The tenth-seeded La Jolla Vikings (17-14) upset the Cathedral Catholic Dons (17-13), 44-39, to win the CIF Division III championship in boys basketball March 7 at the University of San Diego’s Jenny Craig Pavilion. “We talked about being a team that cares about closing out a game strong and that’s what you saw,” La Jolla coach Kamal Assaf said.  “They were exceptionally determined.” The determination of both teams was evident as the Vikings were clinging to just a 9-7 lead over Cathedral at the end of the first quarter, with 6-foot-7 senior forward Tyler Heap accounting for seven of the nine La Jolla points. “We laid the foundation for a great game by defending as well as we did,” Assaf said.  “We’re a group that has found a way to get it done.” The Vikings got it done by going on a 6-1 run early in the second quarter to vault their advantage to 15-8 behind the play of Heap, junior forward Jack Latta and junior guard Max Greenberg. “We keep saying that all of these games are a battle of attrition,” Assaf said. Speaking of battles, the Dons battled back with a 7-4 run of their own on baskets by Everett Benyard, 6-foot-4 senior wing Andres Aldrete, 6-foot-1 senior guard Chase Novak and 5-foot-8 guard sophomore Matthew Rosenburg. That created a 19-15 edge in favor of La Jolla as the two teams headed to the locker room at halftime. “We play ten kids and each one of them makes a major contribution,” Assaf said.  “That’s our game plan.  We try to chop down the opposing team by wearing them out and staying in the game at the end.  Our philosophy is to wear down the opponent.” After the intermission, Cathedral did indeed look worn out as the Vikings outscored the Dons 15-10 in the third quarter to take a commanding 34-25 cushion. Six-foot-6 senior forward Alec Giusti and junior Taylor Davis had 6 points apiece in the quarter for La Jolla. “We use our defense to keep us in games,” Assaf said. Keeping Cathedral in the game were two free throws and a basket by Benyard that sparked a 12-6 outburst by the Dons, cutting the deficit to 40-37 in the fourth quarter. “Defense is what we hang our hat on because we’re not the best shooting team and we don’t always make plays,” Assaf said. This time, the Vikings did make the plays down the stretch. Junior guard John Walsh successfully hit his free throws (converting 4-of-4) to seal the victory for the Vikings. Heap finished with a game-high 12 points for La Jolla and was followed in the scoring column by Giusti (9 points, 8 rebounds), Davis (8 points), Latta (6 points), Walsh (6 points) and Greenberg (3 points). Rosenburg led Cathedral with 9 points and was followed in the scoring column by Benyard (8 points, 7 rebounds), Matt Moynihan (6 points), Nick Madden (5 points), Nick Nixon (3 points), Aldrete (3 points, 7 rebounds), and Novak (3 points). La Jolla met Anaheim Canyon March 10 in the state playoffs and was eliminated, 60-46.