BOYS’ BASKETBALL / LAS VEGAS HOLIDAY CLASSIC : New Hero Bails Out Mater Dei

Mater Dei learned some lessons, or so the Monarchs hope.

They probably can not continue much further as a three-man show, at least not in the Reebok Holiday Prep Classic. They picked up this knowledge relatively cheap, sweating out a 49-48 victory over Federal Way (Wash.) Decatur Tuesday in a third-round game at Durango High School.

Decatur pushed the Monarchs by denying opportunities to the Shaun Jackson-Schea Cotton-Clay McKnight triumvirate. They were not going to beat the Gators, who dared other Monarchs to be a hero.

Finally, Mike Waugh accepted the role. Waugh, a 6-foot-1 senior forward, sank a 15-foot baseline jumper for a 47-43 lead with 26 seconds left.

Cotton made two free throws with 17 seconds left, but it was not until he received an inbounds pass with 1.2 seconds remaining that the Monarchs were assured of being in today’s quarterfinal against Louisville Ballard.

Decatur (5-3) had the ability and the scheme to make things difficult for Cotton, Jackson and McKnight. They got their points but found the going difficult.

“We had to be constantly aware of their big three,” Decatur Coach Ed Boyce said. “Defense was our only shot.”

And the Gators had a good one. Andre Pleasant, who scored 19 points, hit a jumper to give them a 41-40 lead with 4 minutes 22 seconds left. Moments later, Quincy Wilder, who scored 17 points, had a steal and a layup to tie the score, 43-43.

But Kerry Bellessa missed a three-pointer and things began going Mater Dei’s way.

Jackson drove for a layup to give the Monarchs a 45-43 lead. He tried again on the next possession but was triple-teamed. He spotted Waugh in the corner.

“I figured we were on a roll, so why not shoot?” Waugh said.

Said Coach Gary McKnight: “I went no, no, no . . . way to go Waugh.”

It was only the second basket for Waugh, who had four points. It got Mater Dei out of a sticky situation, one it didn’t expect to be in.

The Monarchs (9-0), who breezed through the first two rounds, jumped to an 11-2 lead. But they found out pretty quick this wasn’t going to be another highlight show.

McKnight couldn’t shake loose for three-point shots. He had made 12 of 23 through two games, but was two of seven against Decatur.