CIF State Championships: Friday complete

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The first day of the two-day CIF Basketball Championships was completed Friday at beautiful Golden 1 Center, home of the Sacramento Kings. And what a show.

Southern California captured four of the six titles, but a sophomore girl from a Division 5 Northern California stole the show, along with a record-setting boys squad from San Francisco. Add in a pair of Southern California boys coaches who won titles with a second team and two other first time champions and it made for an eventful day in Sacramento.

Check out all the day's action below.

Division 1 boys
Roosevelt (Eastvale) 54, James Logan (Union City) 45 James Logan waited 32 years to get back to the state championship but Matthew Mitchell wasn't feeling terribly sentimental.

The 6-foot-5, 220-pound senior guard for Roosevelt erupted for 24 points and added 14 rebounds as the Mustangs (26-8) rolled to a D1 victory in their first state-title game appearance. Mitchell also added three blocks and five steals.

"It’s a great feeling to know that all the hard work has paid off," Mitchell said. "We’re just going to celebrate. It was a really good feeling once our job is done. Now I can smile and have fun.”

What was the difference?

“We kept it up for a full 32 minutes," Mitchell said.

Roosevelt did a superb job handling the ball, committing just nine turnovers to 16 for Logan. The winners also did a nice job at the foul line, making 16 of 20. Cal-bound Jemarl Baker and Xavier Preston combined for 17 points.

It all added up to the second state title for coach Steve Singleton, who also won a crown at Dominguez (Compton). He became the third coach, joining Frank Allocco and Harvey Katini, to win two state titles at two different schools.

"I'll take it," Singleton said.

The keys Friday?

"It took a full team effort," he said. "It took the other guys (besides Baker and Mitchell) to really come together. Everybody started to find their roles.”

Logan (28-6), led by 14 points from Noah Conner and 13 by Gabriel Hawkins, last appeared in 1985, losing in the Division 1 finals. On Friday the Colts simply couldn't handle Mitchell, who made 7 of 14 shots and 9 of 10 free throws.

The Colts played most of the game without second-leading scorer Ryan Parilla, who went out late in the first quarter with a leg injury. He never returned, going scoreless. Jordan McGlory added 10 points for Logan, which got nine rebounds apiece from James Colyer and Edra Luster.

"It feels great to take a title back to the IE (Inland Empire)," Singleton said.

Division 1 girls
Windward (Los Angeles) 53, McClatchy (Sacramento) 41

Sometimes you just have to hand it to an off-night shooting or sloppy ball-handling or just being less prepared.

In the case of McClatchy's girls basketball team, it simply didn't have enough charisma. Or in this case Charisma Osbourne.

The 5-7 sophomore guard from Windward put on a dribbling, driving and scoring clinic, putting up 26 points to go along with four steals and five rebounds the Wildcats (30-4) won their second state title in four tries.  Not only was she a dominating force on the offensive end, but she helped hold McClatchy's Jordan Cruz to just 11 points.

Sela Kay had 10 points for the Southern California champions. Mostly it was Osbourne, who already has three college offers from Pac-12 schools.

"That's the best guard we've play against," McCatchy coach Jeff Ota said. "Our game is to get turnovers and create havoc but we couldn't do that with her out there."

Cruz was the only McClatchy player to score in double figures. The Lions, who average close to 70 points per game, simply couldn't get any offensive flow going in front of a largely home crowd. McClatchy made just 13 of 43 shots (30 percent) and was barely over .500 at the foul line (12 of 23).

"We weren't expecting to win it all at the begging of the year," Osbourn said. "Now that we won it, it's great." Division 3 boys
Mission (San Francisco) 82, Villa Park 75 Niamey Harris broke free near halfcourt with open space, an orange rim and a screaming, celebrating brown and gold-clad student body in his sight. The smart play would have been to pull the ball out — the Bears had a five-point lead — but there was something else in clear view.

History.

Harris said to hell with convention and went with joy, dribbling full speed down the NBA arena floor before sending down an emphatic left-hand dunk punctuating the Bears' overtime victory, a brilliant four-year career and 36 years of San Francisco omission.

