Southern Section 5-A Boys’ Basketball Semifinals : Mater Dei Fends Off Determined St. Bernard

Joe Hudson of Playa del Rey St. Bernard took a pass and turned it into an uncontested two-handed dunk, the kind of shot that normally would have sent the crowd into a frenzy in a game as close and emotional as this.

However, with :01 showing on the Sports Arena clock, Hudson’s effort Wednesday night was merely the result of frustration and disappointment. Because Hudson, as did all the other Vikings and the 4,393 fans, knew how close St. Bernard had come to slam-dunking Santa Ana Mater Dei, the No. 1 team in the Southern Section.

Instead, St. Bernard, which trailed by only three with 1:09 to play, will simply be remembered as the team that Mater Dei beat to advance to its fourth straight championship game. The Monarchs, led by Leron Ellis’ 22 points, 5 rebounds and 4 blocked shots, won, 62-58, and will meet Serra for the 5-A title Saturday night.

“We did a real good job on Ellis,” St. Bernard Coach Jim McClune said sarcastically. “We wanted to make him All-CIF.

“A four-point game isn’t bad.”

St. Bernard (18-7) fell behind quickly, trailing, 14-5, at the end of the first quarter after taking only six shots, two of which were blocked by Ellis, the son of former NBA player Leroy Ellis.

The Vikings were back in the game by halftime, though, thanks to 7-0 runs at the beginning and end of the second quarter. David Whitmore, one of the top juniors in the state, scored eight of St. Bernard’s first nine points of the game, but went to the bench with 5:08 remaining in the second quarter with two fouls. He sat out the rest of the half, but finished with 18 points.

“You can’t gamble with Whitmore,” Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight said. “It’s tough enough playing him straight up. He’s a great player. The bad news for us is that we have to play him twice next year.”

Mater Dei takes a 28-0 record and a 57-game winning streak into the championship game. The state record of 66 straight belongs to Compton, set from 1968-70, but even if the Monarchs win the rest of their games this season the best they can do is reach 63.