SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT : Boys’ Roundup : Mater Dei’s Angry, but Not Hot Enough to Win

Fresno Hoover, taking advantage of third-quarter technical fouls assessed to Santa Ana Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight and guard Mark Ramstack, opened up an 18-point lead and went on to upset the Southern Section 5-A champion Monarchs, 64-63, Tuesday night at Fresno City College in the Division I Southern California Regional High School basketball tournament.

Hoover (27-1) held off a late charge by Mater Dei in the fourth quarter to win its 18th consecutive game and move into the semifinals Thursday against top-seeded Crenshaw.

Forward Ryan Wetnight made two free throws with 13 seconds left to give the Patriots a four-point lead.

Pat Riddlesprigger, a 6-foot 5-inch forward bound for Fresno State, led Hoover with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Kevin Rembert had 22 points, and Ramstack added 21 for Mater Dei.

Fresno Hoover will face Crenshaw, the City 4-A winner, in the regional semifinals Thursday. Crenshaw, which has won the state two of the past three years, beat City 3-A champion Los Angeles Jordan, 113-78.

Also in Division I action, Butch Hawking hit 6 three-pointers and scored 20 points to lead Simi Valley, the Southern Section 4-A champion, to a 92-67 win over Santee Santana of the San Diego Section at Simi Valley.

It was the first time this season that Hawking, son of coach Bob Hawking, has led the Pioneers in scoring. All-American Don MacLean and forward Shawn DeLaittre usually take care of that.

MacLean scored 19 points, nearly 13 below his average, and DeLaittre added 18 points and 14 rebounds. MacLean was in foul trouble much of the game.

Simi Valley will face City 4-A runner-up Manual Arts, a 94-91 winner over La Puente Bishop Amat, in the semifinals.

In Division II, La Palma Kennedy, the Southern Section 3-A champion, got past Del Mar Torrey Pines of the San Diego Section, 71-68. Kennedy faces Bakersfield Foothill in the semifinals.

Also in Division II, Adam Keefe scored 31 points to lead Irvine Woodbridge past San Diego Kearny, 59-49. Woodbridge faces San Diego Madison, a 75-50 winner over Tustin, in the semifinals.

In Division IV, Banning had five players score in double figures in a rout over Holtville, 97-55, at Canyon Springs High. David Efferson scored 19 points to lead Banning, and Dennis Gray added 17 points and had 13 rebounds. Also for Banning, Andre Stringer scored 11 points, and Chris Samiletti and Tony Hannibal 12 each.

Banning (30-0), the Southern Section 2-A champion, will face Bakersfield Garces, which beat Burbank Bell-Jeff, 69-63.

At Highland High in Bakersfield, guard Kevin Beed scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half to lead Garces, the Central Section division IV runner-up. Jason Webster added 22 points and 19 rebounds for Garces, which trailed at the half, 26-25.

Juniors Nick Sanderson and Greg Dunn scored 16 each for Bell-Jeff, which finishes 19-8.