PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — The ultimate David versus Goliath story went to the big guys. As expected.
Host
Rancho Mirage (Calif.), a spanking new school without any seniors, and its coach Rob Hanmer thought a good learning moment was in order, so he scheduled the defending national champion
Mater Dei (Santa Ana) Monarchs for a play-in game of the Open Division of the MaxPreps Holiday Classic.
MJ Cage, Mater Dei
Photo by Jann Hendry
The home crowd filled the back gym Friday afternoon to see if the impossible was plausible.
It wasn't.
Many of the curious were gone by halftime.
The Monarchs, coming off back-to-back losses at the City of Palms Tournament in Florida, which broke a 46-game win streak, scored the first 15 points, had a 28-6 lead after one and cruised to an 85-26 victory. Mater Dei (8-2) earned its way into the Open Division.
Thirteen different Monarchs scored, led by 21 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks from 5-star junior
MJ Cage and 12 by sharpshooter
La'vette Parker. Rancho Mirage (7-5) played hard to the finish and are better for it, Hanmer said.
"It was still a good lesson," said Hanmer, whose team is made up of two freshmen, five sophomores and three juniors. "We can always refer back to the time we played Mater Dei and remember how the game is supposed to be played.
"We knew they'd be good, but it would be nice if they missed some shots."
For Mater Dei the game allowed legendary coach Gary McKnight to use his bench almost everyone contributed.
Koby Alvarez led Rancho Mirage with eight points.
"We did fine," McKnight said. "Rob and I go way back and he wanted to go first. It was good for both of us."
Asked about the back-to-back losses, that were by decided by a total of seven points.
"The teams were really close down there," said McKnight, who won his 1,003rd game. "If they played it over six times I think they'd have six different winners. We didn't play poorly by any means."
The victory vaulted Mater Dei into an Open Division first round game against
American Fork (Utah) at 9 p.m. Friday.
