St. John Bosco Wins Division II-AA Title

After years of finishing behind Santa Ana Mater Dei in the Serra League, Bellflower St. John Bosco finally won a championship. Something better than a league title, it turns out.

Eric Lane scored 28 points to lead St. John Bosco past Inglewood, 62-59, in the Southern Section Division II-AA boys’ basketball championship game Saturday at Arrowhead Pond.

Lane hit a three-pointer with 24 seconds left to give the Braves a 61-56 lead and, in effect, their first section title since 1994.

Chris Swan and Robert Reynaga each scored 11 for third-seeded St. John Bosco (26-6), which could face Mater Dei again in the state Division II playoffs. In two league games, Mater Dei defeated St. John Bosco by 34 and 25.

“Hopefully, if the seeding comes out right, we’ll get a chance to play them again,” said Randy Held, in his first year as St. John Bosco’s head coach after four seasons as an assistant.

Ray Reed scored 30 points for unseeded Inglewood (22-9).