They have been without their legendary coach all season. On Saturday, they did not have their All-American 7-foot-1 senior, who also serves as team captain. 

But it seems nothing can keep the Dominguez Dons boys basketball team from winning the school's fifth state title in the last six years.

Having every chance to fold over the first 28 minutes, Dominguez was simply a fresher and more experienced team down the stretch of a 62-57 win over Redondo Union on Saturday in the Southern California Division II regional final at the Forum.

Dominguez played the entire game without 7-1 center Tyson Chandler, who averages 26 points, 13 rebounds and 7 blocks. Chandler sat on the bench wearing street clothes and had a cast on his right foot to alleviate pressure from the ankle he severely sprained in Thursday's win over Inglewood.

The Dons have played the entire season without former coach Russell Otis, who was arrested before the season started and later charged with sexually molesting one of his own players.

"Redondo gave us a hard fought game and we both battled the whole way," Dominguez interim coach Steve Singleton said. "It was a dogfight, but our kids kept fighting and finally got over the hump. I'm so proud of our kids for hanging in there. We could have folded at any time this year with all the things that have happened, but we made it to the top and now we just have to play one game in Sacramento."

With the victory, the Dons (30-4) advanced to next Friday's state championship game in Sacramento vs. Mountain View St. Francis at 8 p.m. in the Arco arena.

But it looked as if through much of Saturday's game that the Dons might not make what has seemingly become their preordained trip to Sacramento. The Sea Hawks led 13-12 after a first quarter that saw the teams combine for 11 turnovers.

Redondo Union increased its lead to as much as 23-18 midway through the second quarter after sophomore Wendell White scored two of his 14 first-half points on a 12-foot pull-up jumper.

Dominguez answered with an 11-5 run that was culminated by Keion Kindred's left-hand layup after Tony Bryant broke down the zone defense that the Sea Hawks' played for the majority of the final three quarters. Redondo Union, however, reclaimed the lead, 30-29, before halftime on White's conventional three-point play.

Redondo Union led 41-36 midway through the third quarter and the lead could have been larger if Samir Hernandez, a 6-7 junior who replaced Chandler at center, had not come through with several key plays on both ends of the floor. Dominguez ended the quarter on a 9-2 run that was sparked by three Sea Hawks' turnovers and was culminated by Saul Lankster's long 3-pointer with 17 seconds remaining.

Dominguez held a slim lead or the score was tied through the majority of the fourth quarter, but the key play of the game for the Dons was Montrell Williams' desperation 19-foot jumper that was released right before the shot clock expired. Williams' shot gave Dominguez a 55-53 lead with 2:19 remaining and Redondo Union would get no closer.

The game's outcome, however, was essentially decided when Redondo Union's best player, 6-6 UCLA signee Dijon Thompson, fouled out with 31.9 seconds remaining and Williams made both free throws to increase Dominguez's lead to 60-55. Thompson was the last of four Sea Hawks to foul out, all of whom were starters. Redondo Union was whistled for 25 personal fouls, while Dominguez received 18.

"Twenty-seven years of coaching and I've never had four guys foul out. That was tough," Redondo Union coach Jim Nielsen said. "That's to take nothing away from Dominguez because they are very athletic and a hell of a team. But do you think if our four guys don't foul out that the result would be the same? I'm not saying the officials called illegitimate fouls, just that they were tough."

"But Dominguez is a physical team and you gotta give them credit. They beat
us and we're a hell of a team who has beaten everybody we've played this year. Let's call it like it is: Dominguez is damn good and you add Chandler and that makes them a great team."

The big question before the game was who would step up offensively for Dominguez with Chandler out. As expected, the answer was Bobby Jones. The 6-7 junior, who was the only Dominguez player to foul out on Saturday, led the Dons with 19 points, including 13 of Dominguez's 29 first-half points, and 8 rebounds.

"We played without Tyson the whole summer and for three games earlier this season," Jones said. "That definitely gave us confidence for today in knowing that we could play without Tyson in key situations. We just knew that we all had to step up."

Darius Sanders added 11 points for the Dons, while Kindred continued his
improved play at the point-guard position, finishing with 6 points, 3 assists, 3
steals and 2 turnovers.

White had 17 points and 8 rebounds to lead Redondo Union (27-6), while Thompson had 15 points, despite struggling with his shooting, making only 7 of 19 field-goal attempts.

Oakland Tribune
STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

SACRAMENTO -- There had to be a horrible sense of deja vu for the Hayward High boys basketball team Saturday. 

Last year, the Farmers were knocked out of the CIF Northern California Division II playoffs by St. Francis when the Lancers hit a shot as time expired. 

Saturday, the Farmers led by two points with nine seconds to play and the NorCal title well within their grasp, but St. Francis beat the buzzer again this year, when Hakeem Gilliard hit a layin with two seconds left to tie the game and send it in to overtime. 

And once into extra time, St. Francis took control of the game, rolling to a 72-63 win over Hayward at Arco Arena. 

St. Francis advances to the state title game to take on Southern California champion Dominguez-Compton on Friday at 8 p.m. at Arco. 

Gilliard scored 10 of his 18 points in the last minute of regulation and the first minute of overtime. 

David Chiotti also played a key role for St. Francis (22-9), scoring a game-high 21 points and keying a 46-25 edge on the boards with 15 rebounds. Frontcourt bookend Troy Bienneman had 14 points and 11 rebounds. 

Jamar Tatum led Hayward (30-4) with 15 points, and Jerome Tatum added 14.

Chronicle

St. Francis of Mountain View survived a second straight overtime battle to upset top-seeded Hayward 72-63. Leading the way for the Lancers (22-9) were 6-9 center David Chiotti (15 points) and 6-5 forward Troy Bienneman (11 points).

Sacramento Bee

St. Francis 72, Hayward 63 -- Hakeem Gilliard needed to redeem himself. With 45 seconds remaining and St. Francis trailing by two, Hayward's inbound pass was inadvertently thrown directly to Gilliard under his own basket. He blew the layup.

Just 42 seconds later he had a second chance and made the most of it, tying the score 59-59 with a full-court layup. The junior guard then hit a three-pointer to begin overtime, and 6-foot-9 junior David Chiotti added six points as the No. 3 Lancers (22-9) beat the top-seeded Farmers (30-4).

Chiotti had a game-high 21 points and 15 rebounds. Gilliard had 18 points and 6-5 senior Troy Bienemann 14 points and 11 rebounds.