Fresno, CA – Friday evening at Selland Arena, the headline game for Day 1 of Section Championship weekend was the Boys Division 2 Title Game. The D2 Title Game featured the top seeded Mission College Prep Royals of San Luis Obispo and the #3 seed Central Grizzlies of Fresno. The Royals lost a close one last year in the D2 Section Title game to Dinuba and were seeking to avenge that loss. This was one of the more anticipated games of the Section Championship weekend and, despite a rough start to the game for both teams, ended in a double overtime instant thriller that left fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.
The first quarter was hard to watch at times, as both teams would shoot 20% from the field and combined to go 1 of 15 from beyond the arc, which led to a first quarter score of 6-5 in favor of the Royals. The size of the arena, the jitters of being in a championship game, and trying to figure each other out all contributed to the slow start for both teams. The rest of the game would prove this to be the case, as each team shot at least 40% from the field in each remaining quarter and key players hit big shot after big shot.
Senior lead guard Gerald Perry would get going in the 2nd quarter, scoring 7 points in the frame. Sophomore guard Sier Harbin added 5 points in the second quarter, and a buzzer-beating three-pointer to end the half, giving Central a 19-16 lead. The Royals kept pace with a few players getting on the scoreboard but no one had yet shown to have the hot hand. The pace of the game going into the break favored the Grizzlies and Perry was doing a great job defending senior forward Roman Benedetti of Mission Prep, holding him to 4 points.
Intermission seemed to be what both teams needed, as the Grizzlies and the Royals came out hitting shots and had settled into the game. Junior Stanley Makely connected on a pair of threes early in the third quarter, as well as 8 points from Perry and another 5 points for Harbin in the third. The Royals’ key players started to heat up as well, as Benedetti would score 7 points, while senior guard Jayden Nozil added 5 points, after being in foul trouble in the first half. Junior David Kellogg was a nice spark off the bench, as he would score 6 of his 11 points in the third quarter, and senior guard Brody Miller chipped in 5 points in the frame. Both teams scored more in the 3rd quarter than they had the entire first half and, with the Grizzlies leading 40-39 to end the third, would set up an entertaining finish to the game.
Despite the impressive quarter of play from Perry, he would suffer an ankle sprain on an already heavily wrapped ankle, after making an outstanding block on Benedetti that got the Central fans out of their seats. Perry was helped off the court and knowing how tough the two-sport athlete is, I knew he would return but at what capacity. When Perry went down in the latter part of the 3rd quarter, this allowed the Royals to get some easier looks, in particular Benedetti.
Perry would return in the fourth quarter, but the ankle was impacting his movement the first few plays on both ends. However, before there was time for Grizzlie fans to panic, Perry got hot and connected on a pair of threes and added 8 more points in the fourth. Benedetti scored 5 points in the final quarter of regulation, but time was running out for the Royals. Brody Miller had the ball, squared up for a three, as time was ticking off the clock, but came up short on the shot. Despite the miss, the sound of the whistle was heard, as Miller was on the ground and with the foul would have 3 free throws to tie the game. Miller stepped up and hit all three free throws to tie the game at 50 a piece, and Grizzlies ball with 23.7 second left in the game. Despite a few looks, Central was unable to score the ball and the stage was set for overtime.
The Royals took the early lead in overtime, before Perry connected on a huge 3-point shot and the foul, sending him to the line for a four-point play. With the game tied at 55, both teams would fail to convert and we were all treated to a second overtime. With a 61-59 point lead for Mission Prep and the ball, it would be Miller that was fouled intentionally and sent to the line for two more high pressure free throws. I looked at David from DJC photos filming under the rim and we both gave the “ice in the veins” signal as Miller stepped to the line. He would cash in on both free throws and this would secure the double-overtime D2 Section Title for the Royals, by a score of 63-59.
Benedetti would be named Player of the Game for Mission Prep, as he would finish with 21 points and 8 rebounds. Perry was named Player of the Game for Central and finished with a monster 32-point game. Big shot Miller would finish with 12 points, Nozil with 11 points and 8 rebounds, and Kellogg with 11 points for the Royals. The Grizzlies also got a great game from Harbin, who had 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. The game lived up to the hype and then some and will be one that is talked about for years to come this time of year.
