Westchester wins So Cal Regional Division Title, beats Mater Dei 71-63

Mater Dei loses to Westchester 71-63 in the So Cal regional championship. The Monarchs rallied from 20 points down, but it wasn't enough. Tyler Lamb had 32 pts & 14 reb. Jonathan Khamis, OCVarsity.com, 3/20/10

Westchester had a sizzling start. Mater Dei got as close as 1 point in the 4th but Westchester held on for the win.

UCLA 2010 recruit and Mater Dei guard Tyler Lamb finished with 32 points and 14 rebounds.

Damian Calhoun’s Game MVP(s): Westchester’s Dwayne Polee and Jordin Mayes. “When the Comets needed them late, their big duo came through. Polee finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Mayes had 21.”

“Mater Dei MVP: That's an easy one. Tyler Lamb. Lamb was the only reason Mater Dei was relatively close at halftime when he scored 17 points. He finished with 32 and 14 rebounds. I think he will do just fine next year at UCLA.”

Mater Dei vs Westchester
In-game blog posting
By Damian Calhoun
OCVarsity.com
March 20, 2010

Boys basketball: The Division I showdown is getting closer (updated)
March 20th, 2010, 6:13 pm

Both the Mater Dei and Westchester boys basketball teams have arrived here at Galen Center ahead of tonight's much-anticipated Division I regional final.

We have one more game (Long Beach Poly-Clovis West girls game) and then it is the showdown that we've all been waiting for. Who do you think it will be? Mater Dei? Westchester?

Updated: It appears that they are selling tickets in the upper section. You have an hour to get here.
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Boys basketball: Mater Dei-Westchester, the pregame show
March 20th, 2010, 7:45 pm

The moment every high school basketball fan in the state of California has been waiting for is finally here. Mater Dei-Westchester are getting ready to face off in the CIF Southern California Regional final here at Galen Center.

The teams have been on a collision course since the playoffs began. I knew that the Division I title would eventually be settled between the Monarchs and Comets.

Earlier this week on OCVarsity.com, I picked Westchester to win. I'm sticking with that prediction.

The crowd is filling in nicely. The lower level should be full by tip. People are finally up in the upper level.

The college coaches are out too. I see Utah, Pepperdine, Washington St., Montana. Kevin O'Neill (USC) was walking around earlier.

Stay tuned. Tip-off is set for approximately 8:20 p.m.

Note: Mater Dei guard Tommy Stangl is in uniform and going through warmups.
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Boys basketball: Tip time for Mater Dei-Westchester
March 20th, 2010, 8:09 pm

Both teams are on the court going through warm-ups. Mater Dei is the home team. Turnovers will be key. Can Westchester turn over Mater Dei? I think Westchester should be able to handle Mater Dei's press.

Gary McKnight and Ed Azzam are having a brief conversation on the Mater Dei bench.
This should be interesting.

Here are the starting lineups:

Mater Dei
11 Max Hooper
4 Gary Franklin
20 Tyler Lamb
24 Keala King
5 Katin Reinhardt

Westchester
32 Kareem Jamar
12 Jordin Mayes
44 Reggie Murphy
0 Dwayne Polee
10 Menas Stephens
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Boys basketball: Westchester out to early lead
March 20th, 2010, 8:26 pm

Mater Dei opened showing a lot of patience on offense, but that quickly turned into a couple of rushed 3-point attempts.

You can always tell how important the game is by looking at Gary McKnight. McKnight is usually posted in his seat. Tonight, he has been up since tip.

Mater Dei has only made one field goal and that was a 3 by Tyler Lamb to open.
Westchester 8, Mater Dei 5
4:28 left in 1st
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Boys basketball: Westchester strikes fast
March 20th, 2010, 8:31 pm

With the scored tied at 10, Westchester went Jordin Mayes 15-foot J, followed by Denzel Douglas 3 for a 15-10.

The refs are letting them play, which can either be a good or bad thing, depending on things.

