Mater Dei forward Reagan Lundeen, center, looks to pass the ball under the basket as he runs into traffic in the CIF-SS Open Division boys basketball championship in Long Beach on Friday, March 2, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei forward Harrison Butler, left, gets around Sierra Canyon guard Duane Washington Jr. as he moves to the basket in the CIF-SS Open Division boys basketball championship in Long Beach on Friday, March 2, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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Mater Dei guard Aidan Prukop, center, hangs onto the rebound as Sierra Canyon guard Scotty Pippen Jr., right, reaches in last ditch effort to pull the ball away in the last play of the game of the CIF-SS Open Division boys basketball championship in Long Beach on Friday, March 2, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei forward Reagan Lundeen, left, and guard Aidan Prukop tie up Sierra Canyon guard Scotty Pippen Jr. as he tries to put up a shot in the CIF-SS Open Division boys basketball championship in Long Beach on Friday, March 2, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Sierra Canyon players react after their loss to Mater Dei in the CIF-SS Open Division boys basketball championship in Long Beach on Friday, March 2, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
The Mater Dei basketball team celebrate their victory over Sierra Canyon in the CIF-SS Open Division boys basketball championship in Long Beach on Friday, March 2, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei forward Harrison Butler, center, gets in front of Sierra Canyon guard Cassius Stanley, right, to grab the rebound in the CIF-SS Open Division boys basketball championship in Long Beach on Friday, March 2, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei guard Spencer Freedman, second from left, celebrates with his teammates after their victory over Sierra Canyon in the CIF-SS Open Division boys basketball championship in Long Beach on Friday, March 2, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Sierra Canyon guard Scotty Pippen Jr., left, is pushed out of bounds by Mater Dei guard Devin Askew in the CIF-SS Open Division boys basketball championship in Long Beach on Friday, March 2, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Sierra Canyon guard Duane Washington Jr., left, and Mater Dei forward Wilhelm Breidenbach, right, fall to the floor as they go after a loose ball in the CIF-SS Open Division boys basketball championship in Long Beach on Friday, March 2, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei coach Gary McKnight holds up the CIF-SS Open Division basketball championship plaque in Long Beach on Friday, March 2, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
The Mater Dei basketball team celebrate with the CIF-SS Open Division basketball championship plaque in Long Beach on Friday, March 2, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei guard Spencer Freedman, left, gives hug to Sierra Canyon guard Duane Washington Jr. after Mater Dei defeated Sierra Canyon in the CIF-SS Open Division boys basketball championship in Long Beach on Friday, March 2, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei players cheer their team during the fourth period of the CIF-SS Open Division boys basketball championship in Long Beach on Friday, March 2, 2018. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
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LONG BEACH – Last Saturday in the CIF Southern Section Open Division semifinals, Sierra Canyon’s Duane Washington Jr. sent the game into overtime in heroic fashion with a fadeaway 3-pointer as time expired against Bishop Montgomery.
Washington Jr. was in an identical situation Friday night against Mater Dei. With just eight seconds left, the Ohio State-bound guard put a shot up to tie the game and force overtime, but this time it hit hard off the rim and the final buzzer sounded, giving Mater Dei a 55-53 victory and the Open Division title at The Walter Pyramid in Long Beach.
“I have the confidence in my abilities to take those pressure shots,” Washington Jr. said. “I had a good look, just didn’t fall.”
Final play of the game. Mater Dei hangs on, beats Sierra Canyon 55-53 for the Open Division crown. pic.twitter.com/jeXiRVDiyq
As the ball fell off the rim, Terren Frank tipped the ball back up to the basket in hopes to see it fall through the hoop. Instead, Mater Dei secured the ball and the celebration ensued for the Monarchs.
Sierra Canyon had trouble scoring in the first half, shooting just 33 percent from the field, and didn’t make any 3s, missing on all seven attempts. The Trailblazers only shot one more three in the second half, finishing 0-for-8 from beyond the arc for the game.
“Mater Dei did a good job taking away the three, especially from Duane (Washington Jr.),” Sierra Canyon coach Andre Chevalier said.
Mater Dei, however, shot 17 times from beyond the arc and made eight, six of which came in the first half. Harvard-bound point guard Spencer Freedman added the best shot of the first half when he converted on a 35-footer as the shot clock expired to help the Monarchs to an eventual 31-21 halftime lead.
Sierra Canyon started the second half on a 13-3 run. KJ Martin Jr. had 11 points in the quarter, including two highlight dunks that brought the crowd off its feet. The Trailblazers tied the game three times in the third, but could never get their first lead of the night.
Martin finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
“It was two different halves of basketball,” Chevalier said. “If we put together two good halves, the outcome would be different.”
Wang, a Pennsylvania commit, fouled out with 5:42 left in the game, which could have been a turning point, but Freedman didn’t let Mater Dei feel the loss of one of the team’s leading scorers. Freedman scored six straight points on the next two possessions, a deep 3-pointer and a three-point-play to give the Monarchs a 51-44 lead with just over four minutes in the final frame.
Wang finished with 14 points and Freedman added 13.
