Orange County Prep Review : Mater Dei-Crenshaw Game of the Century Seemed to Last That Long

Gary McKnight, Mater Dei High School coach, touted the Southern California Regional title game Saturday between the Monarchs and Crenshaw at the Los Angeles Sports Arena as “the game of the century.�

After nearly 2 1/2 hours, 53 fouls, 4 technical fouls and numerous procedural delays, the game, won by Crenshaw in overtime, 59-57, seemed more like the game that would last a century.

Joe Weakly, Crenshaw assistant coach, said it was the longest game he’s been involved in since he came to the school in 1974.

Willie West, Cougar Coach, said it wasn’t the longest game he’s been in his 16 seasons at Crenshaw.

“But the longest one had six overtimes,� he said. “That was a long game . This was just long.�

It wasn’t what one expected from the state’s top teams.

Crenshaw, which had scored 100 or more points 10 times this season, never got into its accustomed running game. Mater Dei, known for poise and discipline, lost a little of both.

The game was undeniably exciting, unfortunately many times for its off court antics.

There was the undersized ball, the hyperactive coaches and the overextended conversations between referees and game officials.

Put it all together and it spelled delays. Delays that appeared to affect the level of play.

Here’s the low down on the slow down.

Little Ball: McKnight was informed at halftime that the game ball used in the first half was actually a girls’ basketball--two ounces lighter and an inch smaller in circumference than the boys’ basketball.

Mater Dei point guard Tom Peabody said he knew something was funny when he noticed his hand fit neatly around this ball.

“I can’t palm a regular basketball,� he said. “It made handling the ball a lot different.�

Said Monarch forward Jim Dwyer: “It was like playing with a balloon. The first time I threw a pass, the ball just took off.�

In fact, the ball took off over the head of Dwyer’s intended receiver and ended up in the seats.

Mater Dei has depended on Dwyer and guard John Mounce to complement its strong inside game with perimeter shooting. Dwyer and Mounce have done a good job from the outside most of the season. But Saturday, they combined for four airballs in the first half.

“Both teams had to play with the same ball, so I don’t think anyone had an advantage,� Dwyer said. “But I can’t remember when John and I have ever shot the ball like we did in the first half.�

Mater Dei, which shot 62% from the free-throw line this season, made only 4 of 13 attempts (30%) in the first half. Crenshaw also had problems. The Cougars made 4 of 12 (33%) in the second quarter.

West wasn’t aware his team played with the smaller ball until a reporter informed him of it Sunday evening.

“Really? That might explain the way we shot in the first half,� he said.

Monarch center Stuart Thomas, who was 13 for 13 from the free throw line Thursday against Fresno Edison was 1 of 7 from the line in the first half.

McKnight said the state commissioner’s office was responsible for providing the game ball. Attempts to reach Thomas Byrnes, state commissioner, were unsuccessful.

“My hands were too big to get a good touch on the ball,� said the 6-foot 9-inch Thomas.

Big Talk: With the teams having an off day, it seemed the officials performed down to the level of play.

Every call was treated like a milestone, and was accompanied by long discussions that would make a Senate committee blush.

“There was just too much talking,� West said. “But the referees left a lot of things to be answered.�

Take this little bit of bureaucracy:

Mounce is momentarily injured in the fourth quarter as the Monarchs’ Kevin Rembert is fouled. Rather than use a timeout to keep Mounce in the game, the Mater Dei coaching staff, in place of McKnight who had been ejected from the game several minutes before, decides to substitute Mike O’Conner.

This relatively simple procedure took a couple of minutes with referee Simon Peters shuttling between both benches.

Rembert makes his second free throw and Mater Dei immediately puts Mounce back in the game. But no time had expired. Play had never actually resumed.

The ball was inbounded by Crenshaw, but its bench was up and yelling at the referees.

Mounce should not have been allowed in the game until play had resumed.

Peters did some more shuttle diplomacy, then finally ruled Mounce would have to sit out until time and play had elapsed.

The whole thing took more than five minutes. Five minutes to make a substitution.

Then there was the arrow that wasn’t

With 1:25 left in overtime, and Crenshaw ahead, 56-55, a jump ball was called on Mater Dei’s end of the court.

Quickly, heads turned to the scorers’ table to see which way the possession arrow was pointing. But the arrow, which would determine who would get control of the ball--and perhaps the game--was turned off.

An official at the table quickly turned on the box, which improperly indicated that Mater Dei should have possession.

This brought from the Crenshaw bench and partisans a response that sounded like a mass heart attack.

More minutes to untangle the mess.

After several minutes of high-level discussions, negotiations and some good old fashioned yelling, Crenshaw was awarded the ball.

But seriously folks: Despite the delays, there were moments Saturday when each team showed why they were where they were.

Slams.

Crenshaw and Mater Dei each had three dunks. One of the most spectacular was 6-4 Dion Brown’s slam over Dwyer with 6:08 left in regulation. Brown grabbed a missed shot and slammed it through the basket as Dwyer watched from below. The dunk put Crenshaw up 45-43.

Competing for spectacular honors was another one by Brown off an alley oop pass from Troy Batiste with eight seconds left in the first quarter. The dunk put Crenshaw up 18-9.

“Things like that really get our team going,� Weakly said. “It gets the adrenaline pumping.�

Quotebook: McKnight, asked what he did after he was ejected: “There were no television monitors to watch the game. I just had to watch the scoreboard. But most of the time I was just trying to keep my kids in line. The state championship semifinal is going on and I felt like I was in charge of a kindergarten class.�

Peabody, Mater Dei guard, after an emotional and tearful postgame team meeting: “I guess this really isn’t that important right now, but has anyone seen my jacket?�

Thomas, Mater Dei center, asked what problems Crenshaw presented defensively in the key: “They jump.�

Prep Notes

The championship game of the Loara baseball tournament between Loara and El Dorado was delayed again Saturday because of rain. Saxon Coach Ray Moore said he’s not sure when or where the championship game will take place. “It’s all up in the air right now, due to the weather,� Moore said. . . . Brea-Olinda’s Carrie Egan was named to the Southern California Regional all-tournament team Saturday. Egan, a forward, scored 13 points in the Wildcats’ 59-35 loss to Point Loma in the tournament’s first round. Point Loma qualified for the state division I final by defeating Lynwood, 53-50, in the Southern California Regionals Saturday at the L.A. Sports Arena. . . . Jackie Oakley, Ocean View softball pitcher, had her 32-game winning streak snapped in a 10-inning 1-0 loss to Pacifica. But Oakley came back strong Saturday, pitching a no-hitter against St. Joseph. Oakley struck out 13 and walked one. . . . Des Flood, the noted Orange County shooting coach who has helped the likes of Johnny Rogers of UC Irvine and Tom Lewis of USC announced he will run a summer shooting camp on July 7-11, and July 14-18. Flood has yet to decide on a site for the camp, but said it would probably be in Anaheim. . . . Valencia High School, after a five year layoff, has re-established its varsity golf team.