LAS VEGAS HOLIDAY CLASSIC : Augustine’s Shot Saves Mater Dei

In the end, after all the blown layups, all the missed rebounds and all the bad passes, Mater Dei has Kevin Augustine to thank for advancing to the final four at the Holiday Prep Classic boys’ basketball tournament.

The 76-71 double-overtime victory over Las Vegas Bishop Gorman Wednesday night moved the Monarchs into today’s 10:30 a.m. semifinal against Las Vegas Durango. The host team rallied to beat Jefferson-Davis (Ala.), 52-49.

Augustine was everywhere, doing just about everything for Mater Dei (8-1), in one of the finest individual efforts of the tournament. He scored a career-high 37 points, the sixth-highest total for a player this week, against Bishop Gorman (5-3). He also had eight rebounds and three assists. David Castleton, who struggled with a four-for-17 shooting performance, finished with 14 points and Jason Vallas had 10 rebounds.

“I had confidence early in the game that no one could stop me from going to the basket,” Augustine said. “As captain of this team, I just did what I had to do, which was to take responsibility for the game.”

One sequence that stands out is Augustine’s rebound of a missed free throw by Bishop Gorman’s Terry Mo and his length of the court dribble-drive between defenders for a finger-tip layin with only 2.1 seconds left in regulation. The basket tied the score at 58-58 and sent the game into overtime.

Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight called the performance incredible.

“Is he just amazing or what?” McKnight said.

Augustine kept Bishop Gorman off-balance with his penetrating drives to the basket, which led to numerous scoring opportunities.

“We thought we could beat him up early and get him out of the game, but that Augustine, he’s one hell of a player,” Bishop Gorman Coach Jeff Wagonsellers said.

The Monarchs would have wrapped this one up early, though, had they made a few more of those shots set up by Augustine. As it was, they lipped at least half a dozen easy layups, went four for 17 from three-point range and finished with a shooting percentage of 37.7% (26 of 69).

Augustine’s tying basket capped a wild rally that began with 1 minute 29 seconds to go when Augustine trapped Gael guard Shane Christiansen on a five-second call. Mater Dei trailed by two.

With less than 30 seconds to go Troy Harrell missed a three-point shot, Tom Lippold rebounded and blew a wide-open layup, then teammate Brad Williams got the ball and did the same.

McKnight inserted guard Ennis Augustus to foul and it was he who sent Terry to the free-throw line before Augustine’s heroics.

Augustine’s three-point shot with 23 seconds left in the first overtime sent the game into a second.

David Castleton’s three-point shot with 2:50 left in the second overtime gave the Monarchs a 68-67 lead that they didn’t relinquish. Augustine made two free throws with 2:18 to go, then hit an 18-foot jumper for a 72-69 lead with 1:22 left.

Castleton made three free throws in the last 31 seconds and Augustine closed the scoring with a free throw.

In another tournament game:

Troy (N.Y.) Redemption Christian Academy 68, Woodbridge 46--The Warriors’ shooting woes finally got the better of them. They fell behind, 36-14, and never recovered.

The loss ended a six-game winning streak and sent the Warriors (12-3) into today’s consolation round against the nation’s ninth-ranked team, Oak Hill Academy of Mouth of Wilson, Va. Oak Hill was upset by Phoenix Shadow Mountain, 82-78.

“We knew we would be tested and we came out in the first half and failed that test,” Woodbridge Coach John Halagan said. “But that’s why we came to this tournament, to be tested by some of the best teams. We’ll be tested again by Oak Hill.”

Contrary to previous reports, Santa Ana Valley has not been eliminated from the tournament, and will face Denver George Washington at 1:30 p.m. today.