Record game lifts Eagles to title

SACRAMENTO -- Klay Thompson of Santa Margarita turned in the greatest three-point shooting performance in state championship game history on Saturday, making seven three-pointers en route to scoring 37 points in the Eagles’ 72-55 victory over Sacramento in the Division III boys’ basketball state final at Arco Arena.

“I cherish it,” Thompson said.

“I felt it was easy to shoot here.”

It was an entertaining duel between Thompson, a 6-foot-6 senior bound for Washington State, and 6-3 junior Chase Tapley, who scored 35 points for Sacramento (30-4). They were teammates on an Amateur Athletic Union team and tried to guard each other at times Saturday.

Thompson, though, had the superior supporting cast. Zack Zaragoza contributed 13 points, Jaime Serna had eight points and Thompson’s brother, Trayce, also had eight points, including two three-pointers.

The previous three-point record of six was held by three players, including Tracy Murray, who scored 64 points for Glendora in the Division II final in 1989.

Thompson, who made seven of 11 three-point attempts, tied the Division III record for most points in a championship game.

It was the second state title for Santa Margarita (30-5), which also won in 1998.

The Eagles held a 40-29 halftime lead and went on top, 65-47, with just over four minutes left on Thompson’s seventh three-pointer.

-- Eric Sondheimer

San Francisco Sacred Heart 48, Anaheim Magnolia 33 -- Sacred Heart, ranked No. 1 in the nation by three media sources, shot only 22.2% from the field but won the rebounding battle and took better care of the ball to win its second consecutive Division III girls’ title and extend its unbeaten streak to 56 games.

Magnolia turned the ball over 28 times and was out-rebounded, 48-33, including 23-9 in offensive boards.

“You can’t have 28 turnovers in a state championship game,” Magnolia Coach Michael Anderson said. “You can’t have 28 turnovers in a pickup game, you can’t have 28 turnovers in a video game.”

The Sentinels (27-6) were also hampered by foul trouble, with four players -- three of them starters -- fouling out in the fourth quarter, which began with them behind by only four points.

The Fightin’ Irish converted 24 of 34 free throws, compared with nine of 20 for Magnolia.

Brianna Colon, who entered averaging 8.6 points, scored 11 to lead the Sentinels.

-- Dan Arritt

Ross Branson 40, La Canada Renaissance 33 -- A stifling man-to-man defense held Renaissance to one basket in the second quarter and two in the fourth quarter and propelled Branson (32-3) to its third consecutive Division V boys’ state championship.

“I think we were one step ahead of them the whole game,” said Branson guard Ryan McGuigan, who held Renaissance’s Justin Cook, averaging 18 points, to three.

Branson, which gave a final victory to its retiring coach, Jonas Honick, repeatedly double-teamed 6-10 Anthony Stover and any other Renaissance post player when the ball went inside.

Renaissance (27-4) was never able to adjust.

Josh Thomas had 11 points and Tremaine Tatum 10 for Renaissance, an eighth-year program that knocked off Los Angeles Price in the Southern California Regional final.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Ross Branson 53, San Luis Obispo Mission Prep 39 -- Rachael Bilney had 23 points and five steals to help Branson repeat its Division V girls’ championship.

Mission Prep (27-5) trailed by five points early in the third quarter, but Branson (29-7) went on a 17-3 run to close out the quarter. The Royals fell to 0-6 in state title games.

Leigh Yetter had 18 points in her final game for Mission Prep, but none of her teammates scored more than six.

The Royals committed 24 turnovers to Branson’s 16.

-- Dan Arritt