BOYS’ BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : USDHS Gets Surprise Victory

University of San Diego High School players paid little attention to the fact they had 11 fewer victories and 11 more losses than St. Augustine entering their San Diego Section Division III semifinal playoff game Tuesday night at Mira Mesa.

St. Augustine players had trouble paying attention at all, their thoughts at times going out to sophomore teammate Ade Buck, who was involved in a pedestrian-car accident a car on Sunday and was listed in critical condition in the intensive care unit at Sharp Memorial Hospital at game-time Tuesday.

The result was a convincing 56-41 “upset” by USDHS over rival St. Augustine.

With the victory, USDHS (8-17) advanced to Thursday’s final against La Jolla at the San Diego Sports Arena, an accomplishment many considered unlikely since the Dons were the fourth-seeded team in the five-team Division III draw.

St. Augustine finished 18-7 and became the first top-seeded team in any division to be eliminated from the playoffs.

“We knew we were going to win,” USDHS junior swingman Tim O’Connor said. “People at school, they wanted us to win, but they weren’t real sure because of our records. The whole team though knew we were going to win.”

O’Connor cited a tough pre-playoff schedule, which included games against Concord De La Salle, Santa Ana Mater Dei and Kearny, not to mention an appearance in the Above the Rim Tournament in December, as reasons for the Dons’ confidence.

“Games against teams like those helped prepare us for the playoffs,” he said.

St. Augustine, on the other hand, had something other than basketball to ponder.

Buck, a starting forward for the Saints, was run over Sunday at the San Carlos Recreation Center and sustained severe head, neck, chest and multiple other injuries.

“It was a real emotional blow to the team,” Saints senior forward Eric Ott said. “The combination of that and the week off (for being the top-seeded team), we didn’t come to the gymnasium ready to play. We didn’t want it as badly as them.”

That much was evident minutes after a moment of silence was held on Buck’s behalf just before tipoff.

A three-pointer by junior Jerry Prior on USDHS’ first possession started a 6-0 run, and the Dons never trailed in the game.

After another three-pointer by Prior (11 points) and three more by O’Connor (game-high 15 points), USDHS had a 28-14 lead with fewer than two minutes left in the half.

St. Augustine went on a 8-2 run at the beginning of the second half to pull to within, 31-28, but the Dons scored the next five points and were never threatened again.

“I don’t think we ever really into the game,” St. Augustine Coach Rick Stewart said. “But (Buck’s condition) was no excuse for the way we played. We weren’t moving the ball. We weren’t playing defense.

“That’s not to take anything away from University. They wanted it more than we did. I think in the past couple of weeks, they’ve been playing real well, and that was evident tonight.”

Along with O’Connor and Prior, sophomore Josh Merrill (13 points) and senior Ian Hamilton (12) gave USDHS four players in double-figure scoring.

John Gergurich led St. Augustine with 12 points.