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Last basket wins.
That playground call was certainly applicable Tuesday when Tayo Sobomehin made a layup as time expired to give Priory a 60-59 win over Sacred Heart Prep in a game that decided the West Bay Athletic League championship.
It was Sobomehin’s game from beginning to end. The sophomore point guard finished with 26 points on 9 of 11 field-goal shooting, 6 of 7 from 3-point range, and was 2 of 2 at the foul line.
Sobomehin is listed at 5-7, but Priory coach David Moseley, the former Stanford standout, had this to say:
“He’s 5-5, maybe 5-4, but he’s stronger than he looks. You can’t take advantage of him. And he’s cat quick. I don’t like to make this comparison, but Brevin Knight was the quickest player I’d ever seen. Tayo is nearly as quick.’’
The game featured a series of runs. Priory (14-1, 12-0) started off strong just like it did in the first meeting between the two teams, and led 7-0 and 13-2 in the first quarter. Sacred Heart Prep (12-7, 10-2) , playing its up-tempo style, went on a 16-0 run to turn a 20-11 deficit into a 27-20 lead. The Gators led by 12 on three occasions late in the second quarter.
Priory gradually chipped away at the SHP lead and finally caught up at 58-58 when Sobomehin made his two free throws with 1:30 left.
“We went to a zone in the third quarter to slow them down,’’ Moseley said. “We tried to make their scorers work on defense and tire them out. If you play their game it’s hard to outscore them.’’
Harrison Carrington’s free throw with 33 seconds to go put the Gators back on top and set up the final possession. Priory missed a shot under pressure and in the scramble for the loose ball was awarded a timeout with 3 seconds left.
“I called it around five times before they finally gave it to me,’’ Moseley said.
After that timeout and one called by SHP coach Tony Martinelli, Sobomehin set up on the perimeter on the right side of the 3-point arc, cut off a screen set by David Akanaju-Makun, and received the inbounds pass from Ashton Axe on the left side of the lane where he put up the game-winning shot.
“Our inability to secure the defensive rebound cost us the game,’’ Martinelli said.
Now both teams look ahead to Wednesday’s Central Coast Section seeding meeting.
“Hopefully we get in the Open,’’ Moseley said. “We really want it.’’
Aidan Braccia led SHP with 19 points. Kevin Carney and RJ Stephens scored 9 points apiece.
Akanaju-Makun and Axe scored 9 while Zach Zafran and defensive standout Rostand Olama Abanda each had 8 points for Priory.
“Our group of seniors remembered getting their butts kicked by them,’’ Moseley said. “We’re young, but they’re young, too. It will be quite the rivalry.’’
