Monarchs Wake Up in Time to Take Title
Jamal Sampson, Mater Dei’s star center, returned to the lineup for the first time in nine games, but it was Cedric Bozeman and freshman Harrison Schaen who led the top-ranked Monarchs back from a seven-point deficit early in the fourth quarter for a 63-57 victory over No. 8 Santa Margarita Wednesday at the Bren Center.
Bozeman, a junior guard, had 23 points and seven assists, and Schaen had seven points, 11 rebounds and three blocks as Mater Dei (25-1, 5-0) clinched the Serra League title despite being out-hustled for three quarters.
Santa Margarita (19-5, 3-2), keyed by sophomore forward Lenny Collins’ 20 points, led by five at halftime and at the end of the third quarter. The Eagles took a seven-point lead to open the fourth quarter on sophomore forward Brandon Rohe’s jumper.
Then Mater Dei went on a 13-2 run to take a 53-49 lead midway through the quarter and held on for the victory despite three-pointers by Collins and Travis Smith that pulled Santa Margarita within a point each time.
“I don’t think we played as hard as they did early,” Monarch Coach Gary McKnight said. “Then all of a sudden we realized we might get beat and we played harder.”
Sampson, who has recovered from an extended bout with the flu, played the first 5 minutes 4 seconds of the game before sitting out the rest of the first half with dehydration. McKnight sent Sampson home at halftime. Sampson had five points and five rebounds in his first game since a victory over Concord De La Salle on Dec. 30.
The Monarchs will play the Spartans again Saturday in the Nike Extravaganza at 7:30 p.m. at the Pyramid in Long Beach.
Schaen proved particularly pesky against the Eagles, swatting shots, chasing down balls and making key baskets. His biggest bucket came on a three-point play inside with 3:13 left that gave Mater Dei a 56-52 advantage.
Collins answered with a three-pointer, but a three-pointer by Monarch guard Steve Scoggin (13 points) and four Bozeman free throws sealed the win.
In another Serra League game:
Servite 63, Bellflower St. John Bosco 55--Martin Iti had 16 points, 10 rebounds and six blocked shots for host Servite (15-9, 2-3). Gio St. Amant had 23 for St. John Bosco (14-9, 0-5).
