Eagles move closer to first Trinity boys’ hoops crown

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RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA – The Santa Margarita Eagles were the big winners – on and off the floor – among Southern California boys’ high school basketball teams Monday.

Coach Justin Bell’s team built a 20-point advantage early in the third quarter before losing all but five points of that edge – via an 11-point spurt in the first minute and eight seconds of the fourth quarter by Mater Dei’s junior deluxe jump shooter Luke Barnett.

But, with each starter scoring in double figures, the Eagles regrouped and prevailed, 87-75.

The win left the Eagles (21-5 overall and 7-2 in league) just a Tuesday night victory at Servite away from winning at least a share of their first-ever Trinity League championship.

Some four and a half hours earlier, the CIF Southern Section office in Los Alamitos released its updated boys computer ratings.

And that was the day’s first “win” for Bell’s team, which  – largely by way of its road wins against St. John Bosco and JSerra last week –jumped six spots in the computer’s pecking order to No. 3, leap-frogging SJB (which was third), Redondo (fourth), La Mirada (fifth), Sierra Canyon (sixth), Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (seventh) and JSerra (eighth) in the process.

“Wow!” Bell text in response, after being alerted of his team’s computer movement Monday afternoon.

Even a stunning loss at Servite (14-13 and 0-9) wouldn’t be enough to prevent the Eagles from appearing in their first Open Division playoff action in seven years.

The Trinity League crown would be of the “outright” variety if JSerra (No. 7 in the updated computer ratings; 21-6 and 6-3) beats St. John Bosco (No. 4; 23-4 and 7-2) in San Juan Capistrano Tuesday night.

The Eagles – who lost at Mater Dei, 62-59, on Jan. 22 – scored the first eight points Monday night, hitting two of the 10 3s they knocked in during the first half.

No. 10 was a 40-foot, buzzer-beater by junior guard Kaiden Bailey (22 points and eight assists) that put the hosts up, 46-29, at intermission.

Junior forward Brayden Kyman (13 points, six rebounds and three assists) hit his third 3 to start the third quarter and move the advantage to 20 points.

The Monarchs got to within 14 points after three quarters but Barnett – who had scored 10 points until then – outscored Dallas Washington of Santa Margarita, 11-2, over the first 1:08 of the fourth quarter.

Timeout, Coach Bell.

“I wanted to remind them to keep calm, and that we were getting a little ‘3-point (shot) happy’,” he said.

The gentle verbal nudge to get a few passes deeper into the half-court offense before launching jumpers paid off.

When play resumed, the 6-foot-9, Long Beach State-bound Washington (21 points – including four of his team’s 13 3s – and seven rebounds) scored on a follow with 6:21 to go.

And Barnett didn’t score again, missing his final four shots while mostly guarded by Rodney Westmoreland, III (one of the four juniors who started for the Eagles).

Six-nine Blake Davidson (14 points, seven rebounds and three assists) hit two free throws to get the Monarchs back to within five points with 6:01 remaining.

Consecutive layups by Ekene Anyiam-Osigwe (the only points for a non-starter for the Eagles) and Drew Anderson  – by way of passes from Westmoreland and Bailey, respectively – pushed the hosts’ edge to nine points.

The visitors got back to within five points twice, after a 3 by sophomore Lucas Gaspar (15 points) with 2:39 to go and a layup by Malloy Smith that got his team to within 77-72 with 1:57 remaining.

Anderson (12 points and 10 rebounds), Bailey and Westmoreland (pictured/17 points, three 3s and four assists) combined for their team’s final 10 points from the free-throw line.

The Monarchs (No. 12 in the Computer ratings) dropped their third game in a row to fall to 19-8 and 5-4 and close their regular season at Orange Lutheran (No. 31/14-13 and 2-7) Tuesday night.

They’ll miss the Open playoffs for only the second time but almost certainly will be the first at-large (non-automatic qualifier) selection to the D-I playoff bracket when the CIF SS announces the playoff divisions Saturday at noon.

*In other Monday games whose results will impact the Open Division ratings, host Crespi (No. 11/20-7) beat visiting Alemany (No. 30/21-8), 80-52, while host Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks (No. 9/21-5) toppled Chaminade (No. 29/19-10), 80-68, in the second round of the Mission League tourney.

In Mission semifinals Tuesday night, Crespi is at Harvard-Westlake (No. 1/25-1) while Sierra Canyon (No. 6/20-4) plays host to Notre Dame.

The winners play in the Wednesday night, on the home court of the highest remaining seed.

*In another game impacting the Open race, La Mirada (No. 8/23-4 and 7-0 in the Gateway League) stopped visiting Gahr (12-14 and 2-5), 73-33.

The Matadores play host to Mayfair (No. 63/22-5 and 6-1) Wednesday night.

*And, in a Bay League finale, Redondo (No. 5/23-2 and 7-0) is at home to Mira Costa (No. 13/24-3 and 6-1) Tuesday night.

The Sea Hawks, who beat the host Mustangs in their first meeting (76-64, Jan. 17), have won 22 consecutive Bay League games over three seasons.