SoCalHoops High School News

Reebok Las Vegas Holiday Prep Classic:
Fresno Edison Shocks Mater Dei--(Dec. 21, 1998)

Actually this headline should read "Willie Johnson Shocks Mater Dei."  Johnson, in an amazing come-from-behind overtime win, scored 39 points, shooting 15 of 25 from the field and 4 for 6 from three point range.  Johnson also hit 5 of 7 free throws, had 6 rebounds (4 defensive) and in general just took over the game, personally leading Edison back from the abyss to the win.

With 12.2 seconds to play, the score was 57-57. Chris Lopez and Willie Johnson were covering the inside-outside thing, but everyone in the house thought that Edison's coach Pat Riddlesprigger had lost his mind when, trailing by about 5, refused to put a player into the game when Richard Manning seemingly fouled out.   Actually Manning had only picked up his fourth personal (at least according to the official scorers) so Riddlesprigger was "technically" correct, but his stubborness got him a T with the refs, and earned the curiosity of most of the crowd in attendance. The T shot, which was made, pulled Mater Dei ahead  and with about 8 seconds on the clock the score was 58-57 and Edison was forced to foul to get the ball back and they did, sending Imran Sufi to the line, where he made both, and the score was 60-57.  Johnson then took the inbounds with 6.8 showing on the clock, and dribbled up court through three defenders, stopped at the three point line, and hit a jumper for three to tie the game up at 60 each

Mater Dei claimed to have called a time out after the basket, so the refs put another 1.3 back on the clock, and Mater Dei had a chance to hit a three, but Scoggin was forced to launch it from thebackcourt, and the ball missed the rim to start the overtime.

In the overtime, both teams went at each other, but it was all Johnson in the overtime, who scored 9 of his 39 points in a span of 4 minutes, outscoring the entire Mater Dei team by one.  Steve Scoggin got off the last shot, but it wasn't one of his 14 shots in the game that connected, and Mater Dei fell.   Scoggin had 21 points in the game, on 6 of 14 shooting. Mike Bayer also had a good game, hitting for 15 points and making 9 of 15 free throws.  In the end, it was turnovers which killed MD, especially two late in the game, and Mater Dei had 2 more turnovers than Edison did, 19-22. Derrick Mansell scored 12 points, but suffered in the turnover department personally having 6 turnovers; the other team leader was Eric Soderberg, who had 5; Eric did have two blocked shots, a game high.

Here are some pics from the game:

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