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Boys’ Division II : Murray Paces Glendora With 37 Points

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Dominguez High School Saturday witnessed what opponents of Glendora High have seen all season: the Tracy Murray Show, as the Tartans defeated the Dons, 61-57, in the Southern California Regional Division II final at the Sports Arena.

After a shaky start, Murray provided a great ending, by scoring 19 fourth-quarter points and finishing with 37, as the Tartans earned a spot in Saturday’s State championship game at the Oakland Coliseum.

Murray, the career and single-season state scoring leader, also controlled the boards in the fourth quarter, grabbing 10 of his game-high 12 rebounds.

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“We have a team of great character,” said Glendora Coach Mike LeDuc. “It is a situation where you have the best player around, surrounded by a group of good players.”

Dominguez, the Southern Section 4-A Division champions, held Murray to only 18 points after three quarters. He scored only three points in the third quarter, as the Dons led, 47-40.

J. J. O’Laughlin played a major role in keeping the Tartans from getting routed in the third quarter, scoring on three acrobatic layups to keep Glendora within 10 points.

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Murray may have had problems early on, but he showed a preview of things to come with a three-point jumper with eight seconds remaining in the third quarter to bring Glendora to within seven points.

“I had lost my confidence a little when I was missing,” said Murray, who has not decided where he will attend college. of The choices, he said, are between UCLA, Louisville, Villanova, UNLV and New Mexico.

“When I hit that shot (at the end of the third quarter), I said to myself ‘I can finally hit a shot now,’ ” said Murray, who averaged 45.5 points per game this season.

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Dominguez did not fold at the start of the fourth quarter, stretching its lead to 51-40, on an explosive, one-hand dunk by 6-foot-4 guard Xavier Edison.

After that, it was all Murray.

Dominguez Coach Russell Otis credited Murray for Glendora’s success, but also praised Murray’s teammates.

“Tracy Murray is a good player,” said Otis, whose Dons finish at 26-5. “But, Glendora is just not Tracy Murray, they are a good basketball team.”

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