jason day: mater dei v. dominguez

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SoCalHoops High School News

Jason Day: Nike Dream Classic
In Pictures: Dominguez v. Mater Dei--(Jan. 26, 1999)

Ok, so we're a little late with this one, but hey, when you have to wait for genius, it can sometimes take a long time. That's what we were doing waiting for Jason Day, and really Larry Gray to develop the pictures he took a week ago Monday at Pauley Pavilion. While we were sitting comfortably (or uncomfortably as the case may have been after sitting continuously for close to 14 hours by the time of this game) our friend and correspondent Jason Day was seated just down the press row from us, and his photographer buddy Larry Gray, the one with all of the great camera equipment (certainly better than our dinky little digital Sony Mavica, which is handy but not nearly as sharp as Larry's stuff) was seated just under one of the baskets, clicking and snapping away as Mater Dei and Compton Dominguez fought it out. Here's Jason's report and Larry's pictures. You had to be there, but really, this is the next best thing.

THE MLK (NIKE DREAM CLASSIC) IN PICTURES -
DOMINGUEZ BEATS MATER DEI

by Jason Day
photos by Larry Gray

My absolute favorite prep basketball event had it's 1999 incarnation this past Monday at Pauley Pavillion. The 5th Annual Nike Dream Classic, formerly called the Martin Luther King Classic (The MLK for short), offers matchups that would not normally happen at any other time during the season. This year's lineup featured some of the most outstanding teams in the area. Our colleagues at SoCalHoops covered this event extensively and they have detailed reports on each game. We will present each contest in pictures.

Tyson Chandler (12 pts. 5
boards SEVEN blocks) raises
on Mike Bayer
Derrick Mansell (14 pts. 4 rebounds,
3 blks, 2 steals) goes to the rack
and draws attention from Chandler
(left) and Keith Brooks (right)

This one was between Compton Dominguez High and Mater Dei (Orange County). These two had met just before Christmas at the Reebok tournament in Las Vegas. Mater Dei won that one on a last second shot and the world flocked to their doorstep with "hail and hosanahs". They immediately jumped into everybody's "top such and such list".

Now I wanna tell ya right now, I am not one of those who thought Mater Dei was all that, hell, I didn't think they were all that in Augustine's last year. Good, but not "all that". Last year I did have to give them their props for an outstanding win over St. Patrick's (New Jersey) at the Nike Extravanganza. As good a job of coaching and execution as I have ever seen.

Dominguez PG, Marcus Moore
(14 pts, 4 boards, 3 assists, 2
steals) rises to the occassion
It's almost comical to watch the
7'0 Chandler trying to guard the
5'11, Imran Sufi in the open court.

Mansell gets some more.

Cedric Bozeman (21) for 2
of his 14...he also had 4
boards, 2 assists, and a
steal

The win over Dominguez in Vegas did not impress
me. I didn't see the game, but I saw the one
Dominguez lost before that, (to St. Ignatius [sp]) and it was the absolutely worst referreed game I have ever seen or heard of. It is also the only game in which I allowed myself to blame the refs for a loss. Dominguez got screwed, period. So I figured the Mater Dei win was over a demoralized team that really didn't give much of a damn. On top of that, having seen the Dons over the summer, and early in the season, I new they could be had by a disciplined team that just kept taking the ball to them and that could hit their outside shots.

Okay, having said ALL of that...I'm telling you that I have a great deal of respect for Mater Dei's squad. Super talented? No. Super athletic? No. Super stars? No. Just a very well coached and disciplined team that knows how to play the game of basketball , together. All of you folks out there carrying on about recruiting, paying kids, buying refs, etc. I don't know bout all dat...

but I do know that for these kids to play the game the way they do, and fairly consistently I might add, somebody has simply got to be doin something right.

Now. They lost. This one. Dominguez was just too strong, too determined. While the Dons did their best to make it interesting near the end, they pretty much had this under control from the git.

Darius Sanders grabs a rebound
...one of his 8
Larry Johnson fights for a
board

Dominguez Coach Russell Otis (left) has a
few "gentle" words for guard Jafus Haley after
he called a timeout, that Dominguez did not
have, late in the game. Mater Dei's star, Steve
Scoggin (11pts. 2 assists) missed both of the
techs to pretty much dash any hopes of a
dramatic comeback.

Great game, great event. Can't wait till next year's version.

Later

Jason Day

Dominguez PG, Marcus Moore (14 pts, 4 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals) rises to the occassion		It's almost comical to watch the 7'0 Chandler trying to guard the 5'11, Imran Sufi in the open court.
Mansell gets some more.		Cedric Bozeman (21) for 2 of his 14...he also had 4 boards, 2 assists, and a steal

Darius Sanders grabs a rebound ...one of his 8	Larry Johnson fights for a board
	Dominguez Coach Russell Otis (left) has a few "gentle" words for guard Jafus Haley after he called a timeout, that Dominguez did not have, late in the game. Mater Dei's star, Steve Scoggin (11pts. 2 assists) missed both of the techs to pretty much dash any hopes of a dramatic comeback.