For all Sacred Heart Prep’s firepower with guards JP Kerrigan, TJ O’Brien and Drew Wagner, the Gators need their bigs. That was certainly evident Saturday in the championship round at the San Diego Surf and Slam.
SHP boys’ basketball fell in the title round 58-48 to Whitney-Rocklin at Helix High School, snapping a four-game winning streak with its first double-digit deficit loss of the season.
Through three games — including a 73-52 win over Ogden-Utah in Wednesday’s opener, followed by Thursday’s 66-22 landslide over Christian-El Cajon — the Gators totaled 25 made 3s in the tourney, including 10 in Saturday’s finale. Wagner led the way with five 3s in scoring a game-high 19 points, but it wasn’t enough against the reigning Sac-Joaquin Section Division II champs.
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“The first two games show what we can do when we play together and when we have energy on the court at all times,” Wagner said. “And then the last game shows what happens when we get too stagnant and don’t buy in to the togetherness play as much.”
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Sacred Heart Prep senior Drew Wagner dribbles at the San Diego Surf and Slam in the semifinal round last Thursday against Christian-El Cajon at Helix High School.
Melinda Osterloh
The Gators (7-4) have impressively navigated a challenging non-league schedule without 6-5 center Matthew Norris. The junior big is expected to return from injury in mid-January, but they could have used him in San Diego.
The guard trio was productive, for sure, with Kerrigan adding four 3s to score 14 points. He and Wagner were named to the Surf Division all-tournament team. Despite this, SHP head coach Tony Martinelli said Saturday’s game wasn’t the team’s best performance shooting wise, with little inside scoring presence allowing Whitney to keep up the perimeter pressure.
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“That kind of snowballed into everything else,” Martinelli said.
“Having that threat on the floor, those three guys, that’s a luxury,” Martinelli said of his guards, “… just didn’t get the scores inside that we need to take the pressure off them.”
Whitney (11-6) led throughout, but SHP did keep it close most of the way. The Gators cut it to 29-27 heading into halftime, but Whitney junior Ely Willis — who earned tournament MVP honors — scored a team-high 14 points as the Wildcats pulled away in the second half.
“A lot of just one-possessions and just having to play a lot of defense,” Martinelli said.
The loss was SHP’s first in over two weeks, since falling Dec. 14 at Serra 53-45. The Gators went on to defeat two West Catholic Athletic League teams at the DJ Frandsen Memorial Tournament at Bellarmine — 60-58 over the Bells, followed by 70-69 over St. Francis.
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Traveling to the San Diego Surf and Slam is a long tradition for SHP. It is the eighth time the Gators have played in the tourney, their last appearance coming in 2021-22.
“I thought the on-court stuff was really good,” Martinelli said. “I got to see a bunch of different guys playing, which was nice. … That’s always really a positive when you travel like this and have three different games. … It just didn’t end the way we wanted to … but overall, just a real positive experience.”
The Gators enjoyed plenty of team bonding off the court, including go kart racing and a trip to Dave & Buster’s. At their hotel, they spent time playing the video game NBA 2K as well as some poker, with senior Matthew Wendling proving the team’s resident card shark as the big winner there.
“I think the biggest things came off the court, honestly,” Wagner said. “We were all hanging out together … so, I think we got way closer as a team. … Even though the last game didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to, we all had a ton of fun on the trip. So, that was a huge highlight.”
OCEANSIDE — The Frontwave Arena scoreboard showed 23 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Up 16, Francis Parker’s win over Westview High School for the CIF San Diego Section Open Division girls basketball championship was secure.
“No, no, no!” Parker head coach Courtney Clements screamed to freshman guard Jordan Brown, telling her there was no need to score.
So Brown walked the ball up the floor, from the backcourt, across midcourt, a 1,000-watt smile etched across her face.
With no Wolverines defending her, Brown dribbled from side to side across the logo. Then, a fraction of a moment before the final buzzer sounded, Brown flung the basketball high toward the rafters, then was engulfed by teammates.
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The job was complete. Parker’s first Open Division title in program history was secure, the final reading 66-50 on Saturday night.
Of those final seconds, said Brown, who scored 23 points. “It was a surreal moment, knowing we worked for this all year long. It’s amazing.”
One reason it was amazing was because the top-seeded Lancers (21-7) were a decided favorite, but were stressed by the sixth-seeded Wolverines (20-9). Led by UC Santa Barbara-bound senior guard Sarah Heyn (18 points in the first half), Westview led 35-28 early in the third quarter.
