Southern Section Boys’ 2-A : Banning Beats Woodbridge to Get Even, Gain Title

It took a team effort for top-seeded Banning High School to get even for last season’s Southern Section 2-A boys’ championship overtime loss to Woodbridge of Irvine, as the Broncos defeated the Warriors, 62-54, Saturday at the Sports Arena.

Banning, at 30-0 the only undefeated Southern Section team, advanced to next week’s State tournament.

The Sunkist League-champion Broncos led throughout as their quickness and trapping defense helped force 22 turnovers. Woodbridge center Adam Keefe had 31 points and 12 rebounds, but Banning outrebounded the Warriors, 36-30.

In Woodbridge’s man-to-man defense, the 6-foot 9-inch Stanford-bound Keefe was matched against Banning’s leading scorer, Dennis Gray. Banning neutralized Keefe’s inside strength by playing Gray outside on the perimeter.

“We wanted to keep Keefe outside so we could get more rebounds,” Banning Coach Stan Smith said. “We wanted to keep the middle open, and having Gray outside did that because we got a lot more rebounds than last year.”

Two players who took advantage of this game plan were seniors David Efferson and Andre Stringer. Their drives to the basket were effective as Efferson finished with 12 points and 7 steals, and Stringer had 19 points and 8 rebounds.

However it was Efferson’s three-point basket late in the fourth quarter that put Woodbridge away. Woodbridge had rallied, cutting Banning’s lead to 48-46 before Efferson hit his big shot, igniting a seven-point streak by the Broncos that was highlighted by the 5-foot 11-inch Stringer’s slam dunk.

“Usually we’re a three-point shooting team, but today we took it inside to get a better balance,” Efferson said. “Keefe is tough, but he wasn’t as aggressive as last year. We just had to take it into him.”

Banning’s pressure defense rattled Woodbridge early as the Broncos opened a six-point halftime lead, 31-25. Banning collapsed on Keefe whenever he was inside with the 6-foot 7-inch Gray, 6-foot 4-inch senior forward Tony Hannibal and Stringer. Keefe, 13 of 18 from the floor, was not surprised by Banning’s strategy.

“We knew coming in that they were going to try and force me outside. We just had to have the rest of the team pick up the slack on the rebounding,” said Keefe, who scored 32 in last season’s championship.

Woodbridge, the Pacific Coast League champion, is 22-6 and could receive an at-large bid into the State tournament.

“We have been together since the 7th and 8th grades.” said Smith, who has coached most of the seniors since junior high school. “We are going to just enjoy this for now and get back to business Monday.”