COMPTON – Canyon’s boys basketball team didn’t take comfort Tuesday night that it pushed host Compton and its high-flying players to overtime before falling, 81-78, in the Division 2 semifinals of the CIF State Southern California Regional playoffs.
Coach Nate Harrison was pleased, however, with his team’s effort.
“I’m really proud of my boys,” he said. “I’m disappointed (with the result). We weren’t here to play them close. We came to win the game.
“Give a lot credit to Compton. They’re a great team. They hit big shots all game.”
Canyon (30-5) nearly won the game in regulation after trailing by 12 in the second quarter and eight in the third.
Nick Anderson drove the key and scored on a short, off-balance bank-shot with about 42 seconds left that gave the Comanches their first lead, 73-72. After Compton’s Iziahiah Sweeney made 1 of 2 fouls shots with 20 seconds left to tie the score, Canyon’s Anthony Ballestero got the final shot but missed about a 15-footer from the wing after nearly losing the ball.
The overtime also was decided in the final seconds. The score was locked, 78-78, with just under a minute when Ballestero drove and threw a behind-the-head pass to an open teammate, but the Comanches couldn’t make the reverse layup.
Fresno State-bound Isaiah Bailey then scored the go-ahead basket on a drive with 25 seconds left and added a foul shot with four seconds left for the final margin. Ballestero’s final shot from midcourt hit off the backboard and No. 2-seeded Compton — a team selected for the Open Division in the section playoffs — held off the No. 3 Comanches.
“I didn’t expected that from them,” Compton coach Tony Thomas said of Canyon. “I knew they were good but not that good. … Very well-coached team. That was tough.”
Harrison took responsibility for the narrow defeat.
“I just needed to come up with one more scoring play, man,” he said. “My kids played phenomenal. They’re great kids. They gave me everything they had and I came up one play short. I should have had some better drawn up at the end there.”
Anderson led Canyon with 20 points, including 10 in the first period, while Chandler Dignam added 19. Anderson also had three blocks.
Devonte Parker (11 points) and Kaleb Phillips (13 points) each made three of the Comanches’ nine 3-pointers. Ballestero added 10 points.
Bailey scored six of his 15 points in overtime.
There were times when Compton’s ability to soar above the Canyon defense seemed like it would be too much for the Comanches to overcome. Compton point guard Kyron Cartwright sparked an 8-1 run in the second quarter with a pull-up jumper over Canyon’s defense and Sweeney followed with a put-back on a rebound.
But after trailing, 39-27, Canyon recovered by closing the first half with a 7-0 run. Ballestero capped the run with a pass from beyond the 3-point arc to Dignam, who scored in the low post at the buzzer to trim Compton’s lead to 42-40.
Then in the third, Compton sophomore Javontie Jackson became a shot-blocking force but the Comanches again responded as Phillips sank a 3-pointer at the buzzer to cut Compton’s lead to, 59-54, going to the fourth.
In the fourth, Bailey delivered a spectacular dunk to cap a fastbreak and give Compton a 65-59 lead with 6:24 left. The home crowd erupted but the Comanches didn’t fold.
After Canyon’s Kalem Rokosz drew his third charge with about three minutes left, Parker made a 3-pointer with 1:53 left to cut Compton’s lead to 70-67. The stage was set for a dramatic ending, which almost belonged to Canyon.
Compton (25-7) advances to face St. John Bosco in the regional final on Saturday at noon at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
