PLACENTIA — Long offensive runs were nonexistent in the boys basketball game between El Dorado and Woodbridge on Thursday night at El Dorado High School.
So, it seemed fitting that the game, which was a pool play contest in the Gary Raya Classic, went to overtime.
El Dorado’s Noah Barker grabbed a huge rebound off of a teammate’s missed free throw in the final seconds of overtime and then made one of two free throws after being fouled to clinch a 59-55 victory for the Golden Hawks.
The Hawks (7-1), who are ranked No. 16 in Orange County, advance to the tournament championship game Saturday at 3 p.m. They will play the winner of Friday’s pool play contest between No. 8 La Habra and San Juan Hills.
No. 20 Woodbridge (7-3) trailed by three points with less than 10 seconds remaining in regulation when Jaiden Sabino, who led all players with 22 points, hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
The Hawks held the Warriors to four points in the four-minute overtime period.
El Dorado got a big break earlier in overtime when a Woodbridge player accidentally knocked the ball into the Hawks basket when attempting to rebound a missed free throw, giving the Hawks a 57-53 lead with two minutes remaining.
The Hawks also forced a shot-clock violation in the extra period.
“We knew that they’re a really good, well-coached team,” said Barker, who led El Dorado with 16 points. “Their best player, Jaiden, is one of the best players in our tournament individually. I was just really proud of our defensive effort. We came out and had a great defensive game plan to their continuity ball offense and really did some things that kind of took them out of what they needed to do.”
Aside from a 9-3 lead by Woodbridge early in the contest, neither team ever led by more than five points.
Barker’s basket gave the Hawks a 50-46 lead with one minute left in regulation. Sabino scored to get Woodbridge to within a basket.
But the Warriors turned the ball over with 14.6 seconds remaining and were forced to commit a foul to keep the Hawks from running down the clock.
El Dorado missed both free throws but got the offensive rebound and were sent to the line again with 11.4 seconds left.
The Hawks made one of two free throws, keeping the Warriors within three points and giving Sabino the opportunity to hit his 3-pointer at the end of regulation.
“They’re a fantastic team,” El Dorado coach Ryan Mounce said of Woodbridge. “We spent probably an hour and a half talking about how to cover the offense and especially (Sabino). He’s a fantastic player.”
As for the game overall, Mounce said ““It was ugly at parts and it was beautiful at others. We got the win and we made enough plays to put us ahead in the end.”