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Boys’ basketball: Jordan Mathews delivers game winner for Santa Monica

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With a trip to Sacramento at stake, the player who has risen up in big games all season, Jordan Mathews, came through again for Santa Monica High, calmly sinking a three-pointer with two seconds left, giving the Vikings a 53-50 victory over Los Angeles Loyola in the CIF Southern California Division I final on Saturday at Citizens Business Bank Arena.

“Big-time players make big-time shots, and we wanted the ball in Jordan’s hands,” Santa Monica Coach James Hecht said.

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Loyola (25-6) had beaten Santa Monica (29-6) twice this season and made a courageous comeback after its standout guard, Parker Jackson-Cartwright, twisted his right foot and went down with 6:36 left and the Cubs down by eight.

Thomas Welsh, Loyola’s 7-foot center who was scoreless in the first half after missing all six of his shots, tied the game with 1:54 remaining at 50-50 with his 17th point of the second half. Loyola twice had opportunities to take the lead.

Max Hazzard missed a shot, and Loyola had the ball with 38 seconds left. Then Mtume Armour took a quick shot, missed and Santa Monica suddenly had the ball with 29.7 seconds left and set up a final play for Mathews, the California-bound senior.

“I knew we were going to hit them with a dagger,” said Mathews, who finished with 19 points. “I felt good about hitting it.”

Troy Maloney made five three-pointers and finished with 17 points for Santa Monica. Trey Mason had 13 points and Jackson-Cartwright 10 for Loyola.

Santa Monica will play Elk Grove Pleasant Grove in Friday’s 8 p.m. Division I final in Sacramento.

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-- Eric Sondheimer

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