DLS falls to Mater Dei

It wasn't pretty but that doesn't matter. Mater Dei won the last two quarters, especially the fourth and beat De La Salle 41-36 tonight.

The Spartans led 9-7 at the end of one and 18-12 at the half. MD got close --- 28-27 -- at the end of three quarters and burst ahead with a 14-8 fourth quarter point differential.

In that final period, Mater Dei opened with a backdoor layup to take the lead at 29-28 but the Spartans countered with one of their own. MD then made it 31-30, 33-30 and then 35-30 before DLS managed to stem the run with a free throw at the 3:23 mark. After that, it was misses at the foul line that hampered the southlanders from extending the lead. With 24.2 seconds remaining, the Spartans scored on a layup to make it 39-36 but that was as close as DLS could make it.

DLS sophomore Elliott Pitts left the game in the first quarter with what was described as a fractured jaw.

Notes on the game:

* DLS's offense is very similar to that of Boyd Grant during his late 70's - early 80's tenure at Fresno State -- run time off the clock, frustrate defenders and then get a good look through a bevy of fundamental maneuvers.

* What was interesting tonight is the DLS got some good penetration but had to change shot attempts due to the size of Mater Dei's defenders. That didn't happen as much during the season.

* Power Balance just doesn't flow off the tongue (the arena, not the drink)

* Lorenzo Romar hung around for the final game. Did Ben Howland stay or depart after the Bishop O'Dowd game?