Watch sister Karlie and Lou Samuelson of Mater Dei High School light up for 67 points against Riverdale Baptist in finals of the Nike Tournament of Champions.

Samuelsons lead Mater Dei to Nike TOC Title

PHOTO GALLERY

CHANDLER, Ariz. - There are players who shoot the three, and then there are the Samuelson sisters. The Mater Dei duo put on a shooting display that will be talked about for years to come, combining for 13 three-pointers and a total of 67 points, leading the Santa Ana girls' high school basketball powerhouse past Riverdale Baptist, 96-74, to win the coveted Division E title at the Nike Tournament of Champions.

Senior Karlie Samuelson, who is committed to Stanford, dropped six of her seven threes in the first half to open up a 15-point lead over the Crusaders.  The 6-1 guard, shot a staggering 70 percent from behind the arc, hitting 7-out-of-10 attempts.  She also sank 13-out-of-15 from the free throw line finishing with 37 total points and 11 rebounds.

As if that performance wasn’t impressive enough, Karlie’s younger sister Lou ignited a firestorm of her own, dropping in 18 points in the third quarter alone and 30 in the game.  The 6-3 sophomore drained six three-pointers, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out five assists. 

“This is one of the few times we’ve both done really well together,” said Lou about the deadly combination.

“Usually one of us is shooting good and one’s not shooting good and this time we were both shooting good,” added Karlie.

Over the course of the weekend the two scored a total of 151 points (Karlie: 22, 18, 37; Lou: 34, 10, 30) a dominating series of performances that earned them Co-MVP honors for the tournament. (Coincidentally, big sister Bonnie. who plays for Stanford, was also shooting well today.  She went three-for-three from beyond the arc to help Stanford to its first victory over Tennessee in Nashville since 1996.)

In the second half, Riverdale tried multiple times to close the gap, but was never able to cut the lead to single digits.  Riverdale, known for being a tough defensive team, had major match-up problems with the Samuelsons who were much taller than the Crusaders' guards. 

Riverdale was led by Chloe Jackson who posted 27 points and was named to the All-Tournament Team.  Maya Singleton added 19 and Chania Ray chipped in 11.

In the consolation game of the top Division E, St. Mary's outlasted Bishop O'Dowd 63-60 behind a 25-point performance by Courtney Ekmark, ranked No. 32 in the Full Court Fresh 50.  This game feature an entertaining battle between future PAC 12 bigs in 6-2 Chantel Osahor, who is headed to Washington and 6-1 Kendall Waters who signed with Cal.  Waters was held to six points while Osahor scored 13.

All-Tournament Team

Division E
Karlie Samuelson - Mater Dei (Co-MVP)
Lou Samuelson - Mater Dei (Co-MVP)
Chloe Jackson - Riverdale Baptist
Oderah Chidom - Bishop O'Dowd
Sophie Cunningham - Rock Bridge
Chantel Osahor - St. Mary's of Phoenix
 
Joe Smith Division
Gabby Green - St Mary's College of Berkeley (MVP)
Mikayla Cowling - St Mary's College of Berkeley
Jada Matthews - Long Beach Poly
Sierra Calhoun - Christ the King
Jordan Reynolds - Central Catholic of Portland
Kelsey Plum - Country Day of La Jolla, CA

St. Mary’s (Berkeley) 49, Long Beach Poly 47

Gabby Green only made three baskets –- out of numerous attempts –- for St. Mary’s of Berkeley, but the last one by the No. 8 ranked junior gave the Northern Californians a 47-45 upset win over Long Beach Poly in the Joe Smith Division final.

Poly is a Division I California school with 5,000 students, while St. Mary’s has only 600, but the depth advantage for the SoCal school never really came into play. St. Mary’s jumped out to an early 20-9 lead, and then weathered a series of Long Beach comebacks. With with 25 seconds left and the score tied, Poly had the ball out of bounds under its own basket, but turned it over –- setting up Green’s drive to the left and seven-foot banker 15 seconds later.

Long Beach couldn’t get off a good shot, giving the underdog St. Mary's the win and the division title of Poly, who entered the tournament ranked as the previous No. 6 team in the country.

