Mater Dei Has a Breakthrough Against Crenshaw

Los Angeles Crenshaw had always found a way to beat Mater Dei in the teams’ six previous meetings in the Southern California Regional boys’ basketball playoffs.

And, at least momentarily in the fourth quarter of Wednesday night’s first-round Division I matchup at Ocean View High, history appeared on the verge of repeating itself when Crenshaw took a two-point lead after trailing by as many as 15.

But there was no way top-seeded Mater Dei was going to surrender this time. Mike Strawberry scored seven points during a crucial 14-0 fourth-quarter run and the Monarchs wore down the Cougars for an 85-66 victory.

“That was a tough first-round game for a top seed,” Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight said. “It’s nice, but it would feel better to win Friday night.”

The Monarchs (33-1) will face Los Angeles Westchester (25-6) in a regional semifinal Friday at Ocean View. The City Section champion beat Chino Hills Ayala, 74-56, Wednesday.

Mater Dei is still playing because its top players came through against the Cougars (21-4). Strawberry finished with a team-high 17 points, while center Jamal Sampson added 16 points, 13 rebounds and seven blocked shots. Ricky Porter and Steve Scoggin scored 16 points each, and Cedric Bozeman had 11 points and 10 assists.

Strawberry scored on a putback, a three-point play--after drawing a foul on a reverse one-handed lay-in--another layup and a short basket off the glass as the Monarchs turned a 57-56 deficit early in the fourth quarter into a 70-57 lead.

The Monarchs appeared in control after shooting 61.5% from the field in the first half for a 38-25 lead.

But the Cougars staged a spirited rally in the third quarter led by center Chris Davis and guard Tommy Johnson. Davis scored 12 of his 16 points in the quarter. Johnson, who finished with 27 points, made two three-pointers and converted a four-point play as Crenshaw pulled to within 56-55 heading into the fourth quarter.

Harold Toomer’s basket off the glass--his only points of the game--gave the Cougars their only lead of the game with 7:52 to go in the fourth before Mater Dei applied the defensive clamps.

“We know every team is going to have their run,” Strawberry said. “We just stayed focused and played our game. We came together as a unit in the fourth quarter and pulled it off.”