Woodland Hills Taft’s victory epitomizes this time of year

Endings don’t get more dramatic than what transpired at the conclusion of Thursday’s Southern California regional playoff game between Woodland Hills Taft and Lawndale Leuzinger.

With the score tied and 8.9 seconds left, Taft inbounded the ball to Bryce Jones, the 6-foot-5 senior who signed with USC and has become a top candidate for City Section player of the year.

Full of confidence and wanting the ball, Jones dribbled to the right wing and connected on a three-pointer at the buzzer, giving the Toreadors a 66-63 victory in the Division I quarterfinals and sending them to a semifinal matchup against Santa Ana Mater Dei on Saturday.

“That shot was crazy,” said Taft’s De’Andre Daniels, who scored 23 points.

Jones finished with 21 points.

“It’s a great feeling,” Jones said.

Taft (26-5) played much better than it did in a one-point victory over Los Angeles Loyola on Tuesday, but it was a tribute to how good Leuzinger (25-6) is that the Toreadors barely survived.

“We played better tonight because we felt threatened,” Taft Coach Derrick Taylor said. “Our kids were legitimately concerned they were going to go home, so they raised their level.”

The Toreadors got a huge lift from reserve Mark Jackson, who made two baskets in the fourth quarter.

Leuzinger’s full-court press and half-court trap produced turnovers and confusion for the Toreadors. Amir Garrett scored 16 points and Delon Wright had 14 for Leuzinger, which overcame deficits of 11 points in the first half and nine in the second half to have the chance to win.

It has been a long basketball season, but there are signs it’s about to end.

Travel-team coaches have started showing up en masse. They’re licking their fingers and counting the hours until they get to take charge and regain their influence and power.

And let me say it’s hysterical to see them working the crowd, the parents and the players. After a City Section playoff game, one travel-team coach almost kidnapped junior guard Chris Brown of Los Angeles Washington in the middle of a victory celebration to get his phone number.

This is the time of year that a high school coach could use a good sports psychologist to help keep players focused. The distractions are mounting, the mental challenges are getting tougher and the physical grind is taking a toll.

That’s why winning a state title in Division I this season is a such a big deal. It’s almost a demolition derby and a survival of the fittest, with so many quality teams. Now we’re down to the final four, Taft versus Mater Dei and Long Beach Poly versus Westchester. It’s the City Section against the Southern Section. Emotions are running high.

Maybe what Taft’s standout players were doing two hours before game time Thursday was the right way to remove stress and prepare for a big playoff game. Daniels was in the gym, microphone in his hand, dancing and singing to loud music, with Jones, Landon Drew and Spencer Dinwiddie laughing and exhorting him on.

It was a pleasant reminder that despite all the adulation, the dreams of stardom, the hopes of getting a college scholarship, the packed gymnasiums, the crying after defeats and the fist pumps in victory, when the lights are dimmed and the fans have exited, these are still teenagers.

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