DIVISION III-AA : Fuerbringer Scores 32, Puts Estancia in Third Consecutive Title Game

Matt Fuerbringer--Estancia’s gangly center with the Big Bird features--sighed and raised his arms Tuesday, pointing to the crowd.

The Eagles had just held off Compton Centennial, 63-58, at Compton College. They were assured a spot in the Southern Section III-AA title game against Inglewood Morningside at 11:15 a.m. Saturday at the L.A. Sports Arena.

At the center of it all was Fuerbringer, weary and happy.

The 6-foot-7 senior had scored 32 points, dragging Centennial players through the key on his back, and grabbed 17 rebounds. He had made the key defensive play in the fourth quarter to preserve a two-point lead. And he pushed and prodded and, quite frankly, insisted that the Eagles get to their third consecutive section championship game.

“We’ve built such a tradition at Estancia, that if we don’t win CIF, we’re not a good team,” Fuerbringer said. “We’re not anything.”

That would just not do, not for Fuerbringer.

The Eagles (23-6) won the III-A title two seasons ago and the State Division III championship last season. Fuerbringer was on those teams and was not going to be left out this year.

Certainly, nothing Centennial (20-9) did was going to stop him. The Apaches decided not to double-team him, choosing instead to play him man-to-man with 6-foot-4 Will Weir.

The result: Fuerbringer made 11 of 19 field goals, 10 of 12 free throws and Weir fouled out.

“The guy was three inches shorter and he was playing behind me,” Fuerbringer said. “I have to score in that situation. I have to have the ball.”

At one point in the second half, Fuerbringer scored 12 of the Eagles’ 14 points.

The lone bucket? A slam by Jim Faulkner off a back-door pass from, that’s right, Fuerbringer.

“Having Matt out there is kind of like having God on your side,” guard Joe Edson said. “He can do no wrong.” That was never more evident than in the fourth quarter.

He scored 10 points, had five rebounds and made the defensive play that turned things around.

The Eagles led by as many as 14 points and by 12 with six minutes left. But a flurry of baskets by Benjamin Shaw (13 points) brought Centennial back.

A steal and layup by Levi Watson tied the score, 58-58, with one minute left.

After Jeff Byrne made a layup to give Estancia the lead, Centennial’s Quinn Taylor got open for what appeared to be an easy layup.

Wrong. Fuerbringer came from the back side to block the shot.

Ty Schisler then made two free throws and Fuerbringer made one to clinch the victory.

“I told the guys this week that if we lose, no one is going to remember our season,” Fuerbringer said.

He made sure no one would forget.