Mater Dei Comes Back to Defeat Westchester

Cedric Bozeman, Mater Dei’s standout guard, plopped down exhausted on the team bench and was barely able to speak after leading the Monarchs to an electric 72-64 victory over Los Angeles Westchester on Friday in a semifinal game of the Southern California Regional.

Bozeman had expended more than his share of energy on the court, collecting a career-high 33 points as Mater Dei rallied from a two-point deficit early in the fourth quarter to grind down the Comets in the Division I boys’ basketball playoff game at Ocean View High.

“This is what Mater Dei basketball is all about,” said Bozeman, who put the Monarchs ahead to stay with a short jumper off the glass early in the fourth. “It’s a very big win.”

Top-seeded Mater Dei (34-1) advanced to play Fresno Clovis West at 8:15 tonight at the Great Western Forum. The Golden Eagles defeated Long Beach Poly, 90-68, in the other semifinal.

Mater Dei’s victory was in doubt until late in the fourth quarter, when Westchester (24-7) missed a flurry of four consecutive jumpers and inside shots on the same possession. Mater Dei center Jamal Sampson finally came down with a rebound and was fouled with 26 seconds left. He made one of two free throws to put the Monarchs comfortably ahead and take some revenge on his former team.

“I felt I could have got more playing time [at Westchester] than I did,” said Sampson, who was a seldom-used freshman at the school before transferring to Mater Dei. “This was a great win because for a while I didn’t know whether we’d pull it out or not.”

Sampson was not as big a factor as usual, mostly because he picked up his fourth foul on a charging call early in the third quarter. He finished with seven of his 11 points from the free-throw line.

Luckily for the Monarchs, guard Steve Scoggin chipped in with 14 points and reserve Christian McGuigan hit a crucial three-pointer early in the fourth quarter.

Westchester, the City Section champion, looked superior to its Southern Section champion nemesis for much of the second and third quarters. Jason Breland (23 points) and Brandon Heath (17) were unstoppable at times for the Comets, who cooled down considerably after shooting 53.1% from the floor in the first half. Westchester shot 27.3% in the second half and 38.3% for the game.

After Mater Dei guard Ricky Porter scored on a putback midway through the third quarter to put the Monarchs ahead, 44-40, Westchester went on a 9-0 run sparked by a Breland steal and dunk.

Mater Dei came back to tie the score, 49-49, on a spectacular baseline drive and jam by Bozeman, and after Breland converted a putback, the Monarchs went on a 7-0 run to charge ahead. McGuigan’s three-pointer put Mater Dei ahead, 56-51, and Scoggin followed with a layup for a 58-51 advantage.

Sampson, usually a poor free-throw shooter, made six of 11 over the last 4:50. The 6-foot-10 center said helping to win the game from the line “was the thing I least expected.”

Monarch fans stormed the court after the game, and Mater Dei players acted more excited than they did after winning the Southern Section title last week.

“That was a great performance,” McKnight said, “to come back from going down and Jamal being out [in foul trouble].”