Desert Region: Clutch 3-pointer gives Bishop Gorman win over Coronado

Noah Taitz loves to have the ball in pressure situations.

The Bishop Gorman junior showed why Tuesday night.

Taitz drilled a 3-pointer with about three seconds to play to give the Gaels a 70-67 win over Coronado in the Class 4A Desert Region basketball semifinals at Foothill.

“I wanted it bad,” Taitz said. “I like taking those shots, so anytime I can get one, I’m going to try to get the ball.”

Gorman (24-4) plays Clark (23-4) for the Desert Region title at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Foothill. Both teams advance to next week’s state tournament.

Coronado tied the game at 67 on a tough 17-foot jumper by Tyrell Hunt with 32 seconds to play.

“I thought our defense was really good on that, but he hit a huge shot,” Gorman coach Grant Rice said. “But Tyrell, he’s made a lot of those. He’s one of the better midrange shooters I’ve seen in high school.”

Gorman spread the floor and got the ball to Taitz on the left wing. He started his move with about five seconds left, pulled up and drained the go-ahead 3-pointer.

“Noah wanted the ball,” Rice said. “He’s been up and down this year with some injuries, but I could tell he was feeling it today.”

Taitz was 4-for-4 shooting and scored nine of his team-high 18 points in the fourth quarter. 

“He didn’t force any shots,” Rice said. “He made all the right plays.”

Coronado (17-8) went on a 9-2 run capped by three free throws by Jaden Hardy with 5:25 to play that gave the Cougars a 59-52 lead.

But Zaon Collins hit a pull-up 3-pointer from the top of the key to cut the lead to four and start the Gorman comeback.

“It was getting scary there for a minute, but that’s when you have to stay the most mentally tough and stay in the game and keep competing,” Taitz said.

Collins had 16 points, nine assists and five steals. Isaiah Cottrell added 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Gaels.

Hunt had 18 points and 11 rebounds to pace the Cougars. Hardy added 16 points, but attempted only four shots after the first quarter. Richard Isaacs added 15 points and six assists for Coronado.

“They’re so dynamic, and Coronado played so well,” Rice said. “They didn’t deserve to lose that game.”

Clark 88, Foothill 67 — Forwards Jalen Hill and Antwon Jackson helped the Chargers build a halftime lead.

Wings Carlos Allen and Cameron Kimble helped put the game away.

Allen and Kimble each had nine points in the third quarter to help Clark earn a berth at state.

“Cam and Carlos had to step up and they did and they made good plays,” Clark coach Chad Beeten said.

The Chargers led 36-30 at the half, but saw the Falcons cut the lead to 39-37 after a 3-pointer by Caleb Stearman with 6:05 to go in the third quarter. Allen scored the last seven points during a 9-0 run, and Foothill wouldn’t challenge again.

Jackson had 22 points and 13 rebounds, and Hill had 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists for Clark. Frankie Collins added 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Allen had 14 points, and Kimble scored 13 for the Chargers.

“You have to guard (Foothill) and you have to guard them for a whole game because of the way they play and how fast they play,” Beeten said. “There’s very few teams in this city that move without the ball like they do, so you just have to kind of stay committed on the defensive end. And that’s where we really got it.”

Dylan Hushaw hit six 3-pointers and scored 29 points to lead Foothill, which got 14 points from Stearman.

Contact prep sports editor Damon Seiters at dseiters@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4597. Follow @DamonSeiters on Twitter.