It’s Mater Dei Once Again

The rematch Saturday afternoon between Santa Ana Mater Dei and Villa Park looked more like a replay.

For the second consecutive week, the Spartans came out strong but couldn’t match Mater Dei’s experience, deep bench and incessant pressure and eventually lost, 84-67, in the Southern California Regional Division II final at the Sports Arena.

In the Southern Section Division II-AA final seven days earlier, Villa Park also shot well early but couldn’t sustain the momentum and lost, 80-67, at the Arrowhead Pond.

“We fought a little bit longer tonight, but the thing about playing them is you’ve got to hang for the whole game,” Villa Park Coach Kevin Reynolds said. “It’s as much mental as it is physical, and as soon as you break down a little bit, they’re so good. They just take advantage of that opportunity and don’t let you have it.”

The top-seeded Monarchs (33-2) will play Palo Alto in the state championship game Friday at Arco Arena in Sacramento. It’s the ninth state final appearance for Mater Dei, breaking the previous record of eight shared with Los Angeles Crenshaw.

Against Villa Park, Mater Dei was again led by juniors Taylor King, Kamyron Brown and Alex Jacobson, each of whom started last season when Mater Dei lost in the state championship game.

King finished with a team-high 28 points and 13 rebounds, Brown contributed 23 points and seven assists and Jacobson, a 7-foot-1 center, had 12 points and eight rebounds, helping Mater Dei to a 40-21 edge on the boards.

“It just makes such a difference having the experience of these guys out on the floor,” Coach Gary McKnight said. “What a luxury to have three guys like this game in and game out.”

Villa Park (29-5) tried more pressure against the Monarchs, building a three-point lead in the opening quarter. McKnight said he tried to surprise Villa Park with a triangle-and-two defense, but canned it after the Spartans got off to their hot start.

Villa Park junior Drew Viney scored 30 points to lead the Spartans. But they didn’t get the production they expected from 6-10 junior center Sean Williams, who was in early foul trouble and did not produce any points or rebounds, and junior point guard Kertd Elisaldez, who missed 10 of 11 shots.

Fresno Clovis West 55, Los Alamitos 42 -- The Griffins collected twice as many rebounds in the Division I final but were otherwise manhandled by Clovis West.

Los Alamitos committed 17 turnovers while making just two steals and did not shoot a free throw until the final minute of the loss at the Sports Arena.

The Eagles (30-2) advance to play Concord De La Salle in the state championship game Saturday night in Sacramento, marking only the second time since 1982 that a Southland team will not be represented in the state Division I final.

The Griffins (29-5) jumped out to a 16-7 lead when Corbin Moore scored off an offensive rebound on the first possession of the second quarter, but they committed seven turnovers in the second quarter, leaving the score tied, 22-22, at the half. The score remained close until the Eagles scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to take a 42-33 lead.

“Once they get a lead in the fourth quarter, they are very tough to beat,” Los Alamitos Coach Russ May said. “They handle the ball real well and they’re very disciplined.”

Landry Fields and Clint Amberry scored 13 points each to lead Los Alamitos, which shot just four free throws to 18 for the Eagles. DeJon Jackson finished with 20 points and 13 of Clovis West’s 24 rebounds.

-- Dan Arritt

Solana Beach Santa Fe Christian 52, San Luis Obispo Mission Prep 39 -- Senior guard Adrian Hernandez finished with team-highs of 15 points and five rebounds at Cal State Fullerton, but Mission Prep fell in the Division V final game for the third year in a row.

Santa Fe Christian (24-8) started the game with an 18-4 run and never trailed, although Mission Prep (34-6) cut a 15-point second-quarter deficit to six points at 39-33 on an eight-foot jump shot in the lane by sophomore forward Macain Weipert with 5:15 to play.

The Eagles responded by scoring seven of the next nine points, with a three-point basket by Brian Kolb pushing the Eagles’ advantage to 46-35 with 3:20 to play.

-- Lauren Peterson