Pasadena's Maranatha Claims CIF Division 4A Crown

Despite falling behind 18-8 in the first quarter, the Maranatha Minutemen bounced back to claim the CIF Division 4A crown with a 59-53 victory over Campbell Hall Friday night at Azusa Pacific University Felix Hall.

Tyler Dorsey led three Minutemen in double figures with 25 points, eight rebounds and two steals.

Sean Romero chipped in 12 points, all from behind the arc while Tey Williams also added 12 points, including four free throws down the stretch to preserve the victory, the first championship in just the second year under Tim Tucker’s watch.

“Actually I think it came ahead of schedule”, Tucker said about the timing of the championship win. “I’d figure that we would be somewhere in this position (CIF final) in about two years’ time.”

Trevor Stanback, who is still getting back his legs playing in only five games this season because of injury, chipped in eight points, but was a force defensively, grabbing 13 rebounds and turning away five shots.

Aaron Holiday (brother of Pelican’s point guard Drue Holiday) led the Vikings with 25 points, including 10 in the first quarter, three rebounds and five assists. Jordan Cohen chipped in 10 points, seven rebounds and six steals. Justis Bell-Williams added seven points and four rebounds for Campbell Hall which finished 24-10.

“We were wild at first and made a lot of mistakes,” Stanback said about the team’s slow start in the first quarter, “but we got confident and started making our shots.”

Maranatha came out in the second quarter and went on a 14-8 run, including four points by Dorsey to close the gap to 26-22 going into halftime.

“They settled down in the second quarter,” Tucker said. “I told them that we were better, and we made more plays than they did.”

Tucker said that Holiday and Dorsey would cancel each other out (they each scored 25 points) so it’s up to the role players that will make a difference in the game.

“It came down to who wanted it more,” he said.

Maranatha showed IT wanted it more. Williams was 0-5 in the game from the charity stripe, yet found himself in the position to have to hit two free throws to protect a slim two-point lead on two occasions, and in both occasions he delivered. Maranatha went 6-6 in the final minute from the free throw line, including 4-4 by Williams.

“I told him to let it out of your mind,” Tucker said. “He needed those. Those were huge free throws down the stretch.”

BOX SCORE

MARANATHA (59) – Tyler Dorsey (25), Sean Romero (12), Tey Williams (12), Trevor Stanback (8), Zack Smalley (2)

CAMPBELL HALL (53) – Aaron Holiday (25), Jordan Cohen (10), Justis Bell-Williams (7), Gabriel Bell-Williams (4), Gabriel Salazar (4), Cameron Hodge (3)