Watch: Two 3s in final 3.8 seconds by Ryan Conner lifts LACES past Chatsworth in stunning LA City semifinal

Senior center more than doubles his point total in the final four seconds as the Chancellors stun Alijah Arenas, the Chancellors.

TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA — It's hard to figure what was more unlikely. The comeback, the two shots or the game's hero. 

Whatever the case, LACES pulled out an improbable 52-49 Los Angeles City Section Open Division semifinal win over Chatsworth Saturday at el Camino College. 

Ryan Conner, a 6-foot-8 senior center who had been struggling most of the game, swished two 3-pointers all inside four seconds to play to give the Unicorns the victory. 

Conner drilled a 3-pointer from well past the top of the key to tie the game at 49-49 with 3.8 seconds left, then after Chatsworth threw a long pass straight out of bounds, Conner swished a 3-pointer from the corner. 

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Chatsworth, the fifth seed, missed a desperation half-courter and LACES, which stands for Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies, advanced to the finals to face King/Drew, a 62-56 winner over Birmingham next Saturday at 6 p.m. at Pasadena City College. Neither LACES or King/Drew have won an LAC Open championship.  

Conner had just four points before the two makes to finish with 10. Donovan Cornelius led the Unicorns (19-10) with 16 points and Ian Hunter added 14 points, including four 3-pointers (three in the first quarter). LACES hit nine 3 pointers overall.

Alijah Arenas, the son of former NBA standout Gilbert and one of the top sophomore recruits in the country, had 19 points for Chatsworth (16-14). Teammate T.J. Phillips hit two 3s in the fourth when they were outscored 16-10. 

GIRLS SEMIFINALS

Westchester 66, Hamilton 58: Mariah Blake had 23 points and 16 rebounds and Serenity Johnson contributed 14 points leading the Comets (22-5), who have won 12 of 13. They split two previous games with Hamilton (24-7), which bot 20 points by Jade Fort. 

Birmingham 49, King's Drew 44: Zoee Mitchell had 15 points and Natalie Lopez contribued 13 lead top-seeded Birmingham (23-6) to victory. The Patriots will face Westchester for the title at Pasadena City College next Saturday. 

Column: Gilbert Arenas' son, Alijah, showing impressive maturity as high school sophomore


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