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LA MIRADA — San Juan Hills’ boys basketball team continued to build upon one of its major themes Friday night in rallying for its first CIF Southern Section title.
“We’re a family,” said senior forward John McFadden after the top-seeded Stallions cooled off unseeded La Mirada 59-49 in the Division 2A final before a boisterous capacity crowd in La Mirada High’s new gym. “We’re not a selfish team. We play together. We move the ball.”
The San Juan Hills team pose for a photo as coach Jason Efstathiou holds the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship plaque high in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Juan Hills guard Mark Reichner, left, lets out a yell as he celebrates with teammates their victory over La Mirada in the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Juan Hills guard Srihas Payidiparty, left, takes his turn celebrating with the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship plaque after the victory over La Mirada in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Juan Hills guard Mark Reichner, left, takes a jump shot over La Mirada Aidan Nasser, right, for a basket in the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada guard Sean Cervantes, right, tries to steal a pass intended for San Juan Hills guard Jacob Simon, left, in the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada guard Sean Cervantes, center, passes the ball away as he is double-teamed by San Juan Hills forward Mason Brehmer, left, and San Juan Hills guard Jacob Simon, right, in the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada Aidan Nasser, left, looks to pass the ball away as he is boxed in at the sideline by San Juan Hills guard Mark Reichner, center, and forward Mason Brehmer, right, in the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Juan Hills forward Gavin Gloude, center,, cheers on his teammates late in the fourth period in the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada guard Sean Cervantes directs his teammates against San Juan Hills in the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Juan Hills guard Mark Reichner, left, holds high the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship plaque as he celebrates with teammates in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Juan Hills guard John McFadden, center, jumps up to celebrate with San Juan Hills forward Gavin Gloude, left, after winning the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship over La Mirada in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. La Mirada guard Athan Sierra, right, walks off the court. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Juan Hills’ John McFadden, left, and Mark Reichner, center, celebrate the victory over La Mirada in the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada guard Sean Cervantes, right, reaches in to try to steal the ball away from San Juan Hills guard Marcus Parks in the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada guard Athan Sierra, center, is boxed in by San Juan Hills guard Thomas Hattan, left, and guard Nathan Goltara, right, in the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada forward Isiah Kalaj, right, moves under the basket and past San Juan Hills forward Mason Brehmer, left, left, to put up a shot in the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Juan Hills Christian Welsh, Trent Etter, and Gavin Gloude, from left, charge onto the court to celebrate their victory over La Mirada to capture the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Juan Hills guard John McFadden, left, and La Mirada forward Isiah Kalaj, right, scramble for a loose ball right after the tip off in the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada forward Isiah Kalaj goes up for the score against San Juan Hills in the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Juan Hills guard Nathan Goltara, left, blocks a shot by La Mirada guard Julien Gomez, right, in the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Juan Hills guard John McFadden, left, grabs a rebound in front of La Mirada Aidan Nasser, right, in the CIF-SS Division 2A boys basketball championship in La Mirada on Friday, February 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
The Stallions (27-4) indeed united with different combinations of players and highlight plays to produce two game-changing, 12-0 runs against La Mirada (18-14), which defeated No. 2 seed Edison, No. 3 seed Tesoro and No. 6 seed Calabasas in reaching its first section final.
“It’s all about a game of runs,” said La Mirada coach Randy Oronoz, whose team led 14-4 early. “Whoever can stop the other’s runs and go on runs of their own normally end up in the winning position.”
McFadden paced first-time finalist San Juan Hills with 22 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and four steals, and eight different Stallions scored, including four who sank 3-pointers.
Mason Brehmer and Brody Averell had flying, put-back baskets during the 12-0 runs.
San Juan Hills’ Mark Reichner added 11 points while fellow senior guard Marcus Parks scored all eight of his points in the second half, including a pair of key 3-pointers.
But it was a blocked shot by senior Jacob Simon of San Juan Hills against a layup in the second quarter that sparked the first 12-0 run.
Simon did his best imitation of LeBron James’ chase-down block in the 2016 NBA Finals by stopping an open drive in the middle of the second period.
Simon then sank a 3-pointer in the corner on the Stallions’ ensuing possession after the block, and McFadden added a coast-to-coast layup and a 3-pointer.
La Mirada led 24-15 before the block but trailed 27-24 after the surge.
“He made the hustle play — (the) LeBron play — and he comes down and hits the 3,” McFadden said of Simon, who finished with two blocks and eight points. “That’s a game changer.”
La Mirada cut San Juan Hills’ lead to 31-29 early in the third but Simon kicked off another 12-0 run with a 3-pointer to answer a 3-pointer by Athan Sierra, who had a team-high 15 points.
Parks capped the surge with a 3-pointer and fast-break layup off an assist by Beckett Kitaen and the Stallions took control with 43-29 lead.
“We’ve got team chemistry and everyone loves each other,” San Juan Hills coach Jason Efstathiou said.
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Both teams played well defensively. San Juan Hills held Suburban League MVP Julien Gomez, a freshman, to 11 points.
San Juan Hills and La Mirada will play in the CIF State SoCal Regional, which starts Tuesday at host sites. The pairings will be announced Sunday.
