chaminade v. ND

SoCal High School & Prep Report

Games of Note: Chaminade Defeats
Notre Dame 54-40--(January 12, 1998)

Lucky me. There I was in a hospital room, wondering just what part of my body was going to attack me next. I had planned to go over to Chaminade last Wednesday, January 7 to once again see the much-touted, very tall, and certainly talented Chaminade Eagles take on the pretty much unknown and untested Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) Knights in a Mission League opener. But my body had other plans for me, and Wednesday night I wasn't going anywhere, except to bed, under doctor's orders and the watchful eyes of a lot of very nice nurses who administered some pharmacueticals which would have prevented me from watching anything that night.

So Thursday rolls around, and thank goodness for Fox Sports West 2 (I never thought I would actually say that). Because on Thursday afternoon, even as I was told that my condition was still uncertain and the doctors wanted to run further tests on Friday (invasive ones no less), there it was in the TV Listings: Thursday, 4:30 pm FSW2, Chaminade v. Notre Dame. A taped replay. Next best thing to being there.

So I watched. And watched. And watched.

And everything I had expected to happen did. Chaminade won, controlling the game from start to finish, 54-40. The Eagles, coached by Jeff Young, used their size and relentless speed and full court-pressure to just dominate Notre Dame. Cayce Cook and Justin Stewart, the latter of whom had what must have seemed like the game of his life, just trapped, pressed, and confused the ND guards all night long.

Even though it looked like Notre Dame was going to challenge, scoring the first points in the game on a John Murray jumper with only 38 seconds elapsed, Chaminade cooly, and calmly, well, just kicked ND's butt in the first quarter, blowing them away with a 20-4 first quarter. In fact, Notre Dame didn't score again until there was just a little over two minutes left in the first quarter, as Chris Williams scored on a lay-up. Following that last score for ND, Chaminade went on a 14-0 scoring spree. Dazed and seeming somewhat confused, ND managed to score only another 8 points in the half, as Chaminade took a 31-12 lead into the locker room at the half. The third quarter was a little better for the Knights, as they almost played Chaminade even, being outscored by only a point, 12-13, and in the fourth quarter, when the game was pretty much out of reach anyway, Notre Dame actually managed to outscore Chaminade 16-10.

For Chaminade, Justin Beach had 9 points, Cayce Cook had 7, Scott Long had 13, Scott Borchart had 11, Justin Stewart had 14, and Nick Lawson had 1. In fact Chaminade's biggest problem in this game is the fact that they've got so many players on the roster, so many good players in addition to the starting five, that it's been difficult for Coach Young to find a suitable rotation to let all of them play. For example, I don't remember seeing Josh Levy in this game at all, and for a guy who's 6'-10", it seems that JJ Todd ought to see some additional time off the bench. But then that's just my opinion, and since I'm not coaching the team, that and a buck might get me a cup of coffee (which I've now sworn off anyway. . . but that's another story).

Justin Stewart (6'-2" Sr. G/F) played just a great game, applying constant defensive pressure, and scoring nicely from inside. He had two steals at critical moments from Notre Dame's freshman point guard Cody Pearson, which just seemed to set the mood. With Stewart and Cook applying the pressure, they managed to hold Notre Dame's usually fine scoring Dante Ward to just a single basket until late in the fourth quarter. Ward eventually managed 10 points in the game.

Chaminade improved its record to 12-1, and is now 1-0 in league play. Notre Dame fell to 7-7, and is 0-1 in league play.

And thanks to former Laker Michael Cooper and Jim Watson for doing the play by play in the game. It was, well, adequate.

Just wish I could have been there.

Congratulations to Chaminade, to Coach Young and to all of the Eagles. Even those of you who I think should be getting more playing time. Well done.