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Scott brothers help Corona del Mar pull off a thrilling win

What a Monday night to remember for the Scott brothers, Nolan and Maxwell. In a basketball game matching perhaps the top two public school teams in Orange County, Corona del Mar and Los Alamitos went back and forth, with neither wanting to budge.

Corona del Mar (17-1) got the ball under Los Alamitos’ basket with 11.2 seconds left and down by one point. Coach Jason Simco, who had never beaten Los Alamitos in five seasons, set up a final play that was designed to get the ball to the least likely person, Nolan Scott, a sophomore linebacker for the football team. Brother Maxwell set a screen for him, Luke Mirhashemi found Nolan wide open under the basket and passed him the ball for an easy layup with 4.3 seconds left, delivering a 78-77 victory in a Sunset League game at Los Alamitos’ newly opened gym.

Maxwell Scott finished with 35 points. The brothers have been playing together since flag football days as second-graders. Maxwell played football as a freshman and then focused on basketball, but he is set to return to football as a senior.

“It’s fun to play with him,” Maxwell said.

What a game it was.

“Everyone was making shots,” Maxwell said.

Corona del Mar’s successful final shot took away a magnificent performance from Los Alamitos sophomore Isaiah Williamson, who finished with 26 points.

“I think he was amazing,” Simco said of Williamson. “He’s going to be something else.”

Los Alamitos dropped to 8-7 and 0-1 in league.

Oliver Nakra had 19 points for Corona del Mar.

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Jazzy Davidson scores 24 points, powering USC past California

Freshman Jazzy Davidson scored a go-ahead layup with 4:05 remaining and finished with a season-best 24 points, leading the No. 19 USC women past California 61-57 on Sunday in the Invisalign Bay Area Women’s Classic.

After Davidson’s basket, Londynn Jones hit a jumper the next time down as USC used a 6-0 burst to take control. The Trojans answered each Cal threat with a key defensive play or big basket.

Cal called time out with 43.8 seconds left and trailing 56-54, but as the Golden Bears tried to set up a play, USC’s Kennedy Smith made a steal of Sakima Walker’s bad pass.

Davidson, one of four Trojans averaging double digits in scoring, shot nine for 21 with three three-pointers. She scored 14 points by halftime as USC led 31-28 and held Cal to five three-point attempts while forcing 11 turnovers.

The Trojans scored 15 points off 18 turnovers by Cal (8-5).

Walker led the Golden Bears with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Lulu Twidale and Taylor Barnes each scored 11.

The longtime Pac-12 rivals reunited at Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors — and fans hurried down the stairs for a glimpse of injured USC star JuJu Watkins walking in with the Trojans (9-3).

The game featured fifth-year USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb against her former Cal program that she led to its first Final Four after the 2012-13 season. Gottlieb coached the Golden Bears from 2011-19.

Cal’s Gisella Maul went down hard in the closing moments of the third quarter and walked to the locker room.

After the Bears shot five for 20 from three-point range in a 78-69 loss at Stanford on Dec. 14, they were just one for 11 from deep.

The Trojans completed their nonconference schedule, which included wins over top-25 opponents North Carolina State and Washington.

Up next for USC: Trojans open Big Ten play Monday at Nebraska.

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