MISSION VIEJO – Freshman Nathan Hewitt made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Mission Viejo a 63-60 win over Godinez in the second round of the CIF Division 3AA playoffs Friday at Mission Viejo High.
With less than a minute remaining in the game, Bryan Rivera made two free throws to give Godinez (26-4) a one-point lead. On the ensuing Mission Viejo possession, Chris Meyer scored and got fouled. He made the free throw to put the Diablos ahead by two.
Godinez guard Ramon Lopez-Felix got fouled with 10 seconds remaining and sank his two free throws to tie the game. Hewitt caught the ball near halfcourt, dribbled toward the right baseline, and made a 3-pointer at the buzzer. The Mission Viejo fans stormed the court.
“People are going to talk about that shot, but tonight was a real team effort,” Mission Viejo coach Chris Zeller said. “He (Hewitt) is just beginning. He’s a real gym rat, and Orange County has a great four-year player to keep their eyes on.”
Mission Viejo (16-12) will play at North Torrance in the third round Tuesday.
After a high-scoring first quarter, defense picked up for both teams. As the game went on, both teams forced frequent turnovers and had difficulty getting open shots.
“We did a great job battling defensively and making life tough for them,” Zeller said.
Rivera and Lopez-Felix were the two playmakers for the Grizzlies. Both scored 20 points and Rivera had a game-high 10 rebounds.
“I’ll tell you 15 (Lopez-Felix) is one of the most fun and entertaining players to watch on film and we knew we had our work cut out for us,” Zeller said.
Arthur Weimholt was the high scorer for the Diablos, scoring 15 points and grabbing six boards.
The loss snapped Godinez’s 16-game winning streak.