HIGH SCHOOL BOYS’ BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Banning Rallies to Repeat as 3-A Champion

There is nothing like a little pride to motivate a team. Good thing for Wilmington Banning High that it did, because nothing else was working.

Banning won its second consecutive City Section Division 3-A title by coming from behind to beat Roosevelt, 56-55, in overtime Friday night at the Sports Arena.

Banning (19-11) also won a City Section title in Division 4-A in 1983.

But this one was tougher.

Roosevelt led by as many as 12, and Banning trailed, 53-42, with 3:33 to play. But Banning went on an 11-0 run to send the game into overtime.

“It wasn’t coaching,” said Banning Coach Marc Paez. “I think they just looked up at the scoreboard. I think it was purely pride.”

Roosevelt Coach David Perea said that he didn’t call a timeout during the run because he thought the team could play through it. Including overtime, Roosevelt (14-12) did not score a field goal in the last 6:33 of the game.

In overtime, Brian Perkins rebound and basket gave Banning a 55-53 lead. Eric Jett’s free throw extended it to 56-53, before Roosevelt’s Paul Burgueno converted two free-throws to cut the lead to one with 38 seconds left.

After Banning missed several opportunities, Roosevelt set up for a last shot to try to win the game.

However, Mario Hernandez’ three-point attempt was long and Roosevelt could not get another shot off.

“We weren’t going to just let them take what was ours,” said Banning guard Jason Pickett. “We had to pull another one of these games out of the hat.”

Pickett led all scorers with 23 points. Hernandez led Roosevelt with 14.

Roosevelt showed signs of creating an upset from the start by collapsing on the ball every time Banning entered the key and stepping into passing lanes to disrupt Banning’s offense.

The Roughriders led, 17-16, after the first quarter when Paul Burgueno slipped behind the banning defense to score a lay-in with 19 seconds left in the quarter.

Roosevelt led at halftime, 30-28, and came out of the locker room with confidence that showed in the way they attacked Banning’s defense. The run peaked at 12 early in the fourth quarter.