Gabby Green #33 drives to the basket. (Photo by Kelly Kline)

Sacred Heart Cathedral 63, Archbishop Mitty 61

Despite the loss of star guard, Raven Merriweather, to an apparently serious knee injury with 3:17 left in the game, sophomore Gretchen Samsel buried a cold-blooded three-pointer with 40 seconds left to blunt a late Archbishop Mitty comeback and carry Sacred Heart Cathedral's Fighting Irish to the title in Division L.

Sacred Heart led throughout most of the championship game, thanks in great part to the physicality and quickness of 5-9 DaiJia Ruffin, who finished with 27 points. But it was Samsel who made the big shot after Mitty had taken the lead for the first time since it was 2-0 on a Vanessa Garner spinning drive.

Kelli Hayes, ranked No. 18 in the Full Court Fresh 50, led Mitty with 18 points, and Emily Dinger sparked the California team’s rally with three three-pointers late in the game, finishing with 15 points.

Windward 68, Miramonte 43

Jordin Canada, ranked No. 3 in the Full Court Fresh 50, only had 12 points for Windward, but it was her athleticism and basketball IQ that allowed her Southern California team to slice through Miramonte’s press and take the title in Division G.

Courtney Jaco led Windward with 23 points, spearheading the three-point barrage that punished the Northern California team’s every breakdown. Kristen Simon controlled the boards and added 16 points for the victors.

Keanna de los Santos, just a freshman, led Miramonte with 11 points.

Jordin Canada controlled the game for Windward (Photo by Kelly Kline)

Brea-Olinda  48, Hamilton 43

Anna Kim had 27 points for Brea in the Division C championship, including eight straight free throws in the fourth quarter, to spark the Southern California team.

Hamilton, playing on its home court but in visiting uniforms, got 15 points from Kyndall Adams and 13 from Aliyah Dickson.

Rock Bridge 45, Dr. Phillips 42

Rock Bridge of Missouri outlasted Dr. Phillips of Florida to win the consolation bracket of Division E as sophomore guard Sophie Cunningham had 11 points. The defensive struggle came down to a final sequence, but Dr. Phillips couldn’t get a good look at a tying three, and the final shot bounced harmlessly off the rim.

Nike Tournament of Champions Final Results

John Anderson Division

First Place: Grandview

Second Place: Campbell County

Grandview 51 - Campbell County 43

Third Place: Clackamas

Fourth Place: Liberty

Clackamas 58 - Liberty 40

Fifth Place: Canyon Springs

Sixth Place: St. Anthony (Long Beach)

Canyon Springs 59 - St. Anthony 43

Seventh Place: Clovis West

Eighth Place: Lou Dantzler

Clovis West 92 - Lou Dantzler 16

Division B

First Place: Horizon Christian Academy

Second Place: Marcos de Niza

Horizon Christian Academy 71 - Marcos de Niza 61

Third Place: Mesquite

Fourth Place: Marin Catholic

Mesquite 52 - Marin Catholic 38

Fifth Place: Santa Margarita

Sixth Place: Hawthorne

Santa Margarita 54 - Hawthorne 29

Seventh Place: Williams Field

Eighth Place: Perry

Williams Field 41 - Perry 29

Division C

First Place: Brea Olinda

Second Place: Hamilton

Brea Olinda 48 - Hamilton 43

Third Place: Sacramento

Fourth Place: Reed

Sacramento 71 - Reed 67

Fifth Place: Narbonne

Sixth Place: Horizon (Thornton)

Narbonne 54 - Horizon (Thornton) 44

Seventh Place: Piedmont

Eighth Place: Timpanogos

Piedmont 45 - Timpanogos 42

Mike Desper Division

First Place: Etiwanda

Second Place: Oaks Christian

Etiwanda 57 - Oaks Christian 50

Third Place: Vanden

Fourth Place: Amador Valley

Vanden 53 - Amador Valley 44

Fifth Place: Chandler

Sixth Place: Desert Vista

Chandler 52 - Desert Vista 43

Seventh Place: Chaparral (Colo.)

