Classic at Damien rundown and all-tourney choices

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LA VERNE, Ca. – The Mater Dei High Monarchs turned in a near-impeccable second half Friday night to knock off the host school’s squad, 82-63, in the Gold Division championship game of the first-ever Classic at Damien tournament.

Junior point guard Spencer Freedman was the division’s Most Valuable Player and was joined on the 18-player all-tournament team by three Mater Dei teammates, seniors Justice Sueing and Matt Weyand, and junior Harrison Butler.

Capturing the two other division championships in the 48-team event were Vista in the Silver (60-52 over Woodland Hills Taft) and Hesperia in the Bronze (38-33 over La Canada).

The host Spartans (which suffered their first loss 15 wins, including bracket victories over Hayward Moreau Catholic, Long Beach Poly and Eastvale Roosevelt) jumped out to a 6-zip advantage via consecutive 3s by senior guard Ezekial Alley.

But the Monarchs (16-1), after a few early turnovers, were able to pretty much get any shot they wanted either against the Damien zone, or when the Spartans went to their man-to-man and full-court pressure.

Elijah McCullough hit a 3 at the buzzer to get the Spartans to within 36-31 at intermission in front of the capacity crowd watching the programs coached by the two winningest coaches in California history (Gary McKnight of Mater Dei and Mike LeDuc of Damien).

But the Monarchs scored the first 11 points of the third quarter and eventually hit 10 of 13 shots from the field to take a 55-38 score into the fourth quarter.

Six Monarchs scored in double figures (led by Butler’s 14 points) and a seventh, reserve center Miles Brookins, added eight.

All-tournament choices Ezekial Alley (21) and Cameron Shelton (18) combined for 39 points for the Spartans.

Junior point guard Taurus Samuels scored 14 points with four rebounds and four assists while making multiple “critical” plays down the stretch to help Vista (12-2) pull away from top seed Taft (11-4), and capture the Silver Division championship.

Junior center Antwan January scored 19 points with nine rebounds and two blocked shots for Taft.

Division Most Valuable Player Levontay Ott scored 12 points for Hesperia (10-4) while teammate Jaydon Everett – also selected to the all-tournament team – added 11 as the Scorpions edged La Canada,

Ott made the key defensive play of the contest. With his team clinging to a two-point advantage, he picked off a pass and was fouled with 19.3 seconds to go.

He sank both free throws and, after La Canada air-balled a 3-point attempt, Everett tacked on a free throw for the final scoring of the game.

A look at the other games played Friday:

 

GOLD

Third: Roosevelt 66, Centennial 64. Top scorers – Matt Mitchell (R) 28. Jalen Clark (C) 19.

Fifth: Birmingham 85, Long Beach Poly 81 (OT). Top scorers – Zafir Williams (LBP) 33. Deschon Winston (B) 26.

Seventh: Etiwanda 46, St. John Bosco 40. Top scorers – Miles Oliver (E) 18. Makani Whiteside (SJB) 20.

Consolation: Alemany 75, Santa Monica 63. Top scorers – D.J. McDonald (A) 25. De’sean Allen-Eikens (SM) 17.

11th : Oak Park 63, Rancho Christian 58. Top scorers – Wes Slajchert (OP) 24. Solomon Davis (RC) 27.

13^th: Las Vegas Centennial 79, Hayward Moreau Catholic 55. Top scorers – Troy Brown (C) 27.  Kyree Walker (MC) 25.

15^th: Crespi def. Lynwood, forfeit.

 

SILVER

Third: Dominguez 72, Los Altos 66. Top scorers – Wayne Arnold (D) 25. Jarod Lucas (LA) 22.

Fifth: Windward 70, Leuzinger 57. Top scorers – Damani Washington (L) 33. Jules Bernard (W) 26.

Seventh: Claremont 70, Rancho Cucamonga 64. Top scorer – Kyle Scalamini (C) 19.

Consolation: Colony 48, Rancho Verde 46. Top scorers – Alex Ochoa ( C) 14. Jaxson Turner (RV) 17.

11th: Palmdale Highland 76, Long Beach Jordan 56. Top scorers – Justin Miller (H) 32. Cacoa Chatman (LBJ) 16.

13^th: San Luis Obispo Mission Prep 56, L.A. Price 38. Top scorer – Jackson Willhite (MP) 18.

15th : Playa del Rey St. Bernard 50, Palmdale Knight 48. Top scorer – Malcolm Bray (SB) 12.

 

BRONZE

Third: La Salle 69, Diamond Bar 66. Top scorers – Darius Henderson (LS) 20. Myles Corey (DB) 25.

Fifth: West Covina 69, Kaiser 66. Top scorers – Nick Hart (WC) 49 (yes! FORTY-NINE). Dylan Harris (K) 26.

Seventh: La Sierra 46, San Dimas 40. Top scorers – Jerod Elliott (LS) 18. Ronny Rafeh (SD) 16.

Consolation: Silverado 56, Victorville Victor Valley 39. Top scorers – Jalen Hartwell (S) 14. Eimaj Jones and Paul Reddic (VV) 9 each.

11^th: Valencia Trinity Classical 56, Alta Loma 51. Top scorers – Tyler Lee (TC) 18. Justin Neaves (AL) 12.

13^th: Verrado (AZ) 61, Pomona 50. Top scorers – Jacob De La Torre (V) 18. Omar Perez (P) 15.

15th: Rialto 77, El Rancho 65. Top scorers – Derrion Thomas (R) 33. Noah Losoya (ER) 28.

 

2016 Classic at Damien Gold All-Tournament

1. Ezekial Alley Damien
2. Jemarl Baker Roosevelt
3. Riley Battin Oak Park
4. Troy Brown V. Centennial    Sr.
5. Harrison Butler Mater Dei
6. Spencer Freedman Mater Dei
7. Devante Doutrive Birmingham
8. Kessler Edwards Etiwanda
9. Justin Hemsley Damien
10. Jalen Hill Corona Centennial
11. Matt Mitchell Roosevelt
12. T.J. McDonald Alemany               Jr.
13. Isaiah Mobley Rancho Christian
14. Gio Nelson Corona Centennial
15. Cameron Shelton Damien
16. Justice Sueing Mater Dei
17. Matt Weyand Mater Dei
18. Zafir Williams LB Poly

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Freedman

 

2016 Classic at Damien Silver All-Tournament

1. Jules Bernard Windward
2. Darren Calhoun Dominguez
3. Jozelle Carter Colony
4. Kihei Clark Taft
5. Antwan January Taft
6. Jarod Lucas Los Altos
7. Isaiah Morris Vista
8. Taurus Samuels Vista
9. Jaxon Turner Rancho Verde
10. Damani Washington           Leuzinger

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Samuels

 

2016 Classic at Damien Bronze All-Tournament

1. Sean Estes La Canada
2. Jaydon Everett           Hesperia
3. Nick Hart West Covina
4. Darius Henderson           La Salle
5. Justin Kouyoumdjian           La Canada
6. Levontay Ott Hesperia

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Ott