Chung’s Heroics Bury Muir, 65-63

With 11 seconds to play and his team clinging to a one-point lead Monday night, La Canada High’s Tim Chung approached the free-throw line to shoot the front end of a one-and-one with all the confidence of a seasoned veteran.

Chung, who missed two of three free throws earlier in the game, had no worries because he believed he had a higher power on his side.

In front of an energized capacity crowd at La Canada High, Chung calmly swished the front end basket and sealed a 65-63 victory over Muir in the La Canada regional tournament final.

La Canada (9-1) will play Pasadena Marshall in the La Canada/Bell-Jeff tournament final tonight at 8 at La Canada.

“I went up to [teammate] Matt [Moore] before I took the shot and asked him to say a prayer for me,” Chung said. “We’ve been praying together before games, so I went up there knowing it would go in.”

Muir had a chance to tie the game when Joe Bakhoum weaved his way through the Spartan defense. But Bakhoum ran into the 6-feet-7, 240-pound Moore near the basket. Moore fouled Bakhoum, who went to the free throw line with no time on the clock.

The first attempt clanked off the back of the rim and the raucous crowd erupted. Bakhoum did not attempt the second.

“This is a great win for us,” said Moore, who scored 28 points and was co-MVP of the tournament. “We wanted to prove that we were the best team in the area.”

La Canada, which led, 51-42, entering the fourth quarter, patiently withstood the menacing full-court press employed by the quicker Mustangs (8-2).

Ian Sullivan made five of seven three-point baskets and finished with 17 points for La Canada.

Moorpark 66, Glendale 51--Keith Donahue had 22 points and Kevin Lawrence added 19 for the Musketeers (7-2) in the consolation championship game.