CIF SoCal Division III Basketball Finals: Ayala uses quick start to beat Bonita, 63-54

Ayala celebrates defeating Bonita 63-54 during the CIF-State Division III Southern California Regional finals at Colony High School in Ontario on Saturday, March 19, 2016. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz/Pasadena Star-News)

Ayala celebrates defeating Bonita 63-54 during the CIF-State Division III Southern California Regional finals at Colony High School in Ontario on Saturday, March 19, 2016. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz/Pasadena Star-News)

CIF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BASKETBALL REGIONAL FINALS
BOYS
DIVISION III
AYALA 63, BONITA 54


ONTARIO — Ayala High School will get a chance to end its incredible season with a fantastic finish.John Edgar scored 23 points and the Bulldogs advanced to their first CIF State title game in program history with a 63-54 victory over Palomares League rival Bonita in the Southern California Division III final at Colony High School.
Austen Awosika also had 20 for Ayala, which improved to 33-3 and will face Manteca, a 70-45 winner over Oakland Bishop O’Dowd, for the state championship Thursday at 4 p.m. at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento.
Joe Quintana scored 24 points and Tyler Poepping had 12 for the Bearcats (28-7).
The key moment for Ayala came not in the final eight minutes, but the first eight. The Bulldogs held Bonita to two field goals in the first quarter for an 11-point advantage at 16-5. They never relinquished until the final minute.
Bonita, after trailing by double digits for most of the game, got two 3-pointers by Quintana to pull within 59-54 with 37 seconds left. But the Bearcats got no closer.
Awosika and Miles President combined on four free throws in the final 35 seconds to clinch it.
Ayala’s John Edgar: “I feel great right now. We’ve been working all year and this is a big thing for us. We have a great coach, a great team. We’ve just been doing it all year. We’re just going to keep on working and try to get another ring.”
Bonita coach Tim Godley: “A game like this, you have to start strong and we didn’t for whatever reason,” Bonita coach Tim Godley said. “I proud of my kids because they answered. The second half they played a lot better. I can’t fault our effort and I’m very proud of them at the end of the day.”
— Stephen Ramirez

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