ONTARIO – The “rubber match” between San Joaquin League boys’ basketball rivals Pacifica Christian of Newport and Fairmont Prep of Anaheim was held in the Toyota Arena.
The regular season split left the Tritons and Huskies as the league’s co-champions.
But Fairmont Prep 64-60 victory in overtime Saturday did more than just give the Huskies a 2-1 seasonal advantage over the Tritons:
It gave Coach Joedy Gardner’s program its first-ever CIF Southern Division 2AA championship.
Senior guard Oliver Jones’ two free throws with 6.8 seconds remaining put the game into overtime, and his six points – a layup to start the extra period and four free throws– secured the victory.
The Huskies (22-9) – who trailed by 10 points in the third quarter – were able to prevail despite losing their best player, David Abisogun, when the 6-foot-9 junior fouled out with 2:43 to go in regulation and his team up by two points.
Abisogun (pictured) scored a team-high 20 points (five of five from the field, and 10 of 14 on free throws) with a game-high 15 rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots.
Senior forward E.J. Spillman – who helped the Tritons (23-8) win the regional D-II championship two years before their loss to San Joaquin Memorial of Fresno State in Sacramento – scored a game-high 29 points with four assists and three steals.
Both teams are expected to play in Southern Regional D-I or D-II games Tuesday night.
In two other boys game played Saturday morning and afternoon:
3A
San Bernardino Aquinas 59, San Dimas 41: The Falcons outscored the Saints by 16 points and the Saints never got closer than within 10 points after intermission.
The Falcons (17-16) – who came into the playoffs at 12-16 – got a game-high 17 points from senior Malachi Jones, joined by two teammates in double figures.
Another senior guard, L.J. Hall, had nine points and six assists for Coach Daryl Pegram’s squad, expected to draw a spot in D-III of the Southern Regionals Sunday.
The Saints (20-12) shot just .333 from the field with 12 turnovers while being outrebounded by 12.
4AA
Garden Grove Santiago 74, Riverside Ramona 69: Senior Jordan De la Mora scored 28 points to help the Cavaliers win the program’s first CIF SS basketball championship while improving to 22-11.
Coach Matt Moorhouse’s team need a first-round win at Los Amigos (45-42) – a club that beat the Cavaliers twice in Coast League play – to start the title run.
The Rams (26-7) – who shot .304 from the field – were led by senior forward Andrew Green’s 14 points and 10 rebounds.
The teams are expected to land in Division IV of the Southern Regionals.
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