At one in the first, Steve Fryer had Mater Dei shooting 2 of 15 from the field. I love sitting near the fans. We have one guy telling Mater Dei to man up.
Max Hooper knocks down 3

Westchester 15, Mater Dei 13
1:05 left in 1st
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Boys basketball: Mater Dei up after the first period
March 20th, 2010, 8:36 pm

WOW! What a quarter.

Mater Dei got two consecutive 3's (Max Hooper and Tyler Lamb) to take a 16-15 lead. Lamb followed with a reverse layup.

Reggie Murphy closed the quarter with a rebound/putback. Tyler Lamb has been beastly for Mater Dei with 12 first quarter points.

The refs are letting a lot of stuff go. Westchester was called for three fouls and Mater Dei for only one. Keep that in mind.

Mater Dei 18, Westchester 17 end of 1
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Boys basketball: Mater Dei's offense is missing in action
March 20th, 2010, 8:42 pm

If you see the Mater Dei offense, please direct it back to Galen Center. The Monarchs have gone ice cold. Their settling for too many 3's and the ball isn't moving at all. Makes things a lot easier for Westchester.

The Comets, however, are having a better time. They are currently on an 8-2 run to take a 28-21 lead.

Keala King has just two points. Gary Franklin has missed a lot more than he has made.
We are on the verge of blowout city.
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Boys basketball: It is a good thing Tyler Lamb showed up
March 20th, 2010, 8:51 pm

Lamb has scored 17 of Mater Dei's 25 points. However, the rest of the Monarch team has failed to follow his lead. More bad news for Mater Dei is that Westchester has 37 points and can get any shot it wants at any moment.

According to the Westchester fan to my left, Mater Dei needs to get its weight up.
Westchester 37, Mater Dei 25
at the half

I will be back with halftime stats.
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Boys basketball: If you're a Mater Dei fan, look away
March 20th, 2010, 8:57 pm

Here are the halftime stats and they're not pretty for the Monarchs.
Westchester 37, Mater Dei 25

Jordin Mayes leads Westchester with 14 points (5 of 6 shooting, 3 of 4 on 3s)
Reggie Murphy has nine points and six rebounds.

Mater Dei is shooting 30.3 percent (10 of 33) from the field. Tyler Lamb has 17 points (7 of 13 shooting from field).

Gary Franklin is shooting 1 of 10. Keala King is 1 of 5. Katin Reinhardt has only taken two shots.

Westchester is outrebounding Mater Dei, 24-19. Tyler Lamb has nine rebounds for Mater Dei.
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Boys basketball: Westchester appears headed for Bakersfield
March 20th, 2010, 9:06 pm

Mater Dei opened the second half with consecutive turnovers. That pretty much sums up the night for the Monarchs. Make three early turnovers for the Monarchs
On the other end, Dwayne Polee hit a 3, Reggie Murphy put back a Jordin Mayes miss. Denzel Douglas offensive rebound and basket.

I've been to Bakersfield for the past seven consecutive years for the state wrestling championships. I can give Westchester all of the info on the who, what and where of Bakersfield.

Westchester 44, Mater Dei 26

5:24 left in 3rd
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Boys basketball: Mater Dei finally showing some life
March 20th, 2010, 9:13 pm

Westchester's lead grew to 20 at 46-26, however, the Monarchs are making a good push here in the third.

A Keala King three-point play has cut the lead to 46-36 with 2:28 left.
Can the Monarchs come back?
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Boys basketball: Mater Dei within striking distance heading to fourth
March 20th, 2010, 9:20 pm

I guess 10 is within striking distance.

Mater Dei thanks to its press has started to cause a little trouble for Westchester. The Comets are getting open looks against the press, but they aren't falling
I liked the fight that the Monarchs showed in that quarter.

Taking a look at the foul board, Westchester has been called for seven fouls. Mater Dei has been called for four.
Westchester 51, Mater Dei 41
end of 3
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Boys basketball: The red wave is rolling now
March 20th, 2010, 9:28 pm

Mater Dei finally got the lead under 10 thanks to a pair of Gary Franklin free throws with 5:48 left in the game. Westchester is over the limit with 10 fouls. The Comets are not playing with the same sharpness they did earlier.

