Home Daily News Warren boys basketball comes up short against Murrieta Mesa in semifinals – Press Enterprise

Warren boys basketball comes up short against Murrieta Mesa in semifinals – Press Enterprise

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Tony Ramos
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Warren boys basketball comes up short against Murrieta Mesa in semifinals – Press Enterprise

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Kian Hendricks #3 of the Murrieta Mesa Rams blocks a shot by King Johnson #1 of the Warren Bears in the first half of a boys basketball CIF-SS Division 3 semifinals basketball game at Warren High School in Downey on February 20, 2026. (Photo by Libby Cline Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)

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DOWNEY – A fourth-quarter rally by Warren’s boys basketball team came up short against hot-shooting Murrieta Mesa 63-56 on Friday in the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Division 3 playoffs.

The Bears (24-7) trailed for most of the game as the Rams hit nine 3-pointers and played tough interior defense.

Trailing by five points heading into the fourth quarter, Warren had a chance to pull out a victory, but every time it made a push, Murrieta Mesa answered with a run of its own.

The Rams (22-10) held a 13-point lead, 58-45, after Jagger Saul nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the key with just 2:30 left in the fourth.

However, the Bears responded with an 11-1 run in the next two minutes, sparked by senior guard Donovan Knighten. He scored 10 of his team-high 17 points in the final period to keep the game close for Warren.

Knighten hit two free throws to cut Warren’s deficit to just three points, 59-56, with 16 seconds left in the game.

Despite Murrieta Mesa’s sloppy play and numerous turnovers down the stretch, the Rams made sure Warren didn’t get any closer. Saul made all four of his free throws in the final seconds to close out the game.

 

“We knew they could shoot the ball,” Bears head coach Zaiid Leflore said. “We talked about that a lot, about contesting, high hands, fighting through screens, switching on screen towards the end. But they made shots when they needed to. Donovan was amazing, but when we can’t score too much or the ball gets stagnant, this is what happens.”

Knighten said his teammates trust him to take over games when needed.

“It’s my teammates, my teammates, they put everything into me to lead them, to do everything I can to make sure we get the job done,” said Knighten, who also had four rebounds and two assists. “My coach believes in me as well. I just had to do what it takes, to get the ball in our hands, and to make sure we win. But it didn’t come out in our favor.”

The Bears also got strong performances from sophomore guard King Johnson, who finished with 14 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Junior forward Kenneth Martinez scored 14 points to go along with seven rebounds, four steals and two blocks.

“Those guys have been playing hard all year,” Leflore said of his key starters. “It’s no surprise what they were doing. We just fell short today. A lot of shots we made earlier in the season or in these playoffs weren’t going in, but at this point everybody is playing like it’s ‘win or go home.’ It’s a championship game on the line.”

The Rams were led by junior guard Fabian Ruiz, who scored a game-high 20 points, knocked down five 3-pointers and had three steals. Saul finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

Ruiz credited his teammates setting him up for great looks that he was able to knock down.

“It was mostly my point guards, just passing to me at the right stride,” said Ruiz. “It just felt good, and they hit me at the right time, so it felt good going in.”



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