Chandler Leads Dominguez Over Verbum Dei, 64-54

It wasn’t the championship matchup that most expected, but the result was no surprise.

Compton Dominguez defeated Verbum Dei, 64-54, Wednesday at Long Beach State to win the 32-team Best in the West boys’ basketball tournament.

Seven-foot sophomore center Tyson Chandler scored 13 points, had eight rebounds and blocked seven shots for Dominguez (11-2), which is one of the favorites to win the Division II state championship.

But for the second game in row, Verbum Dei guard Marlon Parmer led a rally that put the Eagles in position to beat one of the top teams in the state.

After scoring 32 points and leading Verbum Dei (9-5) to an 83-75 overtime victory over top-ranked Lakewood Artesia in the semifinals Tuesday, Parmer scored 13 of his game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter against Dominguez.

Parmer helped pulled Verbum Dei to within 56-52 with 2:42 left before Dominguez secured the victory behind six consecutive free throws by guard Marcus Moore, who finished with 12 points. Keith Brooks added 13 points for Dominguez.

It was Dominguez’s second victory over defending Division IV state champion Verbum Dei this month. The Dons won, 70-61, the first time.

Dominguez had a 32-24 lead at halftime and increased the margin to 11 points by outscoring the Eagles, 14-4, over the last four minutes of the third quarter. Steve Moore scored five points and Brooks added four for Dominguez during the run.

Artesia defeated Clovis West, 63-51, in the third-place game.