Santa Clara Rallies to Win, 57-53

The Santa Clara High boys’ basketball team may go on to win its third consecutive Division IV state title later this month. And with four juniors in its starting lineup, Santa Clara may even have a chance to win four in a row.

But the Saints will be hard-pressed to match their performance Thursday night when they came from behind to beat St. Monica, 57-53, in a Southern California regional semifinal before a full house at Ventura College.

Santa Clara (27-4) will face San Diego Lincoln in the regional final Saturday at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Trailing, 43-32, with just 3 minutes 45 seconds left in the third quarter and doing little to stop the deadly shooting of St. Monica’s tiny darting guards, Santa Clara kept its composure and stayed in a zone defense.

“That’s as good a comeback as we’ve had in the history of the school,” Santa Clara Coach Lou Cvijanovich said. “When we were down (by) 11, everybody thought that was it. Everybody except the coaches and the players.”

With his team trailing by 11 points to the Southern Section’s Division IV-A champions, Santa Clara reserve Evan Swanger--pressed into action when guard Art Barron picked up his fourth foul--was fouled, putting Santa Clara in the bonus.

Swanger made one free throw then missed the next, but junior Stevie Amar grabbed the rebound and hit a short jump shot. Santa Clara trailed by eight.

After Santa Clara’s zone forced a turnover, Swanger was fouled again. He made both free throws this time and Santa Clara trailed by six.

St. Monica (19-9), starting to feel the pressure, turned the ball over on a traveling violation. Amar quickly went inside for a jump shot and the Saints trailed by just four.

Junior Chris Cole--who finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists--then grabbed one of his game-high six steals. Isaiah Mustafa made one of two free throws to make the score 43-40 with two minutes left in the third quarter.

After St. Monica missed three shots, Swanger found himself with the ball eight feet from the basket. He nailed a jump shot that electrified the crowd and closed the gap to 43-42 with 39 seconds left in the period.

All the while, Santa Clara stayed in its match-up zone defense, refusing to switch to a man-to-man defense against a team that rained in six three-point baskets in building its early lead. Cvijanovich, after 33 years of coaching at Santa Clara and 12 Southern Section titles, said that he knew better.

“We won because we were patient,” Cvijanovich. “Most guys wound panic and change defenses. I learned a long time ago not to do that.”

Still, St. Monica took a 47-42 lead into the final period when sophomore Alex Davis, who scored a game-high 16 points, made a jump shot.

But Amar, who finished with 12 points and nine rebounds, made two free throws. After another St. Monica turnover, Amar made a 15-foot jump shot to make it 47-46.

Barron’s three-point basket gave Santa Clara its first lead since the second quarter. But things weren’t punctuated until Mustafa broke down court on an inbounds play, took a baseball pass from Anthony Maestas and jammed home a dunk that made it 53-49 with 4:31 left. Mustafa led Santa Clara with 15 points.