BREA-OLINDA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT : Stewart Gives Brea a Return to the Final

Brea-Olinda High School point guard Rodney Stewart made the most of his second chance Friday night.

Stewart sent his team into overtime by missing the front end of a one-and-one late in regulation. But he drilled an 18-foot jumper with a second left in overtime to give Brea a 64-63 victory over St. John Bosco in a championship semifinal of Brea’s tournament.

Brea (10-3) will meet Compton (13-2), in the championship game at 8:30 tonight. It will be Brea’s fifth consecutive trip to the final.

St. John Bosco Coach Tim Haley must have had a scouting report on Stewart, who had missed the front ends of a pair of one-and-ones in the final minute Thursday night in Brea’s victory over Fallbrook.

Haley had his team foul Stewart in the backcourt with 45 seconds left in regulation and St. John Bosco trailing, 57-54.

Stewart’s free throw clanked off the rim and St. John Bosco’s Bob Mendoza grabbed the rebound. With 10 seconds left, Mario Saucedo hit a three-pointer from the baseline to force overtime.

The teams traded leads in overtime until St. John Bosco center Fidencio Saldana put in a follow shot to give the Braves (6-8) a 63-62 lead with 12 seconds left.

On Brea’s final possession, Stewart looked to get the ball to leading scorer Keith Walker, but he was double-teamed. So Stewart, who finished with nine points, got free just inside the three-point line and hit the winning jump shot with a second left.

St. John Bosco point guard Dashon Quiette made six three-pointers to lead his team with 18 points.

Walker led all scorers with 32 points, but was held to just five after the fourth quarter.

In other tournament games:

Sunny Hills 57, Buena Park 54--Buena Park forward Jamal Collins led all scorers with 19 points. Sunny Hills was led by Dominic Carnesi’s 16 and Kenny Overby’s 14.

El Modena 64, Sonora 52--Guard Greg Gottlieb of El Modena led all scorers with 32 points.

Bakersfield Foothill 57, La Habra 35--Foothill was led by Kenzi Smith and Fuzzy Robinson with 12 points apiece.

El Dorado 73, Whittier Christian 72 (OT)--El Dorado guard Mike Bradach was the game’s leading scorer with 26 points, including a pair of three-pointers.