Free Throw by Clark Lifts Christian

Two months ago, Christian High Coach Randy Wright said, his team would not have been able to win the kind of game it played Thursday.

But when it mattered most, with a trip to the Southern California Division V regional final on the line, Christian defeated Paramount Brethren, 44-43, at Granite Hills High School.

Christian (18-11) will play Canoga Park Faith Baptist, a 61-57 winner over top-seeded La Canada Ribet, Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson.

“It was a real team effort,” Wright said. “They’ve matured a lot. Two months ago, we would have lost.”

With two minutes remaining and Christian trailing, 40-36, Jeff Rose stole the ball and took it downcourt for a layup. Rose was fouled on the shot and made the free throw, pulling Christian within one.

Next, Brethren turned the ball over, and Dave Piester scored on a slam dunk to give Christian a 41-40 lead.

Chris Beck scored to put Brethren back in front, 42-41. Tony Clark scored on eight-foot jumper to give Christian the lead again, but Beck was fouled and made one of two free throws to tie it, 43-43, with 29 seconds remaining.

With five seconds remaining, Clark, who finished 12 of 14 from the line, was fouled. He made the first attempt. Brethren rebounded his missed second try, but Chrion Hart threw the ball downcourt into Clark’s hands at the buzzer.

All this happened after a slow first half, which ended with Christian trailing, 20-16.

“We were really sluggish to start, we were taking good shots, but nothing was falling,” Rose said. “Tony does the majority of the shooting, but so many more players are involved in the steal and assists.”

Said Wright: “They were too emotional in the first half. They sucked it up defensively in the fourth quarter.”

Christian trailed by five, 31-26, at the end of the third quarter, but Clark came out and scored Christian’s next 10 points to tie it at 36-36. Clark scored 21 of his 30 points in the second half.

“They did a good job defensively against Chris (Beck) in the second half,” Brethren Coach Richard Thomas said.

Hart finished with 11 points. Beck, Brethren’s point guard, and Nick London finished with 10 each. Beck scored just four points in the second half.

No. 6-seeded Brethren finished 20-10.

“It was the toughest game we played all year,” Rose said. “At the start of the year, it was just Tony and everyone else was just on the court. Now we are more of a team.”