Mater Dei Cruises After a 21-0 Start

It was billed as the biggest high school boys’ basketball game in Orange County this season, a grudge match between the county’s top two teams which battled to double overtime last time they met.

But in case you couldn’t attend the South Coast League rematch between No. 1 Mater Dei and No. 2 Capistrano Valley Wednesday night at the Bren Center, don’t fret. You didn’t miss much.

In fact Capistrano Valley fans didn’t miss anything, not in the first quarter, anyway.

The Cougars did not score in the first quarter and shot a dismal 30.8% for the game. And Mater Dei waltzed, 68-53.

“It’s a big disappointment in a game of this magnitude to come out and play like that,” Capistrano Valley Coach Brian Mulligan said. “I’ve never seen a first quarter like that.”

The Cougars (18-5, 6-2 in league play) were 0 for 13 from the field in the first quarter and trailed, 21-0, going into the second. Jermaine McDaniel ended the drought with a three-point basket 39 seconds into the second.

Mater Dei (22-3, 7-0) now has control of the league title race. Last year, the teams split the season series and shared the league championship. In their first meeting this season, Capistrano Valley led by 17 points at halftime, but Mater Dei came back to win.

“I was shocked myself when it was 21-0,” said Mater Dei’s Steve Scoggin, who had 17 points, including four three-pointers. “Last time they got on us early so we felt we needed to get on them early this time.”

The difference Wednesday was Monarch 6-foot-10 sophomore center Jamal Sampson, who made his first start of the season after sitting out because of a broken foot and a broken hand.

Sampson blocked three shots in the first four minutes, forcing the Cougars to shoot from the outside. He finished with 12 points, 13 rebounds and nine blocked shots.

Nathan Hair had 17 points to pace Capistrano Valley. J.J. Sola added 14 for the Cougars.