BOYS’ BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Mater Dei Suffers First Loss of Year

Mater Dei, the top-ranked team in Orange County, lost for the first time this season, 76-68, to Sacramento Jesuit in the semifinals of the Above the Rim Tournament at Torrey Pines High School in Del Mar.

Mater Dei was ranked fourth in the nation in the USA Today poll. Josh King had 27 points and Isaac Fontaine 23 for Jesuit (14-0), which was unranked.

Mater Dei led at the half, 32-29, but Jesuit outscored the Monarchs, 24-19, in the third quarter. Miles Simon had 18 points, Terence Wilborn added 16 and Clay McKnight 11 for Mater Dei.

In the Nebraska Holiday Prep tournament:

Capistrano Valley 71, Texas Wichita Falls 68--The Cougars, who missed 18 of 24 three-point tries while losing Tuesday night, shot 57% from the field in the victory.

Capistrano Valley advanced to the fifth-place game today against Fairdale (Ky.). The Cougars started quickly, making 10 of 13 field-goal attempts in the first quarter. They finished the game with 29 out of 51.

“We were able to beat their press and get some layups early and they go in a lot better,” said Capistrano Valley Coach Mark Thornton.

Despite the Cougars’ hot hand, Wichita Falls stayed with them until Todd Thornton hit a three-pointer at the buzzer for a 35-29 halftime lead. The Raiders then went on a 12-0 run at the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth to go ahead, 57-48.

“At halftime, I think we got overconfident that it was going to be an easy victory,” Cougar guard David Sedgwick said. “When we came out for the second half, they were all pumped up and I thought we might have some trouble.

“But Coach did what he had to to get us fired up.”

Capistrano Valley responded with 11 consecutive points, including a three-point basket and a three-point play by Corey Kost, for a 59-57 lead. Kost finished with a game-high 28 points.

After Wichita Falls tied the score, Brian Scoggin put Capistrano Valley on top for good with a jumper and Sedgwick iced the victory with two free throws with 16 seconds left.