Eisenhower-Loyola boys bball CIF title game: March 2009 Archives

Eisenhower wins its first CIF title since 2003 with a 79-73 win over Loyola. It was a very well-played game that saw Andrew Bock score 27 of his 29 points in the second half for Ike while Nick Carter hit two clutch 3-pointers in the final minute and a half to swing the game in the Eagles' favor. Bernard Ireland also had 19 points for Ike.

Miles Cartwright scored 33 points in a losing effort for the Cubs, while Ryan Oliver and Carl Hoffman added 19 and 12 points, respectively.

Ike's Nick Carter has hit two 3-pointers from the left wing in a span of 30 seconds, giving Ike a 75-71 lead with 54.9 seconds left. Loyola ball.

Miles Cartwright just drained two free throws to put the Cubs in the lead in a back-and-forth fourth quarter. Cartwright has a game-high 32 points for Loyola while Andrew Bock leads Ike with 26. Free-throw shooting has been Ike's flaw thus far, as they are 3 of 8 from the charity stripe.

And Andrew Bock continues to feel the flow, hitting another 3-pointer as the Eagles built their lead to as many as nine. Bock had 15 in the quarter and has 17 overall. Great quarter for the Eagles, who outscored Loyola 26-15 and neutralized the Cubs' size advantage inside.

Fourth quarter to start.

Andrew Bock has awoken suddenly in the third quarter, scoring 12 points in the last four minutes and most recently, assisting Nicholas Carter on a transition layup that has Ike up 52-44 with 1:38 left in the third. The Eagles are on a 17-5 run, with two Bock 3-pointers helping that burst.

Bernard Ireland has continued his hot play, scoring six quick points for the Eagles. Loyola scored four points in the first 16 seconds of the period, but Ike seems to have weathered that storm. Coming back from a timeout after a nice hustle rebound by Ike's Alex Varner

Loyola's size has been a factor, as 6-9 senior Carl Hoffman scored 10 points and pulled down 4 rebounds against the much-smaller Eagles to help stake Loyola to the 33-29 lead. Ike star point guard Andrew Bock has been very quiet, scoring two points and adding three assists, but the Eagles have gotten a shot in the arm from Bernard Ireland - who has eight points - and Kirby Gardner, who has six points off the bench.

Right after Bernard Ireland hit a 3 in transition to tie the game for the Eagles, Loyola got a transition bucket of its own from Carl Hoffman on a layup. Ireland leads Ike with 8 points right now.

Ike and Loyola have just been introduced and we are ready to rumble. And yes, I just ripped off Michael Buffer.

Today I get a unique treat - two CIF title games, two genders, two arenas and one county. Yes I'm doing the double-dip of high school basketball fun today, as I am currently on press row of Honda Center waiting for the Division II-A final between Eisenhower and Los Angeles Loyola to start - which should be in about 15-20 minutes. I'll also be back at Mater Dei - site of Cajon's historic 52-44 win over Long Beach Poly last night - to see Colony face Moreno Valley Canyon Springs in the Division I-A girls final at 6:30 tonight.

What I'll do in between games is up for debate, but what is not is the roster contrasts between No. 1-seeded Ike and No. 3 seed Loyola. The Eagles, led by Creighton-bound point guard Andrew Bock, runs small, with their tallest player being 6-foot-4 and most players running in the 6-0 to 6-1 range. The Eagles like to play at a frenetic pace and average nearly 80 points per game.

Loyola, on the other hand, has a Twin Towers situation - boasting 6-10 junior Tony Wroblicky and 6-9 senior Carl Hoffman. Even junior guard Miles Cartwright - the Cubs' leading scorer - runs 6-3.

It'll be an interesting contrast of personnel. Warmups are going on and tipoff will be in roughly 12 minutes.