SOUTHERN SECTION BASKETBALL PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIPS : Servite’s Patience Is Rewarded

Servite defeated Inglewood Morningside, 49-46, for the Southern Section Division III-A basketball title Saturday morning at the Sports Arena, but the Friars didn’t look good doing it.

Looks can be deceiving, though.

Without flashy no-look passes and with nary a dunk, the second-seeded Friars (23-6) involved top-seeded Morningside in a game only Servite Coach Richard Smith could love. The Friars stayed with their talented opponent by using tough defense and an occasional salvo from their half-court offense.

In the end, the game was decided at the free-throw line: Adam Anderson made all six of his foul shots in the final 73 seconds, including two with 15 seconds left and Servite trailing, 46-45.

Both teams seemed unable to adjust to playing in such a large arena. Morningside (27-4), which had averaged 77 1/2 points in its four playoff victories, shot 32% from the field, 52% from the free-throw line and committed 14 turnovers. Not to be outdone, Servite shot 31% from the field, 61% from the line and committed 15 turnovers.

“I think the tempo most of the time was in our favor,” Smith said. “They did get a couple more transition layups than we would like to give up.

“But overall, it was kind of an ugly Servite win.”

There’s no doubt it was Servite’s kind of game, but it didn’t start that way.

Morningside sophomore guard Stais Boseman set the pace for the first four minutes, scoring the Monarchs’ first nine points for a 9-7 lead.

Boseman, who scored a game-high 23 points and had seven steals, forced the pace by poking the ball away from Servite point guard Eddie Rubio. Boseman’s steals usually led to quick Morningside baskets.

But Rubio and his teammates were able to hold onto the ball better after the first quarter. And, although Servite missed nine consecutive shots and didn’t score a basket in the second quarter until the 2:39 mark, the Friars only trailed, 19-16, at halftime.

Rubio made two shots, including a three-pointer, to give the Friars a 21-20 lead with 6:25 left in the third quarter. They extended the lead to 23-20 half a minute later. From that point on, neither team was able to take control until Servite rallied from a 46-43 deficit in the final 2:23.

Servite’s patient offense was more suited to the situation. Anderson and Matt Kenney each scored 11 points for the Friars--shooting a combined four for 20 from the field--but in the end, poise, not percentages, mattered.

Smith, who celebrated his 30th birthday Friday, has won a State title and a Southern Section championship in his two seasons at Servite. Last season, the Friars lost to Estancia in the section final, then come back to win the State Division III championship.

And they did it the Servite way.

“People say we’re a slow-down team,” Smith said. “We’re not. We don’t have anybody on our team who can take the ball and drive around somebody.

“We’re not blessed with that kind of player. But we are blessed with guys who are very competitive. They have a lot of heart, a lot of composure, a lot of determination.”