BOYS' BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS: NOTRE DAME HOLDS ON FOR QUARTERFINAL WIN.

Byline: Daily News

Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks didn't need a last-second shot to defeat La Canada as it did in the teams' first meeting, knocking off the Spartans 58-47 in a Southern Section Division III-AA boys' basketball quarterfinal Tuesday night.

This time, however, the Knights (23-6) needed to overcome a 13-point first quarter deficit to advance to the semifinals for the first time since 1993.

Notre Dame, which beat La Canada (22-7), 68-67, in the La Salle tournament championship in December, fell behind 15-2 in the first five minutes.

The Knights were behind 39-33 in the final minute of the third quarter before rallying to take its first lead, 42-40, on a three-point play by Cody Pearson (19 points and 10 rebounds) with 6:27 remaining.

Pearson's basket helped sparked a 14-2 run that gave Notre Dame a 50-43 lead with 2:27 left. La Canada closed to within 50-45 on a 3-point basket by Robbie Neyland but Notre Dame sealed the victory with the next eight points, six on free throws.

Michael Luderer had 15 points and Ruben Sanchez and David Figueroa scored eight each for Notre Dame. The Spartans were paced by 12 points from Neyland, all on 3-point baskets, and Phillip Swenson with 12 points.

- Kirby Lee

In other Southern Section boys' basketball:

--Highland 58, Arroyo Grande 42: The Bulldogs of Palmdale - which entered the Southern Section Division I-AAA playoffs with a losing record - staged the biggest upset in four days as undersized Highland ran roughshod over visiting Arroyo Grande.

Highland (14-13) fielded just six players on Friday in a 65-63 upset over Jordan of Long Beach, the No. 8 seed, because the team bus broke down on the way to the game.

Arroyo Grande (25-3), which was seeded fifth, featured 6-foot-11 Philip Johnson and 6-10 Ryan Zimmerman. Highland's tallest player is 6-4 Idel Dawson.

``To come into a game against a team that tall is very intimidating,'' Highland coach Jeff Smith said.

Smith told his players before the game that he believed his team's heart could overcome their opponents' size. The Bulldogs apparently bought into their coach's theory.

Gabe Stevenson scored 15 of his game-high 24 points in the first quarter, when Highland used a 14-2 run to open up a 23-10 lead.

The Bulldogs led 33-25 at the intermission, but Arroyo Grande used an 8-2 run to close to within 35-33 early in the third quarter.(EP Highland took a 45-38 lead into the fourth quarter, and held Arroyo Grande to just one point for the first nearly seven minutes into the final stanza.

Dawson had 18 points and 11 rebounds, Mike Stevenson (Gabe's brother) had 10 points, and Antoine Jones had four points and 10 rebounds.

- Gideon Rubin

--J.W. North 78, Crescenta Valley 69: Despite Senior center James Jenkins' 25 points and 18 rebounds, the Falcons of La Crescenta (21-7) dropped their Division I-AA second-round playoff game to the Huskies (15-13) at Crescenta Valley.

- Gary Miereanu

--Loyola 68, Warren 64 (OT): Josh Flynn-Brown scored four of his 20 points in overtime, including two critical free throws with five seconds left to lead the Cubs of Los Angeles (18-8) over the Bears (19-9) in a Division II-A second round game at Loyola.

Flynn-Brown also had two steals, five assists and three 3-pointers to lead Loyola. Despite 11 3-pointers by Warren, the Cubs were able to stay close. The game featured 12 lead changes and at no time did either team lead by more than six points.

Loyola guard Jason Synes came off the bench to hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. Chris Rucker added 17 points and seven rebounds for Loyola.

- Rob Moscato 

--Buckley 77, Montclair Prep 76 (OT): Colin Ward-Henniger made two free throws with 5.1 seconds remaining in overtime and Eric Kaufman's 3-pointer from the corner hit the front of the rim and bounced out, giving the Griffins of Sherman Oaks (24-3) a dramatic victory in a V-AA third round game at Montclair Prep of Van Nuys.

Montclair Prep (13-14), which lost to Buckley in last year's second round of the playoffs, was poised for an upset as it held a 63-54 lead with 1:42 remaining in regulation.

Buckley now moves on to the quarterfinals Friday night against Hillcrest Christian of Granada Hills.

- Jack Pollon

--Corona Centennial 75, Chaminade 74: Roscoe Biggers hit a running 3-pointer at the buzzer to lead the Apaches over the Eagles of West Hills (19-9) in a III-AA quarterfinal at Corona Centennial.

Biggers tied the game with a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left. Jordan O'Gilvie put Chaminade ahead as he made two free throws with 4.7 seconds left before Biggers' heroics. The winning basket was the only lead of the game for the Apaches.

Scott Borchart scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds before fouling out with 2:11 remaining and Chaminade up by six points. O'Gilvie chipped 25 points.

- Steve Goldstein

--Oak Park 46, Orange Lutheran 44: Oak Park's Matt Heim had 16 points to lead the Eagles to an upset victory over fourth-seeded Orange Lutheran in the second round of the Division IV-AA playoffs at Oak Park.

Oak Park advances to Friday's semifinals, improving to 20-8 on the season while the Lancers finished the season at 13-12.

- Stephen Collins 

--Hillcrest Chr (TO). 55, Flintridge Prep 51: Amrit Nat scored 24 points to lead the Eagles of Granada Hills to a close win over the Rebels of La Canada in a Division V-AA game at L.A. Baptist High of North Hills.

Nat came out red hot in the first half, scoring 19 points to spot Hillcrest to a comfortable 35-21 halftime lead.

- Christian Kinney

--Crespi 54, Valley Christian 49: Andrew Moore had 19 points and Charlie Shiebler and Kingsley Anyanwu each added 15 points for the Celts of Encino (21-6) in a Division IV-AA win at Valley Christian (18-11).

--Bermuda Dunes 62, Stoneridge Prep 54: Senior James Williams, an All-Southern Section selection last year, scored 27 points but it wasn't enough as the Wildcats of Tarzana (18-9) lost the Division V-A quarterfinal game at Montclair Prep.

- Jack Pollon

--Chapparal 46, Westlake 45: The Warriors lost a heartbreaker in a Division II-AA game at Chapparal.