Aliso Niguel players celebrate CIF Division 3 semifinal victory over Gahr Friday night. (Photos courtesy Mark Bausman, For OC Sports Zone).
Aliso Niguel’s boys basketball players and fans had plenty of reasons to celebrate Friday night.
The Wolverines earned the program’s first trip to the CIF finals since 2005, coming from behind to defeat Gahr of Cerritos 66-59 in the CIF Division 3 semifinals at home earning a spot in the championship against Murrieta Mesa next Friday or Saturday.
To see the slide show, click on the first photo:
Makhi Montgomery from Gahr defends.
After the game, Aliso Niguel players shook hands with Gahr players and coaches, then walked near the basket. Moments later, students poured onto the court for a wild celebration following the comeback win.
Gahr held a 32-29 halftime lead but Aliso Niguel, inspired by the big crowd, turned the game around in third quarter outscoring Gahr 23-15 to take the lead going into the final stanza.
Gahr stayed within five points for most of the fourth quarter but Aliso Niguel’s Jayden Mysin sealed the win with a basket off a steal to put the Wolverines ahead by nine points with about two minutes left.
Mysin, a senior, led the Wolverines with 24 points. Junior Wyatt Richmond and senior Jay Keys added 16 points each for Aliso Niguel, which won its 13th game in a row. Junior guard Henry Coulston was solid on defense for the Wolverines.
Aliso Niguel will have a chance to bring home the program’s second CIF title. The Wolverines won the CIF 1A title in 2005 under current coach Keith Barnett.
Barnett said his team made adjustments in the second half after missing Keys for much of the second quarter after he picked up his third foul and had to sit.
“We had a rough first half and we weren’t moving the ball very well,” he said. “I thought defensively, we lost guys and didn’t do a great job on the defensive boards. Second half, I thought we came out with a much more focused approach, we controlled the glass much better in the third quarter and then offensively, I thought we really moved the ball with the extra pass.
“Jayden Mysin played great, Jay Keys early and Richmond all across the board were really good, so I’m proud of them.”
Barnett said it was tough with Keys sitting out time in the second quarter.
“He’s such the heart of our team, he scores, he’s guarding the best big guy, he gets three fouls and we had to put guys in different spots, but they kept us in it and we just kept fighting in that third quarter,” Barnett said. “And then held off in the fourth quarter.
“I’m really excited, it’s been a long time, first for our school since 2005, the guys are great kids, they’re all friends and they all care about each other, it’s really great for our team, our school and I’m just happy to get the opportunity to compete. I’m excited for them, it’s not about me, it’s about these guys.”
Gahr (21-10) was looking to knock off its second straight Orange County team in a row after defeating Woodbridge 65-55 in the quarterfinals Tuesday night. The Gladiators led by as many as nine points in the second quarter before the Wolverines cut the lead to three at halftime, giving the Wolverine fans some hope.
Gahr was led by Royce Titus who had 14 points and Makhi Montgomery, who scored 11 points.
But Aliso Niguel stepped up in the second half for the win.
“All glory goes to God, without him, our team is nothing,” said a jubilant Mysin, who had 14 of his points in the second half. “That’s just an amazing win, down at half and fighting back every posession, every rebound, I give it up to my teammates, it’s all them.
“It started on defense, people say that defense wins championships and I think that’s so true.”
The Wolverines will play in the finals at either the Toyota Arena or Azusa Pacific University.
“That’s going to be so fun, I’ve never played in that {Toyota} arena, we’ve never gone past the first round so this is an amazing accomplishment for us,” Mysin said. “This is one of our best games for sure.”
Mysin’s teammate, Keys, who had 10 points in the first quarter, was also elated.
“Going into the season, no one thought we would be here,” he said. “And I love proving people wrong. No one thought we would get this far, no one thought we would win, we do it as a team and we do it as brothers and we’re all family, so that’s how we get it done.”
Keys, when he started the third quarter, seemed to give his teammates a lift.
“I believed in my teammates, I knew my teammates would do good without me, they always do, I knew they were going to knock down shots, get stops, get rebounds,” he said. “So me putting my trust in my team and creating energy on the bench, it really up lifts them and allows us to be brothers and a team.
“I’m excited, I’ve never even made it past the first round, so being able to do with the guys I love really means a lot to me and I’m sure it means a lot to everybody.”
Aliso Niguel’s opponent in the final, Murrieta Mesa, defeated Warren 63-56 in the other semifinal.
Aliso Niguel and Gahr had already clinched berths in the CIF Southern California regionals which start after the CIF finals.
-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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