When push came to shove, the champion responded with a flurry and delivered the knockout blow. After beginning the season 1-12, including a loss in the opening game of Frontier League action, the Malibu High School (MHS) boys basketball team rallied the troops, won 11 consecutive games and clinched a second straight outright league title.
In doing so, the Sharks won back-to-back league titles for the first time in school history.
“I’m very happy. It’s a great accomplishment. For this team to turn around as they have has been very special to me,” Coach Richard Harris said. “Halfway through the season, I worried for this team. I didn’t know where they would go. For them to win, and win and keep winning has been awesome.”
The accomplishment was even more significant after Malibu defeated Cate, 60-54, on Senior Night where seniors Dane Marshall, Brian Canup, Caleb Gomes, Cordell Newton, Jordin Taylor and Trey Cotwright were recognized in a pre-game ceremony before the title-clinching victory.
With emotions running high, playing in front of family, friends and classmates, the Sharks struggled in the first half only to dominate the second half en route to their ninth straight win.
Cotwright scored 13 points and Newton added 12 as MHS shook off first-half jitters and claimed the fourth league title in program history (2007, 2012, 2015 and 2016).
“We challenged Trey and Cordell, and they picked up their energy and played really well in the second half,” Harris said. “They got rebounds, steals and it stood out. Their effort led us in the right direction.”
Tied at 27 at halftime, the Sharks came out determined to extend their win streak. Newton scored eight third-quarter points, Cotwright added four and junior Cade McMillin chipped in four of his game-high 20 points as MHS took a commanding 45-36 lead into the fourth period.
Malibu (12-12, 11-1) held off a late charge by the Rams to secure the league title. “It was really fun to get this win. It was tough at the beginning because we had all of this emotion and it was hard for us to cope with it,” Cotwright said. “In the second half, we came out firing and we did really well. I’m extremely happy. No team in Malibu history has ever done this. So that is huge. It’s really cool that we won two in a row.”
“This means a lot. It’s something Malibu has never done before and our coach has always stressed that,” added Newton. “We used it as motivation to become the first team to ever do it. It makes it that more eventful that it happened on our senior night.”
After struggling for two years in the tough Tri-Valley League in 2013 and 2014, Malibu moved to the Frontier League where they have won three straight league titles dating back to 2012.
“It’s special. During my freshman and sophomore years when we got beat around in the Tri-Valley League, I never saw this happening,” Marshall said. “But this season has been really special. We have gotten so much better and we are really starting to gel as a team.”
As a three-year member of the varsity team, McMillin has played a vital role in the Sharks’ resurgence. Normally a starter at point guard, McMillin came off the bench vs. Cate to allow the seniors the opportunity to start together one last time.
McMillin’s aggressive play and attacking style at the basket paid dividends as he scored 12 points in the first half and eight more in the second. An off-balance driving layup off the glass sparked the Sharks in the beginning of the fourth quarter.
“We were struggling to score points so I thought I could bring my aggressiveness to the team and put points on the board,” McMillin said.
Jake Hughes’ three-pointer from the left wing sealed the deal to give MHS a 58-52 advantage with 47 seconds left.
Malibu extended its win streak to 11 after hammering Villanova Prep, 78-33, and knocking off Grace Brethren on the road, 58-45, to end the regular season.
Next up are the CIF Southern Section playoffs, beginning the week of Feb. 15. As league champions, the Sharks will host a first-round playoff game against an opponent to be determined.
“We have veterans on our team who are familiar with the playoffs,” McMillin said. “I think we will do really well against whoever we play.”
Expect a raucous crowd to rock the gym as Malibu seeks its first playoff win in nine years.
“Playoffs are a whole new season,” Harris said. “We haven’t won a playoff game since 2007, so that’s something we are really aiming for.”
