Simon Helps Mater Dei Top Los Alamitos

Though top-ranked Mater Dei appeared weary during its fifth game in six days, it still had enough to beat No. 2 Los Alamitos on Saturday night.

Miles Simon scored 27 points to lead the Monarchs to a 76-63 victory over Los Alamitos in front of about 2,800 at UC Irvine’s Bren Center.

Freshman Schea Cotton added 18 points and 17 rebounds, including 12 in the first half, for Mater Dei.

Junior forward Jeremy Vandervoet led Los Alamitos with 21 points.

Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight said his team might have been tired after winning four consecutive games and the championship of the Orange Holiday Classic at Chapman University on Thursday night.

“After having five games this week and no practice, we weren’t fresh,” he said. “And we’re still not playing well. We need to get back to the basics.”

Los Alamitos (11-3) stayed close early, but a big third quarter by Mater Dei sealed the victory.

The Monarchs led, 20-16, after one quarter before going on a 10-3 spurt in the second quarter for a 30-19 lead after a basket by Simon with 4:36 remaining. The Monarchs led, 37-26, at the half.

Los Alamitos pulled to within, 30-25, after a basket by Ryan Staniec with 2:23 left in the quarter. But two free throws by Cotton, a basket by Simon and a three-pointer by reserve Josh Porter gave the Monarchs a 37-26 advantage at halftime.

In the third quarter, Mater Dei pulled away, opening with a 9-2 run for a 46-28 lead with 6:19 remaining. Los Alamitos pulled to within 10 on several occasions before the end of the quarter, but each time the Monarchs thwarted the rallies.

Los Alamitos made a final run in the last two minutes, pulling to within eight, but again Mater Dei turned back the rally.

Foul trouble hurt Los Alamitos. Center Brian Doyle, a 6-foot-8 senior, who had 10 points in the first half, fouled out with 4:15 remaining in the third quarter. He and 6-7 junior Vandervoet combined for 20 of the team’s 26 points in the first half.

“I thought we did a good job, but the fouls hurt us,” Los Alamitos Coach Steve Brooks said.

Staniec tried to take up some of the slack left by Doyle’s absence, scoring 10 of his 14 points in the second half. It wasn’t enough though.

Mater Dei guard Clay McKnight finished with 12 points.