Eighth Place: Mount Miguel

Chaparral (Colo.) 37 - Mount Miguel 28

Division E

First Place: Mater Dei (Santa Ana)

Second Place: Riverdale Baptist

Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 96 - Riverdale Baptist 74

Third Place: St. Mary's (Phoenix)

Fourth Place: Bishop O'Dowd

St. Mary's (Phoenix) 63 - Bishop O'Dowd 60

Fifth Place: Rock Bridge

Sixth Place: Dr. Phillips

Rock Bridge 45 - Dr. Phillips 42

Seventh Place: Centennial (Las Vegas)

Eighth Place: Ossining

Centennial (Las Vegas) 85 - Ossining 64

Division G

First Place: Windward

Second Place: Miramonte

Windward 68 - Miramonte 43

Third Place: Pinnacle

Fourth Place: Bishop Gorman

Pinnacle 70 - Bishop Gorman 46

Fifth Place: Santiago

Sixth Place: Salesian

Santiago 65 - Salesian 43

Seventh Place: E.S. Saint-Laurent

Eighth Place: ThunderRidge

E.S. Saint-Laurent 56 - ThunderRIdge 46

Division H

First Place: Marlborough

Second Place: Fairfax

Marlborough 68 - Fairfax 60

Third Place: Rosary

Fourth Place: Tolleson

Rosary 53 - Tolleson 37

Fifth Place: Cathedral Catholic

Sixth Place: Basha

Cathedral Catholic 67 - Basha 21

Seventh Place: Huntington

Eighth Place: Indio

Huntington Beach 57 - Indio 35

Joe Smith Division

First Place: St. Mary's (Berkeley)

Second Place: Long Beach Poly

St. Mary's (Berkeley) 47 - Long Beach Poly 63

Third Place: Dillard

Fourth Place: Archbishop Wood

Dillard 39 - Archbishop Wood 38

Fifth Place: St. Mary's (Stockton)

Sixth Place: Christ the King

St. Mary's (Stockton) 85 - Christ the King 68

Seventh Place: Central Catholic (Portland)

Eighth Place: La Jolla Country Day

Central Catholic (Portland) 59 - La Jolla Country Day 48

Division K

First Place: San Clemente

Second Place: Bradshaw Christian

San Clemente 51 - Bradshaw Christian 45

Third Place: Cherry Creek

Fourth Place: Warren

Cherry Creek 42 - Warren 35

Fifth Place: St. Francis

Sixth Place: Fortuna

St. Francis 68 - Fortuna 48

Seventh Place: Red Rock

Eighth Place: Poston Butte

Red Rock 52 - Poston Butte 40

Division L

First Place: Sacred Heart (Louis.)

Second Place: Archbishop Mitty

Sacred Heart (Louis.) 63 - Archbishop Mitty 61

Third Place: Highlands Ranch

Fourth Place: St. Mary's (Ryken)

Highlands Ranch 70 - St. Mary's (Ryken) 53

Fifth Place: Carondelet

Sixth Place: Dobson

Carondelet 78 - Dobson 60

Seventh Place: St. Anthony's (N.Y.)

Eighth Place: Lynwood

St. Anthony's (N.Y.) 52 - Lynwood 44

Division M

First Place: Denver East

Second Place: Mater Dei Catholic

Denver East 58 - Mater Dei Catholic 54

Third Place: American Fork

Fourth Place: Pinewood

American Fork 51 - Pinewood 50

Fifth Place: Mesa Mountain View

Sixth Place: Mountain Pointe

Mesa Mountain View 48 - Mountain Pointe 44

Seventh Place: Culver City

Eighth Place: Lake Washington

Culver City 56 - Lake Washington 45

Division N

First Place: Rancho Verde

Second Place: Centennial (Corona)

Rancho Verde 52 - Centennial (Corona) 50

Third Place: Sierra Canyon

Fourth Place: Rock Canyon

Sierra Canyon 71 - Rock Canyon 65

Fifth Place: Edison

Sixth Place: Millenium

Edison 47 - Millenium 40

Seventh Place: West Campus

Eighth Place: Boulder Creek

West Campus 43 - Boulder Creek 30