SoCalHoops Recruiting News

CIF State Finals Boys & Girls Titles:
All The Final Scores--(Mar. 17, 2001)

The 2001 State Championships are now history.  SoCal teams won 9 out of 10.  The girls completed a clean sweep, and in the Boys' finals, the SoCal teams also came up big, with only Berkley St. Mary's win over Crossroads spoiling a perfect series.  Here are the Boys' scores:

Division I

Mater Dei 57, Modesto Christian 54

[From the Official State CIF Website Recap]

Mater Dei Takes Fourth Title in a Thriller, 57-54
In a topsy-turvy game, Mater Dei hung on for a tight win over Modesto Christian to win its fourth CIF State Basketball Title. The Monarchs other titles were in 1987, 1990 and 1995. Mike Strawberry and Cedric Bozeman led Mater Dei offensively with 12 and 11 points respectively. Chuck Hayes of Modesto Christian was the individual star with 18 points and a divisional record tying 20 rebounds. Marc Pratt contributed 16 points to the Crusaders' offense. Modesto Christian held a 31-24 halftime lead, but Mater Dei took charge with a 20-9 third quarter. It was the second appearance in the finals for Modesto Christian, which won the division V crown in 1997. Mater Dei is 4-2 in state title appearances.  
Pursuing Victory With Honor Award
Ricky Porter, Mater Dei
Chuck Hayes, Modesto Christian

Division II

Compton Dominguez 71,  Mtn. View St. Francis 53

[From the Official State CIF Website Recap]

Dominguez Wins Third Straight Title; Fifth Overall 
Bobby Jones led the charge as Dominguez Compton defeated St. Francis Mountain View, 71-53, to win its third straight and fifth overall state title. Only Crenshaw Los Angeles with eight state titles has won more championships in boys' competition. Jones scored a game-leading 21 points, Tony Bryant added 13 and Montell Williams finished with 10 for the Dons. St. Francis, the only team which has defeated Dominguez in the state championships (1995), was led by the play of Troy Bienemann who had 12 points. The Lancers jumped out to an early lead and had a 19-14 lead after the first period. St. Francis is 1-1 in state championship play, while Dominguez is 5-1.
Pursuing Victory With Honor Award
Keion Kindred, Dominguez
Hakeem Gilliard, St. Francis

[From the Contra Costa Times, Staff and AP reports]

Star center sits out; Dominguez still wins
SACRAMENTO -- The man everybody came to see on Friday sported street clothes and a protective shoe. Tyson Chandler, the 7-foot-1 star center from Dominguez High School-Compton, didn't play in the California Interscholastic Federation Division II state final because of a severely sprained ankle, but the Dons still had enough to handle St. Francis-Mountain View 71-53 at Arco Arena. Chandler suffered the ankle injury in the semifinals of the Southern Regionals and missed the final. He said he doubts if he will play in the McDonalds High School All-America game at Duke University. Chandler also said he will announce Monday whether he will go to college or make himself eligible for the NBA draft. An upset appeared to be brewing as the Lancers led Dominguez 19-14 after the first quarter. But the Dons outscored St. Francis 35-12 in the next two quarters to put the game away, including a 21-5 advantage in the second quarter. Bobby Jones led Dominguez with 21 and Troy Bienemann led the Lancers with 12.

Division III

Torrance Bishop Montgomery 55, San Francisco Riordan 43

[From the Official State CIF Website Recap]

Oh What a "Knight" -- Bishop Montgomery Boys Take Second Consecutive Title
Errick Craven paced Bishop Montgomery with 19 points and 11 rebounds as the Knights defeated Archbishop Riordan, 55-43. Bishop Montgomery led 34-32 after three in a game that was close until late. Fred Washington also came up big with 15 points and Derrick Craven pulled down nine rebounds. It marked the second consecutive season that Bishop Montgomery took titles in both girls and boys play --- a first in state history. Marquise Kately had 13 points and John Tofi added 12 to go along with 10 rebounds. It was the second trip to the finals for Riordan, which lost another close game in 1990 to Mater Dei (division I).  
Pursuing Victory With Honor Award
Kenny D'Oyen, Bishop Montgomery
John Tofi, Archbishop Riordan

