Same Teams, Different Ending : High school basketball: San Fernando survives late rally by Monroe, 74-73, in rematch of last season’s City playoff semifinal game won by the Vikings.

In a rematch Wednesday of last season’s City Section 3-A Division semifinal, it was turnabout for the San Fernando High basketball team.

The Tigers survived Monroe’s fourth-quarter rally and escaped with a 74-73 victory in a nonleague game at Monroe.

San Fernando avenged last season’s 75-67 loss, but it certainly didn’t come easily.

Although the Tigers dominated inside, they benefited most from the Vikings’ poor shooting and shot selection. Monroe attempted 31 shots from three-point range and converted only eight (26%).

“I have a great deal of confidence in our shooting from the outside,” Monroe Coach Paul Graber said.

The Tigers (2-2) didn’t trail but were outscored, 8-0, in the final 55 seconds and narrowly escaped.

Monroe’s Kenyatta Niles, who was suffering from a high fever and flu symptoms, tied it, 65-65, on a three-point shot with 4:45 remaining.

The Tigers answered with a 9-0 run to reclaim the lead, 74-65, with less than two minutes left.

But Niles (13 points), who was “dizzy” and scoreless in the first half, stepped up again, burying two more three-pointers to bring the Vikings to within three with 28 seconds remaining.

San Fernando committed a turnover after Niles’ shot, giving the Vikings a chance to tie it. But Shaka Stiner (15 points), who was a dismal three of 18 on three-point attempts, missed on yet another try.

“I think Shaka Stiner can shoot better than that on any other day of the year,” Graber said.

After San Fernando’s Barry McWright (22 points) failed to convert the front end of a one and one, Monroe’s Dante Cain (14 points) grabbed the rebound and got the ball into Niles’ hot hands with 13 seconds left.

Niles appeared to have been fouled on a three-point attempt with nine seconds remaining but didn’t get an affirming whistle from the referees.

Niles made no excuses for the miss or his team’s 1-3 start.

“That (no call) wasn’t why we lost,” Niles said.

Dante Holley grabbed the rebound and scored underneath to get within 74-73, but time ran out when the Tigers inbounded the ball.

San Fernando’s Javy Ramos, who had only seven points against Monroe the last time the teams met, scored 17 points and Marlon Hernandez and Jerome Elliot each added 11.