Eastvale Roosevelt boys basketball team knocks off two-time Open Division state champion Harvard-Westlake to reach Southern California Regional final; Sherman Oaks Notre Dame edges Tounde Yessoufou, Santa Maria St. Joseph to earn rematch

Brayden Burries scored 19 of his game-high 29 points in the second half, including 13 in the third quarter for the McDonald’s All-American, and top-seeded Eastvale Roosevelt earned a measure of revenge Saturday night against No. 4 Harvard-Westlake with a 71-59 victory in the Southern California Regional semifinals of the Open Division boys basketball state playoffs.

Harvard-Westlake (31-3) had its bid to become the first program to potentially win three consecutive Open Division state championships halted by the host Mustangs (33-2), who reached the regional final for the second year in a row.

Roosevelt endured a 63-59 loss to Harvard-Westlake in last year’s regional final, but the Mustangs returned to the Southern California Open Division championship game to play host Tuesday to No. 3 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (28-7) – a 66-64 winner Saturday at second-seeded Santa Maria St. Joseph (31-2) – in a rematch of the CIF-Southern Section Open Division title contest March 1 at Toyota Arena in Ontario.

Roosevelt secured a 74-67 victory against Notre Dame and is seeking a third victory this season against the Knights, including Dec. 21 at the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas.

The Mustangs overcame a four-point deficit following the first quarter Saturday to grab a 38-36 halftime advantage.

Harvard-Westlake, which received 16 points from junior Joe Sterling and 15 points from Duke signee and McDonald’s All-American Nik Khamenia, remained within striking distance at 46-43 midway through the third quarter.

But Burries, who also had eight rebounds, took over in the final minutes of the third and helped Roosevelt extend its lead to 56-48 entering the fourth.

Brayden Burries of Eastvale Roosevelt boys basketball team | Photo courtesy of Eastvale Roosevelt

The Mustangs, who received 20 points from Myles Walker along with 12 points and 10 rebounds from Dominic Copenhagen, increased the advantage to 66-52 with 3:30 remaining.

Harvard-Westlake responded with seven consecutive points during a two-minute stretch to cut the deficit in half, but the Wolverines were unable to score the rest of the way, as Roosevelt secured the fourth trip in program history to compete in a regional final.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 66, Santa Maria St. Joseph 64: Despite 40 points from Baylor commit and McDonald’s All-American Tounde Yessoufou in his final career game for second-seeded Santa Maria St. Joseph (31-2), No. 3 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (28-7) was able to secure the regional semifinal victory in the Open Division state playoffs.

Yessoufou, the all-time leading scorer in California prep history, scored 28 of his 38 points in the second half and helped St. Joseph rally from a 40-27 deficit at the break.

Yessoufou also finished with 10 rebounds, but Julius Price was the only other St. Joseph athlete to score in double figures with 14 points.

Yessoufou, who suffered a home loss for the first time during his four years with the St. Joseph program, concluded his record-breaking prep career with 3,659 points and 1,314 rebounds in 127 contests, according to Cal-Hi Sports.

NaVorro Bowman of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame boys basketball team | Photo courtesy of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame

NaVorro Bowman led Notre Dame with 23 points and four rebounds, helping the program reach its second regional final in three years, along with the Southern California Division 1 championship game in 2023.

Lino Mark and Zach White both contributed 13 points apiece, with Tyran Stokes adding 12 points, 17 rebounds and four assists for Notre Dame, which led 52-44 entering the fourth quarter.