BREAKING NEWS: La Verne Lutheran holds off a gritty La Cañada team 57-47 to earn a trip to Sacramento to play for the CIF State Division III Championship.

CIF STATE DIVISION III
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
La Verne Lutheran 57, La Cañada 47

FIRST QUARTER

La Cañada's first three possessions: block, block, shot clock violation. Mike McGlashan, of course, scores the Spartans' first bucket on a drive-in layup. Lutheran's CJ Cooper scores the final bucket on a steal and jumper to pull Lutheran within 11-10 heading into the second quarter. La Cañada's finding success with constant movement and finding the open man inside. However, they can't seem to buy a 3-pointer. So far they are 0 for 3. Lutheran is commiting uncharacteristic turnovers to keep the Spartans in the game.

SECOND QUARTER

And a HUGE ovation in the pro-La Cañada crowd here at the Galen Center, where the Spartans take a 25-22 lead at the half after McGlashan's trademark fade-away jumper. Backdoor passes for the Spartans are a thing of beauty. It's what's keeping La Cañada intact. I just wonder if La Cañada would have converted its first 3-pointers in the first quarter, because if it did you know La Verne Lutheran now is forced to defend the perimeter, leaving lanes open for easy buckets. It's how La Cañada plays, and it's how the Spartans shocked Price in the CIF-Southern Section Division 3AA championship. La Verne Lutheran vowed it wouldn't fall victim to the Spartans' drawn-out offense, but so far the edge goes to La Cañada. Grant Jarrett leads the Trojans with eight points in the first half on 4 of 7 shooting. McGlashan's scored a game-high 12 points on 6 of 9 shooting and fellow senior Matt Faber has 10 points. La Verne Lutheran shot 37.5 percent from the field in the first half to La Cañada's 55 percent. Say no more...

THIRD QUARTER

La Cañada went 1 for 7 in the third quarter until Dario CiVon converted the game's first 3-pointer in the game with 51.2 seconds left. The Spartans played for the last shot and Mason Holle laid in a beauty of a scoop as time expired to pull the Spartans within 34-32.

FOURTH QUARTER

Mason Holle scores opening bucket on a layup with 7:15 left to tie the game at 34-34. Grant Jarrett's tip-in gave the Trojans a 40-34 cushion with 5:26 left in the game, prompting La Cañada coach Tom Hofman to call a timeout. Spartans come out of timeout with yet another backdoor pass, this time to Matt Faber who converts the layup to pull the Spartans within 40-36. On the ensuing possession Jarrett is at it again to keep the lead at 42-36 on a jumper. McGlashan's 8-footer brings the Spartans within 42-38 with 4:12 left in the game. It's his first shot of the entire second half. Jarrett's getting a bunch of tip-in baskets. He gets a 13-foot jumper to fall with 2:32 left to give the Trojans a 46-40 cushion. Eric Cooper hits a clutch 3-pointer with 1:39 left in the game to put the Trojans ahead 49-40 for the game's biggest lead. Mason Holle steals the inbounds pass, dishes it out to McGlashan who hits a 3-pointer with 1:23 left to pull the Spartans within 49-45. La Verne Lutheran turns it over on the ensuing possession, but so did La Cañada before Bruce English converts the layup to give the Trojans a 51-45 lead with 59.6 seconds left. McGlashan misses 3-pointer and is forced to foul Bruce English, who goes to the line with 45 seconds left. English converts the first free throw, misses the second but gets another try after the Spartans are called for a lane violation. With 10.7 seconds left, Hofman empties the bench. The clock finally struck midnight for La Cañada, which got a roaring ovation as the starters headed to the bench.