SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES : Boys’ 1-A and Small Schools

Junior forward Mitchell Butler scored 47 points, including 14 in the final four minutes, to lift Oakwood High School over Hesperia Christian, 61-60, at Hesperia to give Oakwood its first-ever Southern Section boys’ Small Schools championship.

The 6-foot 5-inch junior forward, the Small Schools player of the year in 1987, also had 19 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocked shots.

Oakwood’s David Fond made a two-foot bank shot off a Jim Cossman assist to give Oakwood (25-2) a 61-58 lead with 26 seconds left. Butler made his final five shots and connected on four consecutive free throws in the fourth quarter to bring Oakwood back from a 46-42 deficit with 5:35 left in the game.

Oakwood led, 30-27, at halftime behind Butler’s 23 points. Hesperia Christian (22-3), however, came back on the long-range shooting of Tim Franke to give the Patriots their biggest lead at 46-42. Franke had 20 points, as did Ted Hahs, Hesperia Christian’s 6-8 center.