Division IV

Berkeley St. Mary's 76,  Santa Monica Crossroads 62

[From the Official State CIF Website Recap]

Third Quarter Surge Lifts St. Mary's Berkeley to First Title
The trio of Dashawn Freeman, John Sharper and Chase Moore carried St. Mary's Berkeley to its first state title. Freeman paced the offense with 20 points and had seven steals. Sharper had 17 points and Moore finished with 14 points and a team-leading 12 rebounds. St. Mary's led 31-27 at halftime, but took charge of the game in the third quarter. Isaiah Fox led both teams with 30 points and 21 rebounds for Crossroads of Santa Monica, a two-time state titlist. 
Pursuing Victory With Honor Award
Anthony Locke, Crossroads Santa Monica
John Sharper, St. Mary's Berkeley

Division V

LA Price 68, Oakland St. Elizabeth 53

[From the LA Times, story by Gary Klein, Times Staff Writer]

Price Defends Title After a Shaky Start
SACRAMENTO--Price High's size advantage over Oakland St. Elizabeth in Friday's Division V state championship game was obvious to just about everyone except, apparently, Price's players.  Price, the defending champion, was outrebounded in the first two quarters and found itself tied at halftime.  "They were pushing us around a little bit at the beginning," Price forward Oscar Edwards said. "At halftime, our coach told us to force our will on them and do what we have to do to win state."  Price's bigger players responded in a big way and the Knights won their second title in a row with a 68-53 victory at Arco Arena.  Price, which finished 33-3, is the 10th school to win consecutive boys' state championships and the first to accomplish the feat in Division V. The small school, on Vermont between Florence and Manchester boulevards, has established itself as a big player in the state's smallest division.  "I'm addicted to winning," said Price junior forward Khalief Washington, who at 6 feet 5 is the Knights' tallest player. "I want to come back [to the state final next year]."   Senior guard Chris Alexander scored 18 points, the 6-4 Edwards had 14 points and 11 rebounds and Washington had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Price. St. Elizabeth (23-13), with no player taller than 6-3, was led by 5-10 senior guard Bakari Altheimer, who was averaging 30 points a game in the state tournament. The Santa Clara-bound Altheimer scored 17 of his 28 points in the first half and St. Elizabeth went into the break tied, 30-30. "We had a height advantage and we weren't using it," Price Coach Michael Lynch said. "I told our players to recognize the advantage and go for it."  St. Elizabeth, however, took the early second-half lead. The Mustangs were ahead, 37-32, before Price started dominating the boards.  The Knights forged a 51-46 lead by the end of the third quarter, then pulled away in the fourth behind Edwards' eight points--six coming on putbacks of missed shots.  Price, outrebounded 20-18 in the first half, finished with a 44-33 advantage.  "They were pretty strong down low," said Altheimer, held to four free throws in the fourth quarter. "When they weren't getting second-chance baskets, they were getting fouls and making their free throws."

[From the Official State CIF Website Recap]

Price Repeats as State Champs With Hard Fought Victory
Price of Los Angeles had all they could handle with St. Elizabeth Oakland, but took the game over in the fourth period to win its second consecutive state title. The game was tied, 30-30, at the half and and Price held a five-point margin at the end of the third quarter. Chris Alexander was the leading scorer for Price with 18 points, while Oscar Edwards pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds to along with 14 points. Khalief Washington was another big contributor with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Price's size eventually wore down a smaller St. Elizabeth team as the Knights held a decisive, 44-33, lead on the boards. St. Elizabeth, the Cinderella team of the tournament, received a monster game from Bakari Altheimer, who finished with a game-leading 28 points on a 10 of 23 effort from the floor. The Mustangs' Alejandro Nuno had nine points and nine rebounds. St. Elizabeth finished the season 23-12 and Price ended 33-3.
Pursuing Victory With Honor Award
Khalief Washington, Price
Alejandro Nuno, St. Elizabeth

