Crespi edges Loyola in game’s final moments, 75-73

After winning its first 11 games and enjoying a triumphant trip to Maryland last week when it beat up on a series of East Coast teams, unbeaten Los Angeles Loyola was welcomed home Wednesday night by having to face Encino Crespi in a Mission League basketball opener.

Standout junior guard London Perrantes of host Crespi had the No. 2-ranked Cubs right where he wanted them. He had the ball with 14 seconds left in a tie game.

“I’ve been working for this all season, for this game, for this moment,” he said. “There was no way I was passing that up. There was no way I was missing that shot.”

True to his word, Perrantes made a 10-foot floater with 2.9 seconds left, giving the Celts (14-1) a 75-73 victory over Loyola (11-1).

“He made a tough shot, and that’s what a really great player does,” Loyola Coach Jamal Adams said.

It wasn’t the first time Perrantes, who has scholarship offers from Pepperdine and San Francisco, has risen up to help beat the Cubs. He contributed last season in a 76-72 win at Loyola. This time, he got help from Michael Milligan Jr., who had 16 rebounds, and Christian Johnson and Michael Avery, who contributed 14 points apiece.

“That’s a good team, a tremendously well-coached team,” Adams said. “They exploited some matchup issues.”

Loyola opened up a 10-point lead in the second quarter, but the Cubs struggled on defense. Crespi was able to get a series of layups and find openings. “We wanted to attack with discipline,” Crespi Coach Russell White said.

In the fourth quarter, after falling behind, 57-51, Crespi made a run. The game was tied at 62, 64 and 66. An Avery layup and a three-pointer by Johnson put the Celts on top, 71-67, with 2 minutes 30 seconds left.

Back came Loyola. Parker Cartwright made a three-pointer and Justin Childress tied the game with a layup with 30 seconds left.

Crespi called timeout with 14 seconds left and then put the game in the hands of Perrantes, who finished with 17 points.

“I love London,” Adams said. “I think he’s a fabulous player.”

Julian Harrell had 21 points and Cartwright 15 for Loyola, which has to face another tough Mission League opponent in Alemany on Friday in another road game.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

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