"I didn't think about it," Harris said. "I just did it. It felt right. I was in the moment."

And what a moment.

The Bears finished off the greatest season in San Francisco Section history at 35-1 with the first state championship in city public-school history. Fittingly, the 6-foot-2 1/2 senior, considered one of the city's greatest all-around athletes, led the charge with 31 points (10 of 16 shooting), a team-high seven rebounds, six steals and four assists.

See Mission's plight to get to Sacramento

Add in lights-out perimeter shooting from Jayden Foston (21 points) and Jamion Wright (15), who combined for seven three-pointers, and it was just about a perfect ending to a nearly perfect season.

The loud and large Mission contingent celebrated like it was Mardi Gras.

"I'm speechless," said coach Arnold Zelaya, the ninth year coach were has methodically built a Northern California power. "It's a special group that displays a special fight, a special toughness, a special compassion. It was a tough long game and season, but the guys stayed in the present."

It was nip-and-tuck throughout. Villa Park (27-7), utilizing their length and skills, constantly fought off Mission's compact and pressing attack. Myles Franklin, a fluid 6-4 point guard headed to Northeastern, led the charge with 28 points, including 13-for-14 at the line. The Spartans stayed in the game, largely at the line, connecting on 21 of 23.

Mission appeared to take control in fourth, taking a 65-58 lead with 1:30 remaining following a driving layup by Wright and two free throws by Foston. But Villa Park slowed the game by fouling and Mission kept missing at the line. The Bears missed eight free throws in the fourth and a 3-pointer by Caleb Banuelos (17 points) and two free throws by Franklin tied the game at 67, sending to overtime.

"We had to get back in the game," Franklin said. "We had a second chance."

Zelaya, also a dean at school, just kept clapping and encouraging the Bears, consistent with their "next play," philosophy. Harris wasn't discouraged either by squandering the late lead.

"The guys were unfazed," Zelaya said.

Harris told the team heading into overtime: "These four minutes are ours."  

He was right. The Bears went on attack mode.

Foston opened with a three-pointer and two free throws. Harris drove to the hoop for a deuce. Foston, U'jah Pratt and Tyrese Johnson followed. By the time Harris sent down his dunk, the game was done.

When the final buzzer sounded, Harris made a bee-line for Zelaya, his coach and father figure the last four years, and the two embraced in a giant hug.

A bear hug.

"Niamey epitomizes what the program is all about," Zelaya said. "He's not perfect. These guys weren't perfect. But they never stopped fighting or believing. Now they're state champions."

Villa Park coach Kevin Reynolds was nothing but class afterward. He got 12 more points from Jason Reed and Matthew Lanzone made 4-of-6 shots, grabbed 15 rebounds but played only 20 minutes due to foul trouble. He fouled out as did super sophomore Julien Franklin.

Instead of complaining about the referees, Reynolds spent time praising his opponent.

"(Misson) showed why they've lost just one game all year," Reynolds said. "I have nothing but respect for that team."

He of course, had that and more for his own squad.

"The sad part is not that we lost the game, but I won't be able to coach this group anymore," he said. "I'm sure we'll all fight to live another day."

Division 3 girls
Rosary Academy (Fullerton) 62, Campolindo (Moraga) 45

Freshman Katherine Goostrey made six three-pointers and scored 26 points and 6-1 junior center Rebekah Obinma added a decisive triple-double with 12 points, 17 rebounds and 10 blocks as Rosary Academy (30-5) won its first state title in its first try with an impressive wire-to-wire win over cold-shooting Campolindo.

Goostrey made 6-of-10 tries on three-pointers and just 1-of-5s on twos as the Royals Used an 18-7 run in the second quarter to win going away.

"This is truly a team," Rosary Academy coach Rich Yoon said. "We play together and we put it all together when it counted most."

The Royals, especially Obinma, did their best work on the defensive end, holding the Cougars (27-7) to 24 percent shooting, 17 of 72, including 9-for-37 by 6-foot junior Haley Van Dyke, who finished with 22 points and a state Division 3 state title-game record 25 rebounds.

