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SANTA ANA — Mater Dei’s girls basketball team showed that the playoff version of its signature, full-court press is even more aggressive and quicker with its traps and rotations.
And in a tight game with Rosary to begin defense of their back-to-back CIF-SS Open Division titles, this brand served as a major difference-maker for the Monarchs on Saturday night.
So did the biggest shot in the young career of Shaena Brew.
The freshman guard sank a go-ahead, 18-foot jumper with 38 seconds left in regulation and the Monarchs’ press forced a turnover on the ensuing possession en route to 49-44 victory in a Group A game at Mater Dei.
Rosary Kaylee Byon makes a lay-up for the score against Mater Dei in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
The Mater Dei team celebrate their win against Rosary in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Rosary Kaylee Byon, left, and Mater Dei guard Hannah Vela, right, try to reach an inbound pass by Rosary in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei forward Soleil Montrose, left, and Rosary Allison Clarke scramble for a loose ball in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei forward Nalani White, center, powers her way by Rosary Mya Barnes, right, to score a basket in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei guard Shaena Brew, left, deflects an inbound pass by Rosary in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei guard Caia Elisaldez, center, finds path to the basket against Rosary in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei forward Jenessa Cotton scores in front of a Rosary defender in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei guard Devyn Kiernan jumps as she cheers her team after they scored against Rosary in the fourth period in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei forward Nalani White slides along the floor trying to grab the loose ball after Rosary’s Kaylee Byon couldn’t hang on to an inbound pass with seconds left in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Rosary’s Allison Clarke, right, blocks a shot by Mater Dei forward Soleil Montrose, left, with under a minute left in the game in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei players celebrate winning the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff against Rosary in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei forward Nalani White, left, and Mater Dei forward Soleil Montrose, center, run to meet a teammate as they begin to celebrate their win over Rosary in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Rosary’s Allison Clarke, center, loses an inbound pass with seconds left in the fourth period as Mater Dei forward Nalani White, left, moves to grab the loose ball in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei forward Soleil Montrose takes a jump shot to score a basket with seconds left in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff against Rosary in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei guard Hannah Vela, right, steps in front of Rosary Kaylee Byon, left, to force a turnover with seconds left in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Rosary Allison Clarke, left, protects the ball from Mater Dei guard Caia Elisaldez, right, after taking a pass in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei forward Nalani White, left, and Rosary Mya Barnes reach for a rebound in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Rosary Kaylee Byon, center, almost loses control of the ball as she is double-teamed by Mater Dei guard Hannah Vela, left, and forward Jenessa Cotton, right, in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Mater Dei forward Nalani White, right, reaches over Rosary Kaylani Barker, left, to grab a rebound in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Rosary’s Taylor Gomez, center, and her teammates cheer after their team scored against Mater Dei in the first pool play game of the CIF-SS Open Division girls basketball playoff in Santa Ana on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
The fourth-seeded Monarchs (22-4) took a 45-44 lead against fifth-seeded Rosary (15-8) on the basket by Brew, who freed herself with a slick pump fake near the 3-point line.
After the turnover along the sideline, the Royals opted to foul repeatedly to preserve time but Mater Dei added a layup by Soleil Montrose with 13 seconds left and two late foul shots by Lani White to avenge a loss to Rosary on Jan. 31.
The Royals earned a share of the Trinity League title and the No. 1 ranking in Orange County with that 51-40 victory, but the co-champion Monarchs won the rubber game of the series.
“We wanted our revenge on them,” Brew said. “We had to share our title with them. It’s like they took something away from us and we wanted to take it back.”
Mater Dei also won a critical game to open its title defense. The Monarchs play host to Windward on Wednesday and could play at top-ranked and undefeated Etiwanda (25-0) next Saturday for a trip to the Open final.
“You have to win this to keep that CIF title thing alive,” Mater Dei coach Kevin Kiernan said. “For us, we do want to defend it. We do want to go three straight, and this is the only way we could have done it.”
The Utah-bound White led Mater Dei with 20 points while the Utah Valley-bound Kaylee Byon had 16 for Rosary. Sophomore Allison Clarke added 13 points, 11 rebounds and four steals for the Royals, who play at Etiwanda on Wednesday.
Mater Dei set the tone with its aggressive press. The Monarchs opened a 16-point lead in the middle of the second period and forced 10 turnovers en route to a 27-17 lead at halftime.
Rosary again played its 1-1-3 zone and outscored Mater Dei 17-8 in the third to tighten the score going into the fourth. The Royals took a 44-43 lead on a pair of foul shots by freshman Mya Barnes with 2:22 left but didn’t score again.
“This year’s team, their rotations and their ability to press and the intensity we play with is our thing,” Kiernan said.
Mater Dei held Rosary to 1 for 8 shooting from beyond the arc and received three steals apiece from Caia Elisaldez, Montrose and Hannah Vela.
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“We came back and we didn’t let them steamroll us,” said Rosary coach Richard Yoon, whose zone held the Monarchs to 7 of 30 shooting from beyond the arc. “It’s tough to beat Mater Dei twice, but our kids shook them up. Our kids know that we can play with them.”
