By Damien Barling
MaxPreps.com
It was a somber weekend at the new Stockton Arena for Sacramento-area basketball teams. A No. 1 seed fell and lost its first game in four months, a McDonalds All-American closed out her incredible high school career without a state title, and a valiant underdog's run came to a screeching halt.
No.1 Jesuit headlined the weekend taking on No.2 Archbishop Mitty. The two top seeds met last year in the NorCal semifinals with Mitty escaping with a 68-65 victory. This year Mitty's win wasn't much of an escape. The Monarchs beat the Jesuit Marauders, 77-64, capturing the CIF Northern California Division II Championship.
Jesuit came out cold missing its first seven shots and falling behind 10-0. The Marauders scored their first basket on a Rod Hawkins jump shot with 3:40 left in the first quarter. The slow start put Jesuit behind 17-6 after eight minutes.
The second quarter proved better as they outscored the Monarchs 22-19 behind 12 of Chris Blees' game-high 21 points.
"I think the slow start really did us in," Jesuit's James Edwards said. "We didn't come out ready to play."
The loss snapped Jesuit's 30-game winning streak and ended a one-week reign as the No. 1 team in California. The Marauders finished 32-2 with a roster devoid of Division I-bound stars.
"I think while Mitty made plays tonight ... we beat ourselves," Jesuit coach Greg Harcos said. "We didn't play up to our potential. I think that's what is most disturbing and hurts the most."
Sacramento Suffers Crushing Defeat
McDonalds All-American Vicki Baugh of Sacramento High will head off to Knoxville this summer to play for Pat Summit and the Tennessee Lady Volunteers, but she won't be taking a California state title with her.
The talented senior came up huge in her final game for the Dragons, scoring 31 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, but couldn't convert on the final play of the game that gave Sacred Heart Cathedral of San Francisco a 67-66 victory and its fifth NorCal title.
Sacramento squandered several opportunities to put away the Fightin' Irish in the final minutes, clutching a 52-44 with 4:25 left to play. But Sacred Heart took over from there and outscored the Dragons 23-14 to finish the game.
The key play came with Sacramento up by one with the ball when Coco Davis' pass was intercepted by Fightin' Irish guard Tierra Rogers, who passed the ball to teammate Lauren Bell for a bucket with 7.8 seconds left.
"I saw something that wasn't there," Davis (12 points) said. "I thought Kashay was open. I threw the ball, but I didn't see the defender."
Baugh received the in-bound pass but couldn't get a quality shot off.
"It was more like a prayer shot. I didn't know how much time was actually on the clock, but I did the best I could," Baugh said. "Unfortunately, the ball didn't go in, but that shot didn't lose the game for us. Neither did Coco's pass. We had a big lead we should have increased."
McClatchy's Playoff Run Ends
A postseason run that saw seventh seed McClatchy capture the Sac-Joaquin Section title by defeating top seeded Kennedy and win two NorCal playoff games, came to an end Saturday at the Stockton Arena as the Lions fell to the Berkeley Yellow Jackets, 66-44.
Berkley proved to be too big and too good for the overmatched Lions. A size advantage and a vicious full-court press overwhelmed McClatchy and never allowed them to get in the game.
"Give Berkeley credit," Lions coach Harvey Tahara said. "They're a very solid ball club that was too much for us."
Super freshman Ariel Thomas scored a team-high 12 points and proved her 5-3 frame isn't going to stop her from being a major force at the Division I level of high school basketball.
