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Weary Mater Dei holds off La Verne Lutheran
Mater Dei capped a challenging week with a 71-66 victory over La Verne Lutheran in the Nike Extravaganza on Saturday at Mater Dei.
The Monarchs (22-2) on Wednesday won at Orange Lutheran, avenging a loss there last year, beat St. John Bosco of Bellflower on Friday to clinch a share of the Trinity League championship, then conquered La Verne Lutheran, the No. 17 team in CalHiSports’ California rankings.
“That’s three tough games in four days,” Mater Dei coach Gary McKnight said. “It took a toll on us a bit. We got a little tired there at the end.”
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But Mater Dei had enough gas to finish the race, thanks largely to a strong rebounding and defensive effort by Xavier Johnson and some clutch baskets by a player who is not counted upon to provide the scoring leadership, Eli Stalzer.
Johnson guarded La Verne Lutheran’s Grant Jerrett, a 6-foot-10 senior who signed with Arizona and has been labeled as the top high school basketball prospect in California. Jerrett, hobbled with an ankle sprain, was not himself; he scored seven points and had no rebounds.
He went into Saturday’s game averging 24 points and 11 rebounds.
Stalzer scored on a drive and hit an outside jumper, with both baskets coming when La Verne Lutheran’s Trojans had trimmed the Mater Dei lead to one point.
“Eli came through big for us,” Mater Dei sophomore forward Stanley Johnson said. “He’s really not a scorer, but we needed him to be one because we had some tired legs out there.”
Jordan Strawberry also scored on back-to-back possessions in the final three minutes for the Monarchs.
Xavier Johnson scored 19 points with 15 rebounds. Katin Reinhardt scored 17 points and Stalzer had 11 points. Stanley Johnson contributed 11 rebounds.
Eric Cooper led La Verne Lutheran with 21 points.
Mater Dei shot 39 percent from the field.
Also in the Nike Extravaganza:
Long Beach Poly 67, No. 4 Orange Lutheran 45: The Lancers (14-9) fell behind early, caught up briefly in the second quarter but never led as they lost to the Jackrabbits (21-1), the No. 2-ranked team in California behind Mater Dei.
Gabe York led Lutheran with 23 points. He was 11 for 13 at the free-throw line.
Roschon Prince led Poly with 25 points on 11-for-18 shooting. Reuben Strickland added 21 points for the Jackrabbits.
Lutheran plays Trinity League games next week against JSerra and St. John Bosco of Bellflower.
Westchester of Los Angeles 45, No. 2 Capistrano Valley 42: Aleks Lipovic’s 3-point effort at the buzzer missed the mark, and the Cougars (21-3) lost to the Comets (19-5).
Jonny Bates led Capistrano Valley with 17 points including four 3-pointers. Lipovic was the only other Cougar in double figures, with 13 points.
Je’Ron Primus was the only Comet in double figures, with 15 points.