From the Contra Costa Times, AP report]

Price just too tall for St. Elizabeth
SACRAMENTO -- Led by Chris Alexander's 18 points, much taller Price of Los Angeles won its second straight boys Division V California Interscholastic Federation state championship by defeating St. Elizabeth 68-53 at Arco Arena on Friday. Price (33-3), which has four starters 6-foot-3 or taller, also got 14 points and 11 rebounds from 6-4 sophomore Oscar Edwards and 12 points and 10 rebounds from Kalief Washington. The Knights' two-year record is 64-4. Bakari Altheimer, who will attend Santa Clara in the fall, led St. Elizabeth (23-13) with 28 points. Alexander was 6-of-11 from the field and 2-of-2 on 3-pointers. He has signed with Cal State-Fullerton. Price used its superior size (the Knights won the rebounding war 44-33) to keep the quick, aggressive Mustangs at bay. St. Elizabeth kept the game close through three quarters, but the Knights proved too big and deep.

Girls

Division I

Narbonne 48, Berkeley 45

[From the Official State CIF Website Recap]

Narbonne Escapes With Second Title; Beat Berkeley in Final Seconds, 48-45
After trailing 22-12 at the half, Berkeley fought back and took a late lead before Narbonne recaptured the game and won its second consecutive title. With 1:20 left Robin Roberson hit a 10 foot jumper to give Berkeley a 45-44 lead. "It's not really about my coaching," said Berkeley Coach Gene Nakamura. "It's the heart of these girls. I felt that when we played our A-game that we could play with anybody, Narbonne included. It was two great teams going at it and, unfortunately, we came up a little short." Loree Moore had 11 points, seven assists and eight steals to lead Narbonne. The Gauchos also received a 10-point effort from Amber Fouse and Lisa Willis. Berkeley's Roberson stole the show individually with a game-high 26 points and 12 rebounds. Sabrina Keys had 13 points and 12 rebounds for Berkeley. The Yellowjackets appeared in their sixth state championship final and finished the season 27-6. Narbonne, 2-0 in championship play, was 28-3. 
Pursuing Victory With Honor Award
Amber Fouse, Narbonne
Rebekah Payne, Berkeley

Division II
Hanford 64, Amador Valley 56--

[From the LA Times, story by Gary Klein, Times Staff Writer]

Hanford won the Division II title in its first championship-game appearance and handed Amador Valley its third consecutive loss in the final.  Brea Olinda defeated Amador Valley in 1999 and 2000.  Amy Parrish scored 23 points and had 17 rebounds and center Shawntinice Polk scored 12 points and had 10 rebounds for Hanford (31-2), which defeated Lakewood Artesia to advance to the championship game.  Hanford's only losses were to Harbor City Narbonne, which plays for the Division I title tonight against Berkeley.   Senior guard Mia Fisher scored 31 points for Amador Valley (29-4).

[From the Official State CIF Website Recap]

Hanford Holds Off Amador Valley for First Title
Mia Fisher capped her career with a phenomenal game scoring 31 points, pulling down 13 rebounds, contributing six steals and dishing off four assists. The 31 points was seventh best in state championship history. It simply wasn't enough to hold off the Hanford trio of Shawntinice Polk, Amy Parrish and Tara Chennault. Parrish scored 23 points and challenged the division II record for rebounds finishing with 17. Polk had 12 points and 10 boards, while Chennault finished with 14 points before fouling out. Vanessa Rogers finished with 13 points for Amador Valley, which made its third consecutive trip to the state finals and finished as runner-up for the third straight year. The Dons finished the season 29-4, while Hanford was 31-2.
Pursuing Victory With Honor Award
Amy Parrish, Hanford
Dominique Reed, Amador Valley

[From the Contra Costa Times, Story by Jennifer Starks, Times Staff Writer]

