Angelus League Roundup : Mater Dei Turns the Tables and Runs to Defeat St. Paul, 84-72

Planned or not, the hand stamp received by the paying customers at the Mater Dei-St. Paul Angelus League basketball game at Cerritos College read JUSTICE.

More than a few of the 3,500 who attended the game thought that Friday night would be the night Mater Dei finally got its comeuppance.

Over six seasons, Mater Dei had won 54 straight league games. Only Santa Clara High, which won 82 straight between 1956 and 1965 had won more consecutive league games.

But St. Paul, averaging a Southern Section-high 97 points per game, was thought to be the team that could bring it all to an end.

Think again. Mater Dei 84, St. Paul 72.

The streak is alive and now at 55.

If a 12-point victory sounds easy, think that over, too.

Mater Dei (12-4, 3-0), playing what Coach Gary McKnight called, “the best half of basketball we’ve played all year,” had a 25-point lead at halftime (48-23).

Guard Mike Hopkins had 20 of his game-high 35 points in the first half. It was Hopkins’ 14 points that helped Mater Dei outscore St. Paul, 26-12, in the second quarter.

Mater Dei did it exactly the way it wasn’t supposed to. The Monarchs ran. St. Paul (13-3, 2-1) has scored 100 or more points 6 times this season and has done that using the fast break and the three-point shot.

“It’s almost like they want you to score so they can get the ball and score on you,” McKnight said.

But the plan backfired as St. Paul’s trapping half-court defense, and later, full-court zone, was shredded. Mater Dei scored seven baskets in the first quarter off the fast break. To keep his team fresh, McKnight used nine players in the first quarter.

Meanwhile, St. Paul was making just 4 of 16 shots (25%).

It continued in the second half as Kevin Rembert, who ended up with 19 points and 15 rebounds, dominated the boards, starting break after break.

St. Paul outscored Mater Dei, 22-13, in the third quarter, but the lead was still 16 (61-45).

By the time there was 3:07 left in the game, the lead was down to eight, 70-62.

Leading the way for St. Paul was guard Jason Hart, who made four three-point shots in the second half. Hart had made eight three-pointers Wednesday in St. Paul’s 115-100 victory over Bishop Montgomery.

But down the stretch, Mater Dei made 12 of 14 free throws to seal the victory.

St. Bernard 88, Servite 63--The score was tied, 12-12, but St. Bernard scored the final 9 points of the first quarter to lead, 21-12. Edwin Stokes, a 6-foot 10-inch junior center, led St. Bernard (12-5, 1-2) with 21 points. Brian Kenny scored 27 and Nick Marusich 14 for Servite (10-6, 0-3).