By Jesse Dougherty; WASHINGTON POST

Luka Garza was all too familiar with the situation: He started fast, scoring six points in the first three minutes, so St. John’s spent the rest of the game trying to make him as uncomfortable as possible.

On some drives, that meant attracting two defenders. On others, it meant drawing three. But the paint finally opened up again in the final minute, and Garza, a 6-foot-11 center, lowered his shoulder before banking in a critical layup. The shot gave him a game-high 27 points — and his team a four-point cushion — in No. 15 Maret’s 46-45 victory against the Cadets in the DC State Athletic Association semifinals Friday at Georgetown. Maret will play top-seeded Gonzaga in Sunday’s final at George Washington.

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