Johnson’s Layup Sends Crenshaw to Oakland : Division I boys: He scores as time runs out to end 21-game winning streak of Mater Dei, 63-61.

Kristaan Johnson, who starred at Van Nuys Montclair Prep High last season, was the hero for the Crenshaw boys’ basketball team Saturday night in a 63-61 victory over Santa Ana Mater Dei.

Before 10,000 at the Sports Arena, Johnson, a 6-foot-5 junior center, made a layup at the buzzer to give the Cougars their first Division I Southern Regional State Tournament title since 1989.

The first meeting between the Southern California powers in seven years proved as exciting as their last, which Crenshaw won, 59-57, in overtime.

A see-saw fourth quarter went down to the wire.

With Mater Dei ahead, 61-59, Crenshaw guard Maurice Robinson scored with 15 seconds remaining to tie the game.

The Monarchs quickly moved the ball downcourt, but guard Miles Simon’s short shot rolled off the rim.

Senior guard Rico Laurie grabbed the rebound for Crenshaw with five seconds left. He moved the ball up the court before passing to Johnson, who needed two steps and one second to score the winning basket.

The ending sent the crowd into a frenzy and gave Crenshaw its first trip to the State champion

ships in Oakland in four years.

The Cougars (27-2), City Section Division 4-A titlists, will play Carmichael Jesuit (35-1) at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Oakland Colisuem.

“I had an idea of how much time was left,” said Johnson, the son of former UCLA All-American Marques Johnson, who transferred to Crenshaw last summer. “I knew if I got the ball I would go straight to the hole and shoot. I made a sweet layup. That wasn’t luck. That was skill.”

The loss ended Mater Dei’s 21-game winning streak. The Monarchs, Southern Section I-A champions, finished 33-2.

It might also have been the last game for Coach Gary McKnight, who has been hoping for a job in the college ranks for the past several years. He is scheduled to interview for the Utah State opening today.

“We came so close,” McKnight said. “It’s tough emotionally to come so close and lose it in the end. It was a game played at a high level.”

Crenshaw’s fast tempo kept Mater Dei off balance for three quarters. The Cougars went ahead, 11-9, midway through the first quarter and stayed ahead until late in the fourth.

Mater Dei trailed by as many as eight points in the second half. It shot only 33%.

Senior center Terence Wilborn scored only four points in the first half but finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.