras 8, Keefer 13, Kanegae 4, Lorenz 9, Finch 2, Lewis 2, Fournier 4.

VALENCIA (52)--LaRue 9, Herrell 6, Jones 8, Nakawaki 6, Burbank 19, Hood 4.

In Pacifica Tournament action:

Pius X 38, Troy 37--Anthony Jenkins, the tournament’s most valuable player, scored 15 points to lead the Warriors to this win in the championship game. Troy guard Mark Rudometkin had 14 points. Troy had a chance at catching Pius X in the fourth quarter, but the Warriors hurt themselves with a number of turnovers.

PIUS X (38)--Gibson 2, Jenkins 15, Ewing 8, Meyers 4, Finau 5, Lee 2, Holinquest 2.

TROY (37)--Greer 4, Ferren 1, Godwin 2, Rudometkin 14, Shirley 4, Piccitta 3, Burrer 9.

La Salle 59, Pacifica 51--Ethan Caldwell scored 31 points to lead the Lancers to this win in the third place game. La Salle led 15-6 after the first quarter. Pacifica came back in the second quarter to trail by four at the half. Pacifica’s Rick Chapman scored 10 of his team-high 28 points in the second quarter.

LA SALLE (59)--Brack 4, Caldwell 31, Mispagel 8, Higuera 4, Rohan 2, Calabrese 6, Proudfit 2, Schnaider 2.

PACIFICA (51)--Bonham 3, Brodt 10, Honda 2, Merry 4, Chapman 28, Beatty 4.