Centennial Loses Lead and Unbeaten Season, 57-55

Torrance Bishop Montgomery defeated Compton Centennial in a Southern Section boys’ basketball final for the third consecutive year, upending the previously unbeaten Apaches, 57-55, in the Division III-A championship game Saturday at the Arrowhead Pond.

Trailing top-seeded Centennial, 42-32, with four minutes left in the third quarter, Bishop Montgomery (24-6) went on a 16-5 run to take a 48-47 advantage early in the fourth quarter.

Centennial reclaimed the lead with three consecutive baskets, but Bishop Montgomery followed with four free throws over the next five minutes to trail by one.

After Centennial forward Darius Sanders’ layup increased the lead to 55-52, Howard Ryan tied the score with a three-point basket with 40 seconds to play.

Fouled twice in the final 20 seconds, junior forward Jason Estrada made two free throws to give the Knights a 57-55 lead.

Centennial (28-1) had two chances to tie. Arron Affalo broke loose for an apparent layin, but the ball circled the rim before falling away, and Michael Gordon’s short-range jumper was partially blocked as time expired.

“They didn’t have a lot of time to make a decision on the final play,” Bishop Montgomery Coach Doug Mitchell said. “And we didn’t do anything exotic either, just played good defense.”

Junior forward Fred Washington led Bishop Montgomery with 21 points and 10 rebounds but committed nine of the Knights’ 20 turnovers.

Sanders had 20 points and nine rebounds, Sterling Byrd had 13 points and Gabriel Pruitt finished with 12 for Centennial.

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Tim Dermody