Tireless Mater Dei Romps, 77-43

Despite crisscrossing the country to play in tournaments from Las Vegas to Delaware in December, top-ranked Mater Dei showed no signs of exhaustion in its second game back while routing ninth-ranked Calvary Chapel, 77-43, Tuesday night in a nonleague game at the Bren Center.

“We’re just happy to be home,” said Augustine, who led Mater Dei in scoring with 26 points. “It was a long road trip.”

Also contributing for the Monarchs was center Mike Vukovich, who had 17 points and 13 rebounds.

Forward Tom Lippold matched Vukovich in rebounds, and scored 11 points. The Monarchs (13-2) took a 22-7 first-quarter lead.

Calvary Chapel, starting virtually the same team that battled the Monarchs down to the wire a year ago before falling by 10 points, never got on track. The Eagles, tentative at times, made only three of their first 18 field-goal attempts. They made only three of 17 three-pointers, an area that is usually their strong point.

“I’m disappointed in our effort,” Calvary Chapel Coach Craig Falconer said. “We are a team that has done well with our outside shooting and I don’t understand why we’re shooting so poorly lately. This is getting to be a habit.”

Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight’s decision to have Augustine defend Eagle point guard Kevin Falconer and off-guard David Castleton defend Joe Ortiz, Calvary Chapel’s three-point ace, might have been the reason.

The two Eagle player combined to shoot seven for 25 from the field and never looked comfortable on the floor. They finished with nine points each, well below their season averages.

Calvary Chapel cut Mater Dei’s lead to 28-20 midway through the second quarter, but four baskets by Augustine in the final three minutes 28 seconds gave the Monarchs a 13-point lead. The Monarchs led by as many as 35 points.