SAN DIEGO PREP BASKETBALL : Monte Vista’s Playoff Hopes Shut Down : Mount Miguel Takes Second Place in Grossmont League With 46-42 Victory

Mount Miguel took a giant step toward making the CIF playoffs Friday night with a 46-42 win over the Monte Vista. The victory placed the Matadors (12-3, 15-7) in second place in the Grossmont League and eliminated Monte Vista (10-4, 11-9) as a playoff contender.

“We’re in the driver’s seat,” Mount Miguel coach Art Edge said. “(Our players) refused to give up. They wanted to go to CIF.”

This was in marked contrast to the first time the teams met when Mount Miguel led from the start and won, 62-39.

Friday’s game began almost identically, as the Matadors controlled the first quarter, ending it with a devastating dunk at the buzzer by Mount Miguel guard Anthony Rivera.

But in the second quarter, the Monarchs made it clear that they weren’t going to part with their playoff hopes lightly. Although appearing to be outplayed, Monte Vista outscored Mount Miguel, 12-6.

For those who wondered if the Monarchs were doing it with mirrors, their final points of the half--a 25-foot shot by guard Melvin McFarlin--offered proof.

But as the game progressed into the fourth quarter it looked like Monte Vista might have had a chance. Powered by forward Chris Marshall, the Monarchs kept the game close until the final minute.

After a steal and layup by guard Marcus Edge gave Mount Miguel a 42-40 lead, Monte Vista called timeout with 44 seconds left. But the Monarchs’ inbounds pass hit forward Scott Winne in the face allowing Rivera to steal the ball and Mount Miguel to put the game out of reach.

The Matadors delivered the final blow a few seconds later, as center Mike Flores, who was suffering from a knee injury, returned to score the team’s final points.

Monarch Coach Zach Peck was unimpressed with his team.

“I didn’t think we played well the whole game,” Peck said. “We didn’t handle their zone well at all. We didn’t handle it any better than the first time we played them. We just played better defense tonight.”

Marshall led all scorers with 19 points. Forward Heywood Mathis scored 16 for Mount Miguel.