LONG BEACH – The Sierra Canyon High Trailblazers had three tantalizing, point-blank attempts at the bucket in the closing seconds of their CIF Southern Section Open Division championship game with Mater Dei Friday night at Long Beach State.
But, ever-so-abruptly, instead of preparing for overtime Coach Gary McKnight and his Monarchs were celebrating a 55-53 victory and the program’s 23rd section championship.
With his trailing by two points with 8.7 seconds remaining, Ohio State-bound Duane Washington got a clean drive from the left land but couldn’t convert the runner, high-jumping Kenyon Martin missed a tap and then, finally, Terren Frank had the tightest miss of all – a controlled, one-hand follow from eight feet in which the ball dipped in before popping out of the iron as the buzzer sound.
The win improved the Monarchs’ record to 23-6 and, no doubt, earned them the No. 1 seed in the eight-team State Southern Open Regional that begins next Friday night.
The Trailblazers (23-4) will almost certainly be the No. 2 seed and also will open at home.
The Monarchs led by 12 points after the first possession of the third quarter but the Trailblazers, behind Martin’s 11 second-quarter points (he finished with game-highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds) fought back to get to within two points going into the fourth quarter.
They tied the score twice, at 37 (on a Martin bucket and free throw with 1:14 to go in the third quarter) and, on Martin’s layup after a Scotty Pippen pass with 59 seconds to go in regulation.
Point guard Spencer Freedman (PICTURED) then put the Monarchs back in front, with 36 seconds to go, by hitting a contested 15-footer from the right side.
Martin hit one of two free throws with 27 seconds remaining and Freedman was immediately fouled but missed both of his attempts.
At the other end Pippen missed on a drive from the right side and Martin couldn’t convert a follow and then sophomore Aidan Prukop of Mater Dei was fouled while recovering the ball with 8.7 seconds to go, hitting one of two free throws and setting the stage for the frantic closing moments.
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