ANGELUS LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Mater Dei Starts Slowly, Then Clinches Angelus League Title

Mater Dei High School proved Friday night that even the best can be bad sometimes as the Monarchs clinched the Angelus League championship with a 79-46 victory over Bishop Montgomery at Mater Dei.

Mater Dei, top-ranked in Orange County and in the Southern Section 5-A, played about as miserable as a team can play in the first quarter. The Monarchs shot five of 15 from the field, had just seven points with 1 minute 17 seconds left in the quarter and appeared rattled on their home floor.

Good teams figure out a way to win. It would be nice to say that in this case, but Bishop Montgomery fell apart in the second half and Mater Dei cruised to victory.

Outscoring Bishop Montgomery, 35-13, in the fourth quarter had everything to do with the wide margin.

The Monarchs played well enough at times. Mater Dei’s half-court trapping defense knocked Bishop Montgomery silly in the second quarter as the Monarchs took the lead for good, 17-16, with 6:42 left in the half.

The victory gave Mater Dei (23-1, 7-0 in league play) its sixth Angelus League championship in seven seasons.

Bishop Montgomery (13-6, 4-3) needed a victory to stay in contention for the league title. And, for a half, the Knights outplayed the Monarchs.

Kirk Jones and Darrell Daniel, the Knights’ starting guards, made quick moves to free themselves for open jump shots.

Bishop Montgomery made six of its first eight shots and took a 12-5 lead in the first quarter.

Mater Dei missed seven of its first nine shots and seemed to be ready to be upset.

Finally, the Monarchs went to the trap, double-teaming the ball wherever it went. Mater Dei kept missing shots at an alarming rate (the Monarchs were seven of 27 from the field for the half) but the defense turned the game around.

Bishop Montgomery went 3:45 without scoring before Daniel made a jumper. Mater Dei led, 21-18, by then.

The Knights then missed their first six shots in the third quarter, and were behind, 35-24, with 5:16 left.

Charlie Andres had 23 points, and David Boyle and Andy Karich had 12 each to lead Mater Dei.

Daniel had 19 points and Jones 15 for Bishop Montgomery.

Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight was not available for comment, holding a lengthy postgame meeting with assistant coaches Phil Bellomo and Dave Taylor in his office.

In another league game:

Servite 71, St. Paul 62--Adam Anderson had 16 points and Mike Coady and Eddie Rubio had 10 each to lead visiting Servite (12-9, 3-3). St. Paul is 4-15, 1-5.