High School Regional Basketball Preview : Poway Coach’s Attention Is on First-Round Streak

Social studies teachers at Poway High School got together Monday afternoon to throw a surprise party for boys’ basketball Coach Neville Saner, whose team won its third straight San Diego Section 3-A championship Saturday night, 74-66, over Serra.

However, there was one slight problem. Nobody bothered to make sure Saner would show up. The Titans’ coach--who doubles as a social studies teacher--was busy taking care of some other business. His Titans play in the first round of the Division I state basketball playoffs at 8 tonight in Peterson Gym against Muir High School of Pasadena.

“It was a pretty busy day. I wish somebody would have told me about it,” said Saner.

Saner doesn’t need anybody to tell him about tonight’s game. Poway (25-3) reached the state tournament for the third straight season by beating Serra Saturday night in the San Diego Sports Arena. No other 3-A boys’ basketball team in San Diego Section history has won three straight championships.

The Titans lost first-round games two years ago to J.W. North of Riverside and last year to Crenshaw.

“We’re taking these challenges one at a time,” Saner said. “I told my ballplayers at the beginning of the year, if they played exceptional ball, they would have a chance at the state tournament again. It’s a long shot, but it’s in our range to go all the way.”

The Titans, led by 6-foot 6-inch forwards Jud Buechler and Dominick Johnson, were superb in the second half Saturday night. Serra led, 39-36, before Poway went on a 10-0 run that helped secure the championship.

Buechler scored 27 points, making 13 of 20 from the field including 7 slams. Johnson scored 28 points and had 19 rebounds, with 20 points and 12 rebounds in the second half.

“In these state tournament games, it is usually the team that adjusts the best and the quickest that will have the advantage,” Saner said. “Neither team knows a lot about the other one so you have to go with what you do best.”

Saner saw Muir play last Wednesday when the Mustangs defeated Dominguez High to reach the Southern Section 4-A finals in Los Angeles. Muir beat Simi Valley, 58-55, Saturday to win its first-ever 4-A boys’ basketball championship.

The Mustangs (28-2) are led by 6-8 senior forward Stacey Augmon, one of the state’s most highly recruited players. Augmon averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds per game leading Muir to the Pacific League title. Despite playing with a 103-degree temperature Saturday, Augmon had 13 points and 9 rebounds. He had 32 points and 12 rebounds in the Mustangs’ semifinal win over Dominguez.

“He’s a good inside post player,” Saner said. “They like to run the ball up the floor and when they set up, they run a lot of motion around him. They try to make it as difficult as possible on you to get double-team help on him.”

The rest of the Mustangs are also talented--and young. Wayne Womak, a 6-foot 7-inch sophomore center, Derek Brown, a 6-foot junior guard, and Keyjohnna Owens, a 6-foot 2-inch, junior guard, start with Augmon and Leroy McCullough, a 6-foot 5-inch senior forward.