Amador runs out of time in final
Poor free-throw shooting also is a factor as Hanford wins Division II state title despite Fisher's 31 points 3-5 ssg
SACRAMENTO -- Hanford High School's Shawntinice Polk got her points. And Amy Parrish got her share too. But in the end, it was that inanimate object that sits above the court at Arco Arena that did in Amador Valley's girls basketball team. Time simply ran out on the Dons, and they fell to Hanford 64-56 in the California Interscholastic Federation Division II state championship game Friday night.  Polk finished with 12 points, and Parrish paced the Bullpups with 23. "The clock wasn't our best friend tonight," Amador Valley coach Elizabeth Stanley said. "These are high school girls. There's no way that I'm going to believe that they can't do it. We don't like to lose, and it's not very hard to motivate those types of people. That's a tribute to these girls; they fight to the death." The Dons (29-4) trimmed what was once an 18-point deficit to 61-53 after junior guard Vanessa Rogers knocked down her fourth 3-pointer of the night. But there was one problem -- only 1 minute, 40 seconds remained on the clock. With the win, Hanford (31-2) captured its first state championship of any kind. Amador Valley became the first team to drop three straight title games. The Dons also fell in the 1999 and 2000 championship games, both times to Brea Olinda-Brea. "I was pleased with how both teams played," Hanford coach Dwayne Tubbs said. Amador Valley had chances to whittle the Bullpups' cushion down even further but could not cash in on the opportunities. With 41 ticks left, Polk fouled guard Dominique Reed on a 3-point attempt. Reed converted only one of her three free throws and brought the score to 61-54.  Reed wasn't the only one who struggled from the charity stripe. As a team, the Dons shot 33 percent from the line. "If we make our free throws, we get the 'W,' " Stanley said. "That alone was the difference in the game."  Senior guard Mia Fisher had another stellar performance in her last game in an Amador Valley uniform. Fisher, who's bound for UC Santa Barbara, finished with a game-high 31 points, 13 boards and six steals. "I'm really proud of my team," a teary-eyed Fisher said. "Every year, it's a surprise to others that we get this far. We just play with a lot of heart." Added Stanley, "You can't describe how fantastic she is as an athlete. There are great players, but (Mia) is a great player and a great person. We're lucky to have that. She's brought a lot of hope and promise to the program and has helped us establish elite status." While Tubbs knew his team had to key on Fisher, Stanley didn't have that luxury. When playing Hanford, the question becomes, whom do you concentrate on? If you key on Polk, there are a handful of other options, including the Oregon-bound Parrish, 6-foot-3 forward Jenny Thigpin and point guard Tara Chennault.  The Dons decided to focus on 6-5 Polk, constantly double-teaming her and trying to bump her away from the glass. "I don't know what they were thinking," Polk said. "If they double-team me, they will be at fault because someone else will score." And somebody else did. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Bullpups took advantage of the double-team and kicked the ball out to Chennault, who hit a 3-pointer to give Hanford a 56-40 lead. Chennault finished with 14 points.

Division III

Torrance Bishop Montgomery 48, San Francisco Sacred Heart Cathedral  38

[From the Official State CIF Website Recap]

Bishop Montgomery Claims Second Straight State Title
Noelle Quinn scored a game-high 24 points and pulled down 15 rebounds as Bishop Montgomery won its second straight title, 48-38, and fourth crown overall. Only Brea-Olinda, with eight titles, and Sacred Heart Prep of Atherton, with five, have won more state girls' basketball championships. Nykia Peace added 13 points to the Knights attack and dished off five assists. Toni Russell had a big game for Sacred Heart Cathedral with 16 points and 10 rebounds (nine defensive). Tessa Moon contributed 11 points and Jennifer Romanini had 14 rebounds. The Fighting Irish won the 1998 division III state title.
Pursuing Victory With Honor Award
Sam Black, Bishop Montgomery
Jennifer Romanini, Sacred Heart Cathedral

Division IV

La Jolla Bishop's School,  59, Stockton St. Mary's 54

[From the Official State CIF Website Recap]

