High schools: Riverside King defeats Woodland Hills Taft in overtime
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
King will play Compton Dominguez for regional title Saturday.
Riverside King, the Southern Section Division I-A champion, brought its energetic fans, loud pep band and fearless attitude to Woodland Hills on Thursday night and came away with an 83-82 overtime victory over top-seeded Taft in a memorable semifinal game of the Southern California Regional Division I playoffs.
"We couldn't stop them," Taft Coach Derrick Taylor said. "They were just too quick."
Matching the City Section champions basket for basket and three-pointer for three-pointer, the Wolves (32-2) fought the Toreadors to a 70-70 draw for 32 minutes after Larry Drew Jr. missed a 17-footer with three seconds left in regulation that could have won it for Taft (27-4).
King took charge in overtime, opening a 79-72 lead behind 6-foot-7 junior Kawhi Leonard, who finished with 22 points.
The lead was 83-76 with 24 seconds left when Drew twice scored on three-pointers, giving him 35 points in his final high school game. But it wasn't enough to overcome King's balance and ability to shoot three-pointers. The Wolves made nine of 21 from three-point range.
"Nobody believed that kids from Riverside were as good as they were," King Coach Tim Sweeney said. "We felt man-to-man, we were as good. As many problems as they imposed, we felt we imposed many problems as well."
Eric Wise, a 6-5 senior, scored 24 points for King. George Fields, a senior guard, contributed 19 points, including five three-pointers, and J.J. Campbell had 13 points and made two critical baskets in overtime.
King became only the second opponent all season to reach 50% shooting (32 of 64) against the Toreadors.
"It's the character of the kids," Sweeney said of the Wolves, who knocked off City powers Taft, Westchester and Fremont in three consecutive games this week to qualify to meet Compton Dominguez for the regional title at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Sports Arena.
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Eric Sondheimer
Compton Dominguez 80, Los Angeles Fairfax 77 (2 OTs) -- Dominguez did not get its first lead until there were 52 seconds left in the first overtime. But the Dons (31-2) managed to outlast visiting Fairfax and will get an opportunity to win their eighth regional title Saturday against King.
Forward Jordan Hamilton, who had 28 points and 15 rebounds, opened the second overtime with a three-point play to break a 71-71 tie and give the Dons the lead for good.
Dominguez, the Southern Section Division I-AA champion, got its biggest lead at 80-75 with 1:04 to play.
