SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL BASKETBALL FINALS : Division II Boys : Madison Can’t Quite Get Over Top, Loses to Foothill, 62-60

Victory always seemed to be just a moment away for the Madison High School boys’ basketball team Saturday.

But the Warhawks came up a couple of steps, a few pounds and two points shy.

Bakersfield Foothill used impressive team speed and bulk to end Madison’s season, 62-60, in the Southern California Regional Division II final at the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

“That’s probably the strongest and quickest team we’ve played,” said Jim Thompson, Madison’s coach. “They were able to handle us physically.”

It was on the boards that Foothill’s strength was most obvious. The Trojans, led by agile Donte Glinton and powerful Arthur Charles, pulled in 14 more rebounds.

Still, down the stretch, Madison had its opportunities.

Madison trailed most of the game--by 13 at one point in the second quarter--but gradually whittled into the Foothill lead.

With 2:44 remaining in the third quarter, Robby Robinson sank a pair of free throws to pull the Hawks within 39-38.

But Foothill clamped down on defense, and Madison scored just one more basket the remainder of the quarter.

At the buzzer, Foothill guard Archie Wright nailed a three-pointer to give the Trojans a 44-40 lead entering the final period.

“That killed us,” Thompson said. “We were down by one, and then by four.”

Foothill had its lead up to seven points with 3:45 remaining in the game after Reggie Phillips, a 5-foot 9-inch guard, scored three consecutive baskets, the last on a resounding dunk.

“Reggie’s dunk was a very emotional point for us,” said Dan Shannon, the Foothill coach.

Madison hung in and, thanks to a three-point play by center Jeff Alexander and five consecutive points by Robinson, cut the lead back to one, 59-58, with 1:20 to go.

The opportunity was there, but the Hawks never could seize the moment.

“If we had caught them, I think we could have won,” Thompson said. “The momentum was going our way the last three quarters.”

Robinson added: “We would have had control of the game. They would have had to come after us. Everything was going our way. We were getting offensive rebounds, working inside, hitting free throws and just playing our game.”

Foothill took a 3-point lead, 61-58, on a layin by Glinton with 57 seconds remaining.

Madison went for the tie on a three-point attempt by guard Wesley Bertelsen with 20 seconds left, but his shot rattled in and out.

Phillips sealed the victory for Foothill with 14 seconds remaining by hitting the second of two free throws.

Madison’s Bryant Moore, who turned in a superb defensive effort despite playing with a broken right wrist, sank a final basket to account for the two-point difference.

“I thought that was a great team we played,” Thompson said. Foothill was top-seeded in the tournament. “There were two great teams out there.”

Each team shot about 38% from the field, but Foothill enjoyed an advantage at the free-throw line, especially in the first half, when the Trojans had 12 attempts to Madison’s 6.

While not blaming the referees, Thompson said some of the calls took Madison out of its game.

“When you’re playing a tough game, the close calls have to go your way. Not every one, but you have to get your share,” he said.

“But it wasn’t just the officiating. It was that team, too. They played real good defense. They got a few more breaks, but they earned them. We had our opportunities.”

Robinson, a junior forward, scored 21 points for Madison.

Phillips matched that for Foothill (27-4), which will play Menlo Atherton for the state championship Saturday in Oakland.