Santa Clara Survives Agoura Scare, 68-65

Santa Clara High waltzed into Agoura’s gymnasium Tuesday night with a 28-game winning streak that included the Division IV state championship last season. The Saints had not been defeated in a Frontier League contest since 1984.

Defeating Santa Clara, then, would have been a tremendous accomplishment, a notion that was not lost on the Chargers.

Agoura used a flurry of three-point baskets to give Santa Clara, the top-ranked Division IV team in the state, a scare. But Sean Martin’s off-balance, three-point attempt with two seconds left came up short--as did the Chargers, 68-65.

Santa Clara, which extended its league win streak to 44, improved to 12-0 overall, 2-0 in league play. Agoura fell to 8-5, 1-1.

“We were intimidated by them this summer,” Agoura Coach Kevin Pasky said. “But I explained to the kids that (the Saints) are high school students too, and we have a right to be out there on the floor with them.”

Agoura took it a step further with the help of nine three-point baskets, including five from Joey Marini. Marini’s last three-point basket came with 15 seconds left and pulled Agoura to within 66-65.

But Santa Clara’s Tony Maestas hit both ends of a one-and-one with 15 seconds left. Martin--Agoura’s leading scorer with a 24-point average--drew iron and Bryce Arledge’s two-point attempt missed the mark as time expired.

Agoura, at a considerable size disadvantage, went to the perimeter and made nine of 21 from three-point range. “Our strength is that we shoot well,” Pasky said.

That, however, is also one of Shon Tarver’s strengths. Tarver, a 6-5 guard who averages 30 points a game, finished with a game-high 33 points--including 18 in the second half.

Pasky realized that few teams can contain the state’s Division IV player of the year.

“I told our kids that he’s going to get anywhere from 25 to 35 points because he’s one of the best basketball players in California,” Pasky said. “We just didn’t want their other guys to hurt us.”

Agoura led, 12-4, in the first quarter, and, despite trailing by eight entering the fourth period, battled to within 58-56 on Brian Miller’s basket with 3:38 left.