LA VERNE—The Damien Spartans clinched a spot in the CIF State playoffs by defeating the Etiwanda Eagles 59-46 in a crucial play-in game on Friday night. This victory marked a significant milestone for Damien, as the stakes were elevated beyond their usual Baseline League rivalry, with a coveted playoff berth on the line.
Damien’s strong performance was highlighted by a decisive 15-0 run in the third quarter, creating a gap that Etiwanda could not close. The Spartans improved their season record to 27-7 and now await the playoff seeding announcement on March 1, 2024, which will determine if they compete in the Open Division or Division 1. In contrast, Etiwanda concluded their season at 26-4 after suffering three losses in the Open Division.
This year’s CIF-Southern Section Open Division introduced a new format, featuring 12 teams divided into four pools of three. The top eight teams advanced to the single-elimination rounds, while the remaining four competed in play-in games to fill the ninth and tenth spots for state playoff contention. Damien earned a No. 10 seed but faced tough losses against No. 2 seed Santa Margarita and No. 7 seed Harvard-Westlake in previous games.
Reflecting on the pressure of the play-in game, Damien coach Mike LeDuc expressed a mix of excitement and urgency: “It was fun but also a little bit of self-inflicted pressure. We really wanted to go forward (into the 8-team Open Division knockout round).” The Spartans had previously experienced both victory and defeat against Etiwanda in league play, with Damien winning 56-43 on January 8 and losing 50-43 in the Baseline League tournament final on February 3.
Junior guard Zaire Rasshan led the Spartans with a standout performance, scoring 20 points. He was supported by senior teammates Eli Garner, who contributed 15 points and eight rebounds, and Elijah Smith, who added 16 points. Rasshan emphasized the team’s determination, stating, “There was no other team in the world we wanted to play. We just had to come out and show it.”
The first half of the game was closely contested, with Damien holding a narrow 33-30 lead at halftime. Following a layup by Etiwanda sophomore Devin Mitchell, who scored 16 points overall, the Eagles closed the gap to 33-32 early in the third quarter. However, the Spartans responded with relentless defense, forcing turnovers and limiting Etiwanda’s scoring opportunities.
Throughout the third quarter, Rasshan’s offensive prowess shone. He quickly expanded Damien’s lead with a three-pointer and a layup, contributing to the pivotal scoring run that left the Spartans ahead 48-32 by the end of the quarter. LeDuc noted, “You don’t need to score a lot of points if you’re going to play great defense.”
The fourth quarter saw Etiwanda struggle to regain momentum, with Mitchell’s free throws being their first points of the period until a put-back basket by senior Armaun Pollock at 4:20 remaining. By then, Damien had established a commanding lead at 53-38.
Ultimately, the Spartans’ combination of strong scoring and tenacious defense proved too much for the Eagles. With their playoff aspirations alive, Damien looks forward to their next challenge, hoping to build on this significant victory as they prepare for the CIF State playoffs.
