Maranatha heads to the CIF State Finals after 85-60 win over Chaminade

Tyler Dorsey scored a career-high 52 points, sending the Maranatha High School boy’s basketball team to the CIF State Finals after defeating the Chaminade Eagles 85-60 Saturday night.

“It’s just another day at the office,” the senior guard said on his career-high performance. “We’re just trying to get to the state championship.”

Dorsey shot 14 for 19 to cruise to a career night, while adding 13 rebounds, five steals, and four assists.

“Tyler put us on his back,” Maranatha head coach Tim Tucker said. “You can’t lose when Tyler scores 52 points.”

It was also a reunion for Maranatha junior center Trevor Stanback, who faced his former school for the first time since his transfer to Maranatha.

“It was fun,” Stanback said. “It was a little rough in the beginning, but it was a good game.”

The first half of the semifinal proved to be tough for Dorsey, Stanback and the rest of the Minutemen. The former Chaminade Eagle only mustered up one rebound and earned three fouls. Dorsey lead the Minutemen with 22 points at the half as Maranatha went into the locker room with a 38-32 lead.

Maranatha junior center Trevor Stanback faces his former team as the Minutemen played Chaminade on Saturday night in the CIF State Semifinal game.

“The first half was a dog-fight,” Dorsey said. “Coach told us that the third quarter was going to most important of the game, so we jumped up on them.”

The Minutemen continued to battle it out with the Eagles before Stanback had an injury scare after Chaminade center Bar Milo struck the Maranatha center as Stanback was going for a dunk. Maranatha played on as Stanback was being treated, and had a 53-45 lead going into the fourth. The Minutemen surged through the fourth, where Dorsey posted back-to-back threes, and Stanback returned to the court.

“Trevor came back and flushed one down and that was key,” Dorsey said. “I just wanted to win the game for Trevor because I know it was his old school and it was personal.”

Upon his return, Stanback stole the ball in the middle of the court and took it all the way to the basket with a destructive dunk.

“It felt like the weight was lifted off of my shoulders,” Stanback said on his dunk. “It felt like I was actually ready to play.”

Dorsey continued his hot streak and added another couple of free-throws before heading to the line again for an opportunity to sink his 50th point, before securing a dunk of his own to end the night with the career-high 52 points.

Tucker’s impressive offensive efforts lead to a 25 point win over the Eagles, after securing a 101-54 victory over Pacific Ridge on March 12. He will hope the stride continues as the Minutemen return to their home court Tuesday night for the CIF State Finals.

“Four more teams are going home tonight, and we knew if you don’t play well, you got to go home,” Tucker said. “We’re peaking at the right time, we’re stepping up, and we’re just happy to play on Tuesday night.”

More from Pasadena Independent