Mounties Off High Horse

When it was over, Montclair Prep captains Akil Anderson and Anwawn Jones could only bow their heads, cover their eyes and wonder what happened.

The Mounties appeared headed for a second consecutive state basketball championship with an 18-point lead over Oakland St. Elizabeth late in the third quarter Saturday of the Division V final at ARCO Arena.

But the Mustangs used a flurry of offensive rebounds, missed free throws and a spurt of three-point baskets to win their first title with a stunning 72-67 victory.

St. Elizabeth (31-4) trailed, 54-36, with 2:36 left in the third quarter. But a three-point play by Keith Johnson with three seconds left in the quarter closed the gap to 54-42 and spelled the beginning of the end for the Mounties (29-4).

“The third quarter we played very well,” Mountie Coach Howard Abrams said. “We just screwed up the last minute [of the quarter] and that’s where it started.”

The Mustangs got 10 offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter, four by Torrence Spencer. St. Elizabeth had 25 offensive rebounds and outrebounded Montclair Prep, 48-37, including 13 by Johnson.

Mustang guard Dynell Morgan hit two three-pointers early in the fourth quarter to draw St. Elizabeth to within 60-55.

Montclair Prep took just two shots and missed seven of 11 free throws as the Mustangs rallied.

Jones, who had 22 points and 10 rebounds, made 10 of 13 shots but only two of 11 free throws.

“Everyone knew we had to dig down deep,” Jones said. “We should have played with more heart. We were walking up the court, we weren’t rebounding. We lost at our own game.”

The Mounties suffered another blow when guard Scott Stark fouled out with 2:18 left and Montclair Prep leading, 64-60.

Stark scored 10 points and was vital in combating the Mustangs’ pressure defense.

“It just made it worse,” Stark said. “Just to stand and watch and know what happened makes [losing] much worse.”

St. Elizabeth took the lead, 65-64, on Morgan’s three-point play with 1:54 left.

Anderson, who had 13 points and eight assists, made one of two free throws, but Paul Norris’ three free throws gave the Mustangs a 68-65 lead with 48 seconds left.

Anderson scored on a drive but Norris responded with two more free throws, leaving Montclair Prep one last chance.

Sophomore reserve Rocky Steryo, who hit two three-pointers earlier, found himself open on the baseline with 21 seconds left, but his shot kicked off the rim and was controlled by Morgan.

Morgan and Norris each hit a free throw to ice the victory.

Morgan scored 20 points and Johnson had 19 for the Mustangs.

Montclair Prep started well, making its first six shots and nine of its first 10.

The Mounties got easy opportunities inside in both the half-court offense and on fastbreaks.

However, Montclair Prep was forced to curtail its pressing defense when guard Carlease Clark and forward Jeff Benson got into foul trouble midway through the first quarter.

After hitting a few early shots, the Mustangs struggled from the field, only just three of 18 attempts over a 12-minute stretch in the first half.

Steryo came off the bench to score 10 second-quarter points as Montclair Prep took a 44-28 halftime lead.

Montclair Prep stuck with its inside game in the third quarter and maintained the lead as St. Elizabeth continued to struggle.

“I wasn’t horrified but I was disappointed,” said St. Elizabeth Coach Bob Howard. “But these guys never quit. I knew we weren’t going to end the game losing by 20.”