High School

Roosevelt’s toughness shines in victory over Notre Dame in CIF Open Division final

Despite being out-rebounded and outscored in the paint, Roosevelt’s timely shot making and tough-nosed defense anchored its championship victory.

Tarek Fattal

Roosevelt’s Myles Walker celebrates after a basket during the CIF Southern Section Open Division final against Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks at the Toyota Arena in Ontario on Saturday, March 1.
Roosevelt’s Myles Walker celebrates after a basket during the CIF Southern Section Open Division final against Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks at the Toyota Arena in Ontario on Saturday, March 1. / Taylor Martinez

ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA — Notre Dame was surging. The largest lead by either team was just seven points through all but one minute left in the game. Roosevelt’s lead was just three while searching for a big basket that would keep the ultra-talented Knights at bay.

”I learned my lesson last year,” Roosevelt coach Stephen Singleton said. “Late in the game against Harvard-Westlake, I drew up a play out of a timeout and we turned it over. I told myself from that point on, I’m going to let these guys be great.”

Issac Williamson did exactly that.

The senior guard knocked down an NBA-range 3-pointer to extend Roosevelt’s lead to six with a minute to play that served as a dagger in the Mustangs’ 74-67 victory over Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks to claim the CIF Southern Section Open Division crown at the Toyota Arena Saturday night.

The redemption tour is complete after Roosevelt fell to Harvard-Westlake 54-47 in last year’s Open Division title.

”Our mindset all year has been to win this game,” Roosevelt’s McDonald’s All-American Brayden Burries said.

Burries tallied 19 points and eight rebounds. Senior point guard Myles Walker had 19 points including five 3-pointers, and Williamson finished with 15 points. Freshman Cam Anderson added nine points for Roosevelt.

Despite being out rebounded 28-19 and outscored in the paint 40-20, Roosevelt’s toughness and togetherness shined with its stingy defense to create 19 points off 13 Notre Dame turnovers.

”We turn teams over,” Singleton said. “We’ve played bigger teams than us all year, so its the same challenge for us and we prove it again and again.”

Tyran Stokes led Notre Dame with 21 points,13 rebounds, five assists and two blocks. He was 8 of 14 from the field and looked every bit like the No. 1 junior in the country is touted to be.

Stokes did not attend the press conference after the game.

Rutgers commit Lino Mark scored 11 points and had five turnovers for Notre Dame in 28 minutes.

”I got hurt in the first quarter, hurt my hamstring, and I wasn’t able to play the same,” Mark said.

Zach White, who’s been playing great for the Knights in the playoffs, had 15 points. NaVorro Bowman added 11.

”Zach’s a winner, man,” Notre Dame coach Matt Sargeant said. “He does everything we ask of him.”

Roosevelt had an 11-0 run in the first quarter to take a 16-15 lead at the end of the first frame before taking a 37-32 lead into halftime. Roosevelt led 54-53 at the end of the third quarter.

Burries had just two points at halftime before scoring 12 in the third quarter en route to his 19.

”I had to flip the switch,” Burries said.

Sargeant was asked what changed in the second half when it came to Burries’ scoring production in the second half compared to the first.

”He was driving into our guys and flopping around to get calls. Part of basketball is knowing how to draw fouls … great players know how to get to the line,” Sargeant said.

Burries was 4 for 4 from the free throw line for the game. Roosevelt was 13 of 13 for the game from the charity stripe. Notre Dame was 6 of 13.

Roosevelt will be the No. 1 seed in the CIF State Open Division playoffs. The state office will announce the SoCal regional pairings Sunday afternoon.

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Tarek Fattal, SBLive Sports
TAREK FATTAL

Tarek Fattal has been covering high school sports since 2015 in Southern California and primarily in Los Angeles, covering notable athletes such as Bronny James, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Alyssa Thompson. He was with the LA Daily News for eight years, which included being the beat reporter for the UCLA men's basketball team. Tarek can be seen on TV regularly on CBS/KCAL as a sports analyst with Jim Hill.

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