LONG BEACH – The Sierra Canyon High basketball team held its collective breath as a potential score-tying jumper by Etiwanda’s Krystian Wilson was just off the front of the rim as the buzzer sounded in Long Beach State’s Pyramid.
With the miss came a 58-55 victory for the Trailblazers over the Eagles in the Southern Regional Open Division final and earned them a spot in the state championship game next Saturday night in Sacramento.
Sierra Canyon’s “NBA bloodlines” came through at critical moments for Coach Andre Chevalier’s team as Kenyon Martin Jr., Scotty Pippen Jr. and Duane Washington Jr. combined for all of the Trailblazers’ fourth-quarter points.
Martin put his team ahead to stay, 48-47, with two free throws with 2:01 to go.
Pippen pushed the advantage to three points on a drive with 1:30 remaining and, after a potential score-tying 3 from Dylan Gaines dipped in and out and Martin secured the rebound.
After a timeout with 35 seconds remaining (and nine on the shot clock), reserved Will Washington missed on a 3 from the right corner as the shot clock buzzer went off but Martin followed it in while being fouled and knocked in the free throw for a six-point edge.
Wilson was fouled at the other end and hit both free throws with 26.9 seconds to play but Pippen, fouled immediately after taking in the inbound pass, swished both free throws to push the edge back to six points.
Martin then fouled out while attempting to block Kessler Edwards’ 3-point attempt and the Pepperdine-bound senior hit all three shots to get to within 55-52 with 19 seconds to go.
Fouled again just a second after an inbound pass, Pippen knocked in two more free throws for a five-point advantage before Wilson’s 3 trimmed the deficit to a deuce.
Washington, fouled with 5.2 seconds remaining, sank both free throws setting the stage for the oh-so-narrow miss by Wilson.
Pippen (PICTURED) finished with 22 points while Washington added 18 and Martin 11.
Edwards led the Eagles with 25 points and 12 rebounds.
The Trailblazers (26-4), who lost to Mater Dei in the same building on March 2 in the Southern Section Open Division final, beat Foothills Christian and Bishop Montgomery in its first two regional games.
The Eagles (30-4), beaten by Mater Dei in the Southern Section Open semifinals, beat L.A. City powers Westchester and Fairfax to earn a spot in the regional final.
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