Mater Dei Discovers Some Help in Reserve

Mater Dei got the usual numbers from its go-to players and won its 10th Tournament of Champions boys’ basketball title Monday night, but it was the play of the Monarchs’ four substitutes that drew the most positive reviews.

Sophomore forward Mike Bayer, sophomore guard Pat Manning, freshman guard Steve Scoggin and junior guard Troy Sims turned in some quality minutes, particularly in the second half of a 71-63 victory over City Section opponent Westchester at Ocean View High.

Guard Kevin Augustine, the tournament’s most valuable player for the second consecutive year, scored 22 points, had nine assists and six rebounds. All-tournament selections Mike Vukovich (16 points, 12 rebounds, seven blocked shots) and Tom Lippold (16 points, five rebounds) did their usual share. So did starter Anthony Valles, who contributed defensive quickness, and David Castleton, who was making his first start since playing on Mater Dei’s Division I championship football team. Castleton led an early rally by making his first shot of the season--a three-pointer.

But if Mater Dei is going to make a run at a sixth consecutive Southern Section title, it has to overcome its lack of depth. There was no better time than Monday to test the reserves because both teams got into foul trouble early; in all, 47 fouls were called.

Bayer had six points and six rebounds in 12 minutes, spotting Vukovich and Lippold, who fouled out with five minutes left. Manning had three points in 10 minutes, Scoggin turned in a key assist and Sims helped out on defense.

“Those guys came in when our stores were kind of down,” Augustine said. “That will be real important this year if they can come off the bench and give us that kind of lift.”

Mater Dei took a 16-5 lead and was on the verge of closing it out in a hurry until Vukovich sat down after picking up his second foul with 2 minutes 30 seconds left in the first quarter. Castleton, winded on his first night of basketball, came out soon after that and Westchester came back to take a 33-31 halftime lead.

But the Monarchs tied the score, 38-38, on a drive by Augustine with 4:42 left in the third quarter. That began a 7-1 Monarch run and Westchester never got closer than two points after that.

Four players, led by Tony Bland with 21 points, scored in double figures for the Comets, who are expected to challenge for the City Section 4-A title this season.