“I just knew I had to do whatever it took to win,” said Brown. “Whether that was defense or offense. I just wanted to win, period.”
Sparked by its defense, Parker closed the quarter on a 14-0 run. Westview’s final 11 possessions of the quarter ended with five missed shots and six turnovers.
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Still, the game wasn’t over. Heyn cut the deficit to 48-44 with just over six minutes to play on a bucket. But with 5:47 to play, Heyn was whistled for her fifth foul on a reach-in.
“Knowing their best player fouled out, we sealed the win,” said Brown.
As for Heyn, who finished with 23 points, she sat on the bench and pulled her jersey over her eyes, hiding tears.
Clements’ thoughts when Heyn fouled out? “I hope we can put this game away now.”
Francis Parker High’s Jordan Brown shoots against Westview High during the CIF Open Division championship at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Francis Parker defeated Westview 66-50. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
That the Lancers did, outscoring Westview 18-6 down the stretch.
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The Lancers’ players and coach were effusive in their praise for Heyn, a four-year starter.
“She’s a great player,” said Brown.
“She played phenomenally,” said Clements. “She played the way you would think a senior would play in a championship game. She played desperately. She played every possession like it was the last 20 seconds of the game. She was extremely impressive. (Heyn buried five 3s, missing only once from deep.) She should be proud of herself.”
Clements was proud of her team for another reason. After blowing out two-time reigning Open Division champion Mission Hills by 26 in the semis, some thought Parker might cruise in the title game.
“I figured it was going to be a fight, and it was,” said Clements. “It was good that our girls had to come together, had to stick together. That’s what this is all about, developing character via the sport of basketball. When the kids face adversity, they have to make a decision. Who do they want to be? They showed the best version of themselves. That’s what I want to remember from a game like this.”
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Francis Parker’s primary color is brown, which is fitting for the girls basketball team. They are led not only by the freshman Jordan Brown, but also junior Brieana Brown, a strong, aggressive and athletic 5-foot-11 wing.
Brieana Brown scored 25 points and yanked down a team-best eight rebounds.
About the team in brown being led by the Browns (who are not related), Jordan Brown said: “It’s super cool. I love Bri and our story. So many people think we’re related, that we’re siblings. In reality, we’re not, but we play like it.”
Francis Parker High’s Brieana Brown shoots against Westview during the CIF Open Division championship at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. Francis Parker defeated Westview 66-50. (Kristian Carreon / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Francis Parker and Westview both will advance to the Southern California Regionals.
Earlier in the season, Clements — who was dressed in all black for the championship game — confessed she wasn’t crazy about Parker’s primary color. Her mood shifted Saturday night.
“Brown’s doing well for me now,” she said.
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Asked if Lancers’ Brown squared tandem represents the best one-two girls basketball punch in the San Diego Section, Clements gave the questioner a “What do you think?” smirk.
“That,” said the coach of the Open Division champions, “is a no-brainer.”
Born January 1939 in Cincinnati Ohio. Died February 14, 2026, in San Diego, California, with her sons at her side. Her beloved husband Dean passed away in 2010.
Joan was the only child of Thomas and Edna Palmer. In 1943, the family moved to San Diego, where Joan graduated from Helix High School in 1956.
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In 1957 Joan married Dean Endres of San Diego, where they raised two sons. Joan followed her two great passions outside the home, the Arts, and Gardening. Both activities being a way to bring beauty to others and to the community.
Joan received a degree in Environmental Design from San Diego State University, and afterwords worked at UCSD, for the Campus Architect.
As an artist, Joan worked in various media, especially ceramics. She was active in many cultural and arts organizations, eventually becoming President of the Combined Organization for the Visual Arts (COVA). Later she turned to gardening, with the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca Community College and the Master Gardener Association of San Diego County.
Joan is survived by her son Jeff and wife Katrin, grandson Jackson, and son Todd Endres, all of La Mesa, and sisters Alice Buck of Phoenix, Elaine Kennedy of San Diego, Nancy and husband Don Jones of Vista, Eva Budzinski of Cloudcroft, New Mexico, and their children and grandchildren.
There will be a Celebration of Life for Joan in the near future. Those who wish to attend should contact celebratejoanuvart@gmail.com to receive details when they are confirmed. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests a donation to the Water Conservation Garden or the Diego Visual Arts Network (SDVAN).
