SOUTHERN SECTION BOYS’ BASKETBALL PLAYOFF SEMIFINALS : Santa Clara to Play for Championship Again After 61-51 Victory

Guard Art Barron scored 17 points, had five steals and three assists to lead Santa Clara High to a 61-51 victory over Palo Verde of Blythe in a Southern Section IV-AA Division semifinal basketball game at Ventura College on Tuesday night before 2,800.

Barron, a junior, connected on two key three-point shots to spark Santa Clara (24-4), the top-seeded team and two-time defending Southern Section and state champion. The Saints will play Verbum Dei on Saturday.

Barron provided the Saints with a first-quarter lift with a three-point basket at the buzzer to tie the score, 13-13. He also made a three-point shot at the buzzer in the third period to extend the Saints’ lead to 45-36.

Santa Clara Coach Lou Cvijanovich was happy to get the long-range shots, but he was more elated with his team’s defense. “Anytime you get a three-point basket you get a boost,” he said. “However, our defense made them take a lot of really lousy shots.”

Palo Verde (18-8), the Desert Valley League champion, made only 20 of 68 field-goal attempts.

Santa Clara, the Frontier League champion, had a balanced attack. Isaiah Mustafa scored 16 points, Chris Cole added 10 points and 10 rebounds, Anthony Maestas had 10 points, and Stevie Amar had eight points and 10 rebounds.

Santa Clara has won 18 consecutive playoff games over the past three seasons and is currently on a 12-game winning streak.

“It’s nice for the kids to get to the finals again,” Cvijanovich said. “They have worked very hard and they deserve it.”