Mater Dei Marches Into Semifinals With Pair of Victories

Mater Dei, ranked fifth in the nation by USA Today, reached the semifinals of the Reebok Holiday Prep Classic in Las Vegas after winning both games Saturday.

The Monarchs (8-0) won their opener against Bishop Gorman, 73-43, and then followed with a 78-55 victory over Austin (Tex.) Westlake.

Mater Dei will play North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake, with 6-foot-11 twins Jason and Jarrod Collins who have committed to Stanford, in the semifinals at 1:15 p.m. Monday. If victorious, the Monarchs will play again at 8:05 p.m. and attempt to become the first team to win consecutive Holiday Prep Classic titles in the tournament’s 20-year history.

After a sluggish first half in the first game, Mater Dei came out in the second half with a balanced attack and outscored Bishop Gorman, 17-0, during the first six minutes.

Tom Lippold, who made four of five three-pointers, led Mater Dei with 19 points. Kevin Augustine contributed 13 points, and David Castleton and Anthony Vallas added 12 each.

In the second game, Lippold scored 21 points, Augustine had 19 and Mike Vukovich had 13.

“[Westlake] was a very good team that matched up with us better than any of the first three teams we played,” Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight said. “This was by far our best team effort of the tournament and we have to play together as a team to be effective.”