DUBLIN, CA - In the Hayward private school's 45th year of existence, the Moreau Catholic Mariners completed a historic evening on Saturday night.
They won the school's first ever North Coast Section title, a down-to-the-wire 73-68 victory over powerhouse Salesian.
Salesian came into the championship having won three straight section titles, four out of the last five, but Moreau sought an end to all the dominance Salesian put forth in Division four.
Sophomore Brandon Lawrence, one of 17 underclassmen on the young and emerging Mariners squad, did what all Moreau fans needed. They longed for a crucial shot in crunch time and help the school capture glory.
With 39 seconds left, trailing 68-66, Lawrence became the hero in Dublin on Saturday. With a slightly open shot from the perimeter, Lawrence nailed the huge three, giving Moreau a 69-68 lead. He became the igniter and the hero the fans of Moreau had always dreamed of.
Salesian had the opportunity to regain the lead after Lawrence's immense shot. But they never got the chance to do so after a crucial turnover cost them not only a chance, but the section crown.
All Moreau had to do was make both free throws to likely put this game away. Terrell Brown hit both of them with 10.3 seconds and Salesian never scored again.
The turnover that cost Salesian the game wasn't the only one that did. They totaled an astounding 20 turnovers, and everyone in the building, spectating or not, knew that those turnovers cost them dearly.
If the game would have continued the way it started, Salesian would have likely came out victorious. Moreau got into early foul trouble, committing nine fouls in the first quarter. But in the end, those early fouls didn't do anything to affect the final outcome.
Moreau was paced by the efforts from Lawrence and freshman Damari Milstead. Lawrence finished with a team-high 21 points and Milstead added 17. Lawrence went 3-of-6 from 3-point range.
The monstrous three Lawrence made towards the end wasn't the only play from him that gave them momentum. He got the Mariners within three, 63-60, after hitting a trey in the third, and gave them their first lead since the second quarter, 64-63 with a layup late in the fourth.
Milstead also brought about a storm. With 3:40 remaining in the third, he nailed a three and brought the Moreau crowed to a thunderous boom, one that would resonate the rest of the night.
Offensively, UC Irvine-bound Jonathan Galloway carried much of the workload for Salesian. Finishing with 15 points and 5 blocks, Galloway also held offers from Cal Poly and Pacific before choosing UC Irvine in October.
Now with the Northern California playoffs looming, both will likely remain in Division four, or Moreau might possibly move up a division. Brackets are announced Sunday afternoon.
