ONTARIO — The destination matters more than the journey, especially when that destination is the history books.
While the final minutes might have been tighter than head coach Chris Featherly preferred, the Murrieta Mesa boys’ basketball team held their ground Saturday afternoon at Toyota Arena, defeating Aliso Niguel 65-58 to claim the CIF Southern Section Division 3 championship.
The victory marks a major milestone for the Rams (23-10), who captured the first section title in the program’s history, after winning their first-ever Southwestern League this past season as well.
Jagger Saul paced the Rams’ offense with 18 points on a night where balance and execution defined the first three quarters.
“Today’s game was interesting to say the least,” Featherly told the media afterwards. “We came out hot and then allowed Aliso Niguel to climb into it, but all year these guys have found the answers when it counted, and this afternoon was no exception.”
The Rams’ ability to share the basketball and find open shooters proved vital. Featherly noted that the team’s buy-in was evident in their balanced offensive attack throughout the contest.
The game did not start in Murrieta Mesa’s favor. Aliso Niguel (24-9) opened with a quick 5-0 run in the first two minutes, fueled by a 3-pointer from Wyatt Richmond and a layup from Jayden Mysin.
However, the Rams responded immediately with a dominant stretch. Murrieta Mesa rattled off nine consecutive points to seize control. Ray Riley connected from deep, Carlito Christian added four points, and Kingston Saul converted a layup to fuel the surge. By the end of the first quarter, the Rams had built a 19-12 advantage.
That momentum carried into the second quarter. Fabian Ruiz and Jagger Saul hit back-to-back 3-pointers, and Riley completed a three-point play to cap another 9-0 run. Suddenly, the Rams held a commanding 27-12 lead with just under six minutes remaining in the half.
Murrieta Mesa entered the locker room at halftime up 38-22, having connected on 6 of 14 attempts from beyond the arc. Eight different Rams players scored in the first half, highlighting the depth that has carried them all season.
“It’s definitely frustrating to do all that work to build a big lead and then see it get whittled down like that, but it’s something we just have to keep working on,” Jagger Saul said to members of the media after the game. “Sharing this road with my brother has been a unique experience that we’ll remember for a lifetime.”
The Rams appeared to put the game out of reach in the third quarter. Leading 42-26, they launched a 7-0 run that extended their advantage to a game-high 23 points at 49-26. Jagger Saul was central to the burst, hitting his second 3-pointer and converting a tough floater in the lane.
But the Wolverines refused to go quietly. Aliso Niguel began chipping away at the deficit late in the third, with Collin Tjin hitting a step-back jumper to make it 53-36 heading into the final period.
The fourth quarter saw the Rams’ lead shrink as Aliso Niguel mounted a desperate comeback. Wyatt Richmond hit free throws and a layup to cut the lead to 10. A series of free throws brought the Wolverines within nine points with 32 seconds left on the clock. A buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Mysin set the final margin at seven points, but it was too little, too late.
Despite the late pressure, Murrieta Mesa secured the win and the plaque. The Rams finished the night shooting 7 of 21 from 3-point range.
With the section title secured, the season continues for Murrieta Mesa. Both the Rams and Aliso Niguel have qualified for the CIF State tournament.
Other local basketball teams extended their seasons with successful runs as well. Also tipping off State tournament play this week and representing the area are the Murrieta Valley girls, Rancho Christian girls, West Valley girls, San Jacinto girls, Rancho Christian boys, and Cornerstone Christian boys’ teams. For the complete schedule and additional information, visit www.cifstate.org/basketball.
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