PREP BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Riverside Team Ends Mater Dei’s Winning Streak at 27 Games

Mike Bartee, Riverside J.W. North High School’s basketball coach, called his team’s 55-54 victory over Mater Dei Thursday night in the Trabuco Hills Tournament, “a huge win . . . one that can make your program.”

It was only a second-round tournament game, but there was no doubt that North’s victory over Mater Dei was an upset any way one viewed it. Quincy Brewer made a three throw with 1:54 remaining to break a 54-54 tie, then North survived four shots in the final minute to end Mater Dei’s winning streak at 27, which had been the longest current streakin the Southern Section.

Mater Dei’s most recent defeat came a year ago in the championship game of the Tournament of Champions, where Long Beach Poly beat the Monarchs, 54-47. Mater Dei went on to win the state Division I championship with 26 consecutive victories and won its season opener against Mission Viejo this week.

The Monarchs (1-1) certainly had their chances in the final minute Thursday. Reserve DeJuan Matthews shot an airball with 1:02 left and missed a layup seven seconds later.

North had an opportunity to increase its one-point lead with 25 seconds remaining, but Ed Gray missed the front end of a one-and-one and Mater Dei’s Reggie Geary got the rebound.

Mater Dei called a timeout with 14 seconds left to set up a play for Geary. But Geary missed a baseline shot and North rebounded with five seconds remaining. Still, Mater Dei wasn’t finished.

North was called for traveling with three seconds left, and this time the Monarchs set up a play for forward J.J. Ballesteros. But Ballesteros missed an off-balance 12-foot shot at the buzzer.

“The only one who lost that game was ourselves,” Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight said. “We had opportunities to win and we didn’t. Maybe come February, we’ll win that type of game. But for now, we’re a young team that has to learn how to play when we’re ahead or behind. We unraveled several times tonight.”

Mater Dei committed 12 turnovers in the first half and fell behind, 32-30, at halftime. But the Monarchs took a 40-37 lead in the third quarter when guard Kamran Sufi made a 14-foot jump shot.

The teams traded leads throughout the second half with Mater Dei holding its last advantage, 52-51, with 4:03 remaining after Ballesteros made a three-point basket.

The defeat was rare for Mater Dei under McKnight, who takes a career record of 228-20 into an unfamiliar spot--the consolation bracket--for the third round of the tournament.

In other Trabuco Hills tournament games:

Tustin 78, Los Alamitos 56--The Tillers (2-0) wasted little time in putting away Los Alamitos, scoring 56 points in the first half en route to an easy victory in the quarterfinals.

Capistrano Valley 75, Long Beach Jordan 56--Guard Tom Airey made three three-point baskets in the second quarter as Capistrano Valley (3-0) built a 37-22 lead and rolled to a quarterfinal victory.

Marina 84, Rancho Buena Vista 59--Cherokee Parks scored 30 points on 14-for-19 shooting, grabbed 23 rebounds and had three blocks to lead Marina (2-1).

--TOM HAMILTON

In the first round of the Orange Lutheran boys’ basketball tournament:

Orange Lutheran 71, Southern California Christian 46--Matt Bode had 21 points and Chad Mihr added 17 for Orange Lutheran (1-0).

Orange 71, Santiago 60--Thu Huynh had 18 points and nine rebounds for Orange (2-1).

Anaheim 67, Century 59--Greg Cole scored 21 points and Rudy Fernandez 16 to lead Anaheim (2-0).

Villa Park 75, Miraleste 74--Aaron Boone scored 25 points for Villa Park.

In the Laguna Beach boys’ basketball tournament:

St. John Bosco 86, Pacifica 65--Dashon Quiette scored 22 points and Eric Nelson scored 19 to lead St. John Bosco in a consolation semifinal game. Larry Nagata scored 19 and Kevin Gaughen scored 18 for Pacifica.

Corona del Mar 62, Laguna Beach 54--Jon Upham scored 30 points to lead Corona del Mar (3-1) in a come-from-behind victory.

Savanna 69, Warren 56--Jeremy Lyche scored 24 points and Toby Priest added 16 for Savanna in a consolation semifinal game.

Estancia 58, San Clemente 45--Mike Haas scored 18 points to lead Estancia.

In the Calvary Chapel boys’ basketball tournament:

St. Michael’s 67, Arrowhead 37--Jocques Wright scored 31 points for St. Michael’s.

In the Santa Maria boys’ basketball tournament:

Esidon 59, Righetti 35--Brandon Jessie scored 17 points and had 11 rebounds to lead Edison (1-0).

Santa Maria St. Josephs 67, Dana Hills 65--Laselle McGilvery hit an eight-foot shot with one second left for St. Josephs. Derrick Walsh had 21 points and Keith Barett 20 for Dana Hills (0-2).

In nonleague boys’ basketball:

El Dorado 63, Serra 41--Brett Tomko had 14 points and Brian Loyd 12 to lead host El Dorado (3-1).

In the Artesia girls’ basketball tournament:

Fountain Valley 54, Long Beach Jordan 24--Julie Murdent had 10 points to lead a balanced scoring attack in which 12 of 13 Fountain Valley players contributed points.

In the Fullerton girl’s basketball tournament:

Rosary 47, Fullerton 35--Julie Peterson had 11 points and Wendy Herb had five points and 15 rebounds as Rosary (4-0) moved into the championship game against Savanna at 7:30 tonight.

Buena Park 57, Western 49--Gina Bongiovanni had 21 points, eight rebounds and three steals to lead Buena Park (2-1) in a consolation semifinal.

In the Modesto Ceres girls’ basketball tournament:

Marina 63, Beyer 21--Jessica Trippet scored 14 points and had 10 rebounds for Marina (2-0) in a first-round game.

In nonleague girls’ basketball:

Westminster 60, Anaheim 32--Nicole Irwin had 14 points to led visiting Westminster (1-2).

Edison 62, Newport Harbor 35--Erika Miller scored 21 points and Joan Paje had 18 to lead Edison (5-1).

El Modena 54, Santa Ana 25--Michelle Duckworth had 12 points and Kathy Farina 10 for host El Modena (2-0), which took a 31-9 lead at the half.

Costa Mesa 56, Norco 32--Olivia DiCamilli had 31 points, 12 rebounds and six steals for host Costa Mesa (4-2).

Dana Hills 26, University 22--Dana Hills (2-2) hung on despite only making a pair of free throws in the fourth quarter and scoring nine points in the second half.

El Modena 54, Santa Ana 25--Michelle Duckworth scored 12 points and Cathy Farina 10 to lead host El Modena (2-0).