Boys' basketball: Taft has 39-35 halftime lead

Taft started the game making three consecutive three-pointers and the Toreadors closed the first half by taking the ball strong to the basket in building a 39-35 halftime lead over top-seeded Mater Dei in a Southern California Division I regional semifinal at Mater Dei.

With the score tied at 33, Taft's Spencer Dinwiddie scored on a driving layup. Forward De'Andre Daniels then went in for a dunk and Mark Jackson followed with a layup to give the Toreadors a 39-33 lead, their biggest of the first half.

Gary Franklin Jr. stopped the run with a putback for Mater Dei. Tyler Lamb leads the Monarchs with 12 points, all in the first quarter.

Pierson Williams has 15 points and Dinwiddie eight for Taft, which made five of 10 three-point attempts and is shooting 51.9% overall. Mater Dei is shooting 44.8%, including 33.3% from behind the three-point arc.

--Ben Bolch