Recently recruited by Washington and Oregon, Van Dyke was coming off a Northern California regional record 46 points in the team's title win over St. Mary's (Berkeley). She missed her first eight shots on Friday and Campolindo missed its first 12.

That's largely because the long reach of Obinma was in the way.

"(Van Dyke) is amazing scorer and an amazing athlete," Yoon said. "But Rebekah is also an amazing athlete and a shot blocker."

Said Van Dyke, who came in averaging 23.9 points and 15.4 rebounds per game: "We saw (Obinma) on film and we knew she was really good. Her arms are really long."

Campolindo coach Art Thoms III: "They're a very good team. (Obinma) was a force in the middle. We never got in a good flow."

Camille Lira added 10 points and 11 rebounds for the winners. Division 5 Boys
Rolling Hills Prep (San Pedro) 47, St. Francis (Watsonville) 46

Chris Koon scored 13 points including his teams last two baskets, the second to put his team out in front for good with less than a minute to play to give the Huskies their first title.

Koon missed the front end-of a one-and-one with 15 seconds left and St. Francis (29-3), also making its first state appearance, had a chance to win it but a contested three-pointer at the buzzer missed, giving head coach Harvey Kitani his third straight title.

His previous two were with Division I power Fairfax (Los Angels), where he coached 35 years. This is his first season for the Huskies (29-2) and Friday was his 802nd career win..

"It feels just as good as any of the others," Kitani said. "It's a great group of kids and parents. Everyone has been so supportive. I couldn't be prouder not just because we won the title but these are such good young men. I'm very thankful."

St. Francis, which got 15 points from Jason Gallo, looked in control with a 15-7 second-quarter run to take a 26-20 halftime lead. But Rolling Hills got it rolling behind Koon, JT Tan (12 points) and Alex Garcia (11).

After two free throws by Chase Watkins (nine points) tied the score at 43 with 3:15 left for St. Francis, Koon put Rolling Hills in front with a bucket.

Ivo Lasich put St. Francis up for the last time 46-45 with a 3-pointer before Koon gave his team the lead for good.
 
The last sequence was a scramble, but Rollings Hills defended superbly.

"I was really relieved when I saw that red light go off," Kitani said. Division 5 girls
Eastside College Prep (East Palo Alto) 63, Rolling Hills Prep (San Pedro) 40

She's more than a foot shorter and considerably lighter, but Eastside's Zion Gabriel has something on her NBA idol Klay Thompson.

The 5-4 sophomore guard made a state title-game record — any division, either gender — with eight three-pointers and 26 points leading Eastside Prep to its second straight D5 girls championship.

Gabriel broke the boys record of 7 set in 2008 by Thompson at Santa Margarita and the girls mark of six by Mary Mott (Mission Prep-San Luis Obispo) set in 1995. Other names on the 3-point record list are Candice Wiggins and Kelsey Plum.

"Those are definitely some big names," said Gabriel, who entered with a team-high 83 3s on the season. "It's amazing. Frankly, I feel a little overwhelmed."

She or the Panthers (23-8) didn't look it on the court, overwhelming Rolling Hills (32-5) in about every category. They outrebounded the Southern California champs 42-23, made 50 percent of its shots (23 of 46) including 11-for-24 on 3s. Kayla Tahaafe (5-7) had seven points, eight rebounds and nine assists and Mina Tameilau (5-8) added 12 rebounds.

"We just play with a lot of heart and passion," said Tahaafe, playing in her third straight state title game. "Plus we're really well-conditioned."  

Asked if he was surprised Gabriel was able to shoot so well at the cavernous Golden 1, Eastside coach Donovan Blythe said: "I was sort of disappointed she didn't drop 10 3s."

Alyssa Maxey had 12 points and Naya Stroud and Macy Pakele combined for 17 points for Rolling Hills. Its coach Peter McCormack was very impressed with his battle-tested opponent: "If we're diamonds in the rough, they are very polished."

The future is promising for both programs. Neither had a senior on its roster.