Crenshaw Foils Mater Dei’s Bid for State Berth

They should have shown a videotape from previous games and saved all the hassle of staging the Southern California Regional Division I boys’ basketball final Saturday night at the Pond.

Los Angeles Crenshaw, the defending state champion, used a stifling press and superior depth down the stretch to upend Mater Dei, 71-66, and advance to the state finals for the ninth time.

It was the fourth time in five seasons that Mater Dei, which has never defeated Crenshaw, has fallen to the Cougars in the regional final and fifth time overall. In 1995, when Mater Dei won the last of its three state titles, they did not have to play Crenshaw because the Cougars were not here.

And this one was much like the others. Crenshaw grabbed an early lead, then faltered. Mater Dei went up by 11 and then wilted as Crenshaw Coach Willie West once again sent wave after wave of fresh players into the game. Mater Dei turned the ball over 28 times and was outscored 21-6 to close out the game.

Just like last year, the Monarchs (32-3) looked as if they had this one in the bag. They led, 61-50, with a little more than five minutes to play in the game when center Mike Vukovich put back a missed lay-in attempt by forward Anthony Vallas.

It would be the last Mater Dei field goal until 16 seconds remained when Vukovich cut the Crenshaw lead to 68-66.

Even Mater Dei was thinking positive, despite the nature of previous games with Crenshaw, when they took that lead.

“We could see they were down in the face and we only needed to do a couple of things more to finish it,” said guard Kevin Augustine, the object of intense defensive pressure by the Crenshaw trap. “Then we got a couple of calls that went against us the fatigue set in like it always does. Suddenly, we lost our concentration.”

A year ago, guard David Castleton picked up three quick fouls in the first half and had to go to the bench and the same thing happened Saturday night. Without Castleton, the pressure was on Augustine and freshman guard Steve Scoggin to pick up the slack.

“It meant Kevin had to bring the ball up on his own and it tires him out,” Castleton said. “We usually share the responsibility. This was just like last year.”

Coach Gary McKnight blamed himself, saying that a mid-week adjustment about how to break the press had backfired in the game.

“I think I made a tactical error,” he said. “I should have just stayed with what we usually do.”

But Crenshaw forward Kevin Bradley, who finished with a game-high 22 points and seven assists, said the Cougars felt it was just a matter of time before they took control.”

“We knew sooner or later they would get tired and start giving us the ball,” he said. “We dug down deep and came up with the victory.”

The Cougars took a 26-21 lead just three minutes into the second quarter.

But from there it was mostly Mater Dei. Crenshaw (26-3) missed its next eight field-goal attempts and the Monarchs took advantage of the lapse, outscoring Crenshaw, 11-2, over the next three minutes.

A basket by Tom Lippold got things rolling and then two free throws by Augustine cut the Cougars’ lead to one point. Bradley made it 28-25, but Vallas got the led back to one point with an eight-foot jumper, then Scoggin fed Lippold for the go-ahead basket after Mike Vukovich had blocked a shot by Anthony Garrison at the other end.

The next time Mater Dei touched the ball, Augustine fed Vallas for a layin and he was fouled. He made the free throw and Mater Dei led, 32-28.

Mater Dei came out smoking in the third quarter and Crenshaw couldn’t buy a basket. The Cougars missed their first eight field-goal attempts and found themselves behind, 40-32 after Castleton’s fingertip layin with 5:25 left in the third.

Crenshaw cut the lead to 40-36 but Mater Dei responded. when Augustine missed the second end of a two-shot free situation, Vukovich rebounded and followed with a basket and the Monarchs led, 45-36, with 3:56 left in the quarter.

But Crenshaw rallied. The Cougars outscored the Monarchs seven to two over the next two minutes. They had a chance to pull within a basket, but Anthony Garrison missed a pair of free throws and Vukovich countered with a layin the next time Mater Dei touched the ball. He followed with a free throw and then Vallas made one of two free throws for a 50-43 lead.

The Monarchs extended their lead to 61-50 before Crenshaw used its relentless press to create some turnovers and stage a rally.