Vanden Stands Between Santa Clara and Title

The state Division IV high school basketball final tonight at 8 at the Oakland Coliseum arena between Santa Clara and Vanden matches teams with similar styles and rich traditions.

Santa Clara (27-0) is the defending Division IV champion and boasts a 44-game winning streak. Lou Cvijanovich, the Southern Section’s winningest active coach, has demanded toughness and solid fundamentals for 32 years. “My team reflects my hard nose,” said Cvijanovich, whose career record is 624-202.

Vanden (28-3), which won a state title in 1986, is equally scrappy under Coach Jim Boyd, who is in his 26th season. “You’ll like the way our kids play defense and dive for loose balls,” he said.

The matchup would be even except for one factor: Santa Clara’s All-American guard, Shon Tarver.

Even on Travis Air Force Base in tiny Fairfield, Calif., where Vanden is located, Tarver is renowned.

“He stands alone. You’d have to have your head in the sand not to have heard of Shon Tarver,” Boyd said.

Tarver, a 6-foot-5 senior who averages 32 points a game, is a cinch to repeat as Division IV Player of the Year. And if he plays at the level he has established throughout the playoffs, Santa Clara is a cinch to repeat as champion.

“I’m on a mission right now,” Tarver said. “Nothing will sidetrack me.”

A tenacious defense and Tarver’s ability to score from anywhere on the court have made Santa Clara’s journey to the final a carefree ride.

The Saints’ average margin of victory is 23 points. They defeated Verbum Dei, 76-48, to win the Southern Section 2-AA title March 3 after taking a 31-8 lead midway through the second quarter.

Santa Clara’s closest game in the Southern California regional was a 91-65 victory over St. Joseph.

Point guard Bruce Howarth, an adept ballhandler, and 6-6 center Anthony Zuiraitis each average 10 points for Santa Clara. Junior Tony Maestas and sophomore Chris Cole are the forwards.

Vanden’s top player is 5-9 point guard Danin Bryant, who averages 21.7 points and 7.1 assists. Jim Allen, a 6-5 sophomore forward, has averaged 19.7 points during the playoffs.

Junior off-guard Rod Parrish has drawn the unenviable task of covering Tarver. Boyd said that his team will use no special defense to try to contain Tarver.

“We’ll play straight up,” he said. “Multiple zones and man-to-man.”

Santa Clara also knows defense.

“Defense is our strong suit,” Howarth said. “I hope we play man defense after a made shot and zone after a miss. That really confused Verbum Dei.”