ANGELUS LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Mater Dei’s Victory Crowns Season in Typical Fine Fashion

Mater Dei bid adieu to the Angelus League Friday in fine fashion, doing just what it has been doing for the better part of 10 years.

A couple of rim-rattling dunks, a quick spurt or two and then it was time to clear the bench. Basically, it was business as usual for the Monarchs.

The 71-45 thumping of Bishop Amat at the Bren Center was a fitting way for Mater Dei to end its association in the league, which will be disbanded after this year.

It gave the Monarchs a 10-0 record, their eighth undefeated league season in the last 10. They had already clinched their ninth title in the last 10 seasons.

Next season, they will try to win their first South Coast League title.

“I’m going to miss the Angelus League,” Bishop Amat Coach Alex Acosta said. “I played in it and coached in it. It’s a tough, competitive league but. . . “

There’s always a ‘but.’

” . . . I’m not going to miss playing Mater Dei.”

With good reason.

Since Gary McKnight was hired as coach 10 years ago, the Monarchs have a league record of 91-3. They have also won six Southern Section championships during that time.

Bishop Amat had the most success against the Monarchs. The Lancers won two of 20 league games against them, both in 1988, the only year Mater Dei didn’t win the league title. Bishop Amat was the league champion that season.

“Yeah, but we beat them in the (section) final that season,” McKnight said.

For one half Friday, it looked as though Bishop Amat (12-12, 6-4 in league) was bucking for a third victory over the Monarchs (26-1).

The Lancers led, 26-25, with 2 minutes 57 seconds left in the half. Then Reggie Geary took over.

Geary, a 6-foot-3 senior guard, scored four points in the final 15 seconds to break a 26-26 tie. He then dominated the third quarter with five points, two assists, four steals and two blocked shots.

The Monarchs went on a 15-2 run to take a 45-28 lead. Geary finished with 15 points, six rebounds, six steals and three blocked shots.

“My offense has been a little sluggish lately, so I tried to take things up a notch,” Geary said.

Marmet Williams was the only other Monarch to hit double figures. He finished with 15 points, including a pair of dunks. But in all, 10 Monarchs scored.

“We just wore them down,” McKnight said.

And out.

At one point, Mater Dei led by 28 points, then went deep into its bench.

“I’m going to miss this league,” McKnight said.

In other league games:

Servite 70, Loyola 45--Adam Anderson scored 20 and Matt Kenney had 16 for visiting Servite (13-11, 6-4).

St. John Bosco 68, Santa Margarita 62--James Cotton scored 24 points and Tom Samson 20 to lead St. John Bosco (12-12, 3-7). Dan Bathey scored 16 points for Santa Margarita (17-8, 4-6).