Franklin hit a 3 with 5:13 to finally make this a ballgame again.
Westchester 54, Mater Dei 49
5:13 left in game

Mater Dei shot 42.9 percent in the third quarter, while Westchester shot 37.5

Boys basketball: Jordin Mayes for 3, Dwayne Polee brings down the house
March 20th, 2010, 9:35 pm

Tyler Lamb basket and free throw made the score 54-52.

Lamb later hit one of two free throws to cut the score to 54-53. Dwayne
Polee knocked down two for a 56-53 lead. Keala King went to line and made one, 56-54. Then Westchester struck and did so fast.

Jordin Mayes stepped up and knocked home a big 3 for a 59-54 lead. Dwayne Polee followed with a thunderous jam, but he called for a T. Franklin went to the line and missed both free throws.

Westchester 61, Mater Dei 54
2:29 left.
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Boys basketball: Westchester one minute away from Bakersfield
March 20th, 2010, 9:44 pm

The crowd was still buzzing after Polee's jam. How is that kid not going to either USC or UCLA? Jordin Mayes (another who isn't going to either USC or UCLA) then came out of a timeout and hit a 15-foot J to give Westchester a 63-54 lead.
Mater Dei is barely hanging on, trailing 64-58 with 1:04 left.

Polee made one of two free throws for a 65-58 lead. Lamb followed with a layup with 50.5 seconds left.

Westchester 65, Mater Dei 60
50.5 seconds left.
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Boys basketball: Highway 99 will get you to Bakersfield
March 20th, 2010, 9:52 pm

And Westchester will be on it sometime in the next couple of days.

Dwayne Polee went to the free throw line for what seemed like 15 attempts in the final minutes. Mater Dei eventually ran out of time.
Westchester wins, 71-63.
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Boys basketball: Mater Dei-Westchester, instant analysis
March 20th, 2010, 10:21 pm

Here is my instant analysis of Westchester's 71-63 victory over Mater Dei.

Turning point, No. 1: The second quarter. Mater Dei actually led 18-17 after the first period. Westchester then did what it wanted to in the second, outscoring Mater Dei 20-7 in the second. The second quarter was ugly for Mater Dei. With the game tied at 19, Westchester outscored Mater Dei, 11-2 to take a 30-21 lead. The Comets would eventually lead 37-25 at halftime.

Turning point, No. 2: Mater Dei trailed by 20, but eventually made a ferocious second half run to get to within 54-53 in the third. Westchester then scored seven consecutive (Dwayne Polee free throws, Jordan Mayes 3 and Polee's monster jam) to regain control at 61-53.

MVP: Dwayne Polee/Jordin Mayes. When the Comets needed them late, their big duo came through. Polee finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Mayes had 21.
Westchester unsung hero: Reggie Murphy. The tallest kid on the court, finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Westchester outrebounded Mater Dei, 44-37.

Mater Dei MVP: That's an easy one. Tyler Lamb. Lamb was the only reason Mater Dei was relatively close at halftime when he scored 17 points. He finished with 32 and 14 rebounds. I think he will do just fine next year at UCLA.

What went wrong for MD: Not enough offense from the likes of Keala King, Gary Franklin and Max Hooper. At halftime, Franklin was 1 of 10, King was 1 of 5 and Hooper was 1 for 2. The wide open 3-point attempts that Mater Dei enjoyed all season, were not in the cards tonight.

Franklin finished shooting 5 of 18, but 1 of 10 on 3's. He finished with 18 points. King was 3 of 14 and missed all three 3-point attempts. Hooper was 1 of 5.

Mater Dei also couldn't shoot. The Monarchs shot 30 percent at halftime. They did shoot 42.9 percent in the third, but finished shooting just 34.9 percent.

What went right for MD: The Monarchs showed a lot of fight in the second half to cut the deficit from 20 to 1. Mater Dei's defense picked up, forcing Westchester into a lot of hurried shots.