SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PREP BASKETBALL REGIONALS : DIVISION I GIRLS : Mater Dei Escapes With Victory

IRVINE — The question was directed at Mater Dei’s Margaret Hollis: Were you lucky tonight?

Her answer: “I never like to admit to luck, but . . . “

But yeah, Mater Dei got lucky Tuesday at the Bren Center. Going into the Southern California Regional playoffs as the top-seeded team, Mater Dei survived a scare--an assault, really--from eighth-seeded L.A. Washington before scoring a 58-54 victory.

It was tied with less than two minutes remaining, and it was a two-point game until the last play, when an errant inbounds pass with 6.2 seconds left went into the Mater Dei frontcourt and was grabbed by Melody Peterson, whose layup sealed the victory.

Mater Dei (26-1) will play host to L.A. City-champion Crenshaw (29-0) on Thursday. Crenshaw beat Long Beach Poly, 52-35. Washington (18-8) has lost four times to Crenshaw, including, 56-46, in the City title game.

The Generals were apparently playing not only for their school, but for the entire City Section.

“I’m sick and tired of the City getting the dog end of the stick,” said Washington Coach Julie Rousseau, whose team was omitted from Cal-Hi Sports’ overall state top 20 and the Southern Section Division I top 10 Tuesday. “We’re one of eight teams left and we played the No. 3 team all the way to the end. . . . (The media) gives the City kids no hope. These kids deserve some respect. You all thought (Mater Dei) had it made and we gave them the scare of their life. I’m sick of it.”

Tied, 52-52, Peterson (23 points) was fouled on a drive by Shay Williams (15 points, 11 rebounds) with 1:55 left. It was a huge play because Peterson’s free throws gave Mater Dei a 54-52 lead, and Williams’ departure gave the Monarchs a break.

“I think that was a major letdown for them,” said Hollis (12 points). “She was their pivotal player. I felt the game was more ours at that point.”

Indeed, Allison Luckey’s steal led to Peterson’s putback that made it 56-52. Kanisha Best scored with 14.3 seconds left to make it 56-54; the Generals got another chance when Trystra Wilson (12 points) was fouled after Peterson’s missed free throw with 8.9 seconds remaining. Wilson missed, but the Generals got the ball out of bounds under the basket. Then, the errant pass.

“We didn’t come out ready to play,” Mater Dei Coach Mary Hauser said. “The kids felt like they’d accomplished a great thing (by winning the Southern Section I-A title) and the State playoffs is not something we had talked about.

“We have a lot of new kids this year. . . . We were happy just to be here.”