Great Comeback Falls Short as The Bishop School Holds on For Title 
Defending state champion St. Mary's of Stockton staged a great comeback, but in the end The Bishop School had enough to hold them off to earn its first-ever state title. The Bishop School led 31-18 at the half, but St. Mary's kept chipping away. The Rams took a 45-43 lead when Dominque Banks made a layup with 5:12 remaining. Lindsay Killus gave The Bishop School a 50-47 lead when she sank a three-pointer with 3:12 to go and the Knights never looked back. Four players scored in double figures for Bishops. Mallone Winn led the way with 14, Amy Dieckman had 13 and a game-high 15 rebounds, Lindsay Killus added 12 and Brianna Winn finished with 11. Banks was the game's leading scorer with 20 points for St. Mary's. Michelle Cozad had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Rams.
Pursuing Victory With Honor Award
Lindsay Killus, The Bishop School
Dominique Banks, St. Mary's

Division V

La Jolla Country Day 69, San Lorenzo Redwood Christian   57

[From the LA Times, Story by Gary Klein, Times Staff Writer]

Freshmen Marissa Rivera and Candice Wiggins led the way for the Torres, who won the Division V title in their first championship-game appearance.  Rivera, a 6-foot forward, scored 20 points and had eight rebounds for Country Day (29-5). Wiggins, a 5-9 guard, scored 16 points and had eight rebounds.  Ashley Rentz added 13 points, Kaili Eszlinger 11 for the Torres.  Angela Thompson scored 15 points for Redwood Christian (24-7), which won the title in 2000. 

[From the Official State CIF Website Recap]

La Jolla Country Day Wins First CIF State Title In Record Style
After leading by just one point at the half, La Jolla Country Day caught fire and emerged with a 69-56 victory for its first state championship. In the process, the Torres set a state division V record for points scored. The two teams also combined for a divisional record of 126 points. The previous high was set in 1998 by Modoc Alturas and Mission Prep of San Luis Obispo. Marissa Rivera led both teams with 20 points, including a 7 for 12 effort from the floor. Candice Wiggins had an all-around game with 16 points, eight rebounds five assists and two steals. Kaili Eszlinger was a force on the boards with a game-high 14 rebounds as the Torres held a huge edge in rebounding, 52-32. Eszlinger also contributed offensively with 11 points. Ashley Rentz was yet another big gun for La Jolla Country Day with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Redwood Christian of San Lorenzo, a team that won the 2000 state crown, hung close behind the play of Alli Greenaway and Leah Thornton. Greenaway had 16 points and seven rebounds, while Thornton finished with 15 points and five assists. 
Pursuing Victory With Honor Award
Candice Wiggins, La Jolla Country Day
Leah Thornton, Redwood Christian

[From the Contra Costa Times, AP report]

Girls DIVISION V Country Day-La Jolla 69, Redwood Christian 56
SACRAMENTO -- Marissa Rivera scored 20 points and Kaili Eszlinger had 14 rebounds as La Jolla Country Day beat Redwood Christian-San Lorenzo to capture the girls Division V CIF state championship at Arco Arena. Ashley Rentz, with 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Candice Wiggins, a freshman who had 16 points and five assists, also played key roles for La Jolla Country Day (29-5). Wiggins is the daughter of former major-league baseball player Alan Wiggins. Alli Greenaway had 22 points to lead Redwood Christian (24-7). The Eagles hung with La Jolla Country Day in the first half thanks to three 3-pointers by Greenaway, but 3-pointers were all the sticky La Jolla Country Day zone was allowing. Inevitably, Redwood Christian's long-distance shots failed to connect, and after a Debbie Birnbaum 12-footer as the second period buzzer sounded made it 35-34, the Eagles never led again.  La Jolla Country Day then scored the first five points of the third quarter and pulled steadily away thereafter, building a 10-point lead with 3:24 left in the third quarter that was never seriously threatened. Redwood Christian was the defending Division V state champion, but the defense that propelled it to a 34-33 victory last year was nowhere near as effective. La Jolla Country Day scored more points in the first half this year than Santa Fe Christian did in the entire 2000 state title game.

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