Santa Clara Welcomes the Breather : Division IV boys: Saints breeze, 94-48, get rare opportunity to rest starters.

Santa Clara High sophomore Chris McLucas stepped to the free-throw line Tuesday night with three seconds remaining against San Diego Clairemont in a boys’ first-round Southern Regional game of the State Division IV playoffs.

Suspense at last. Not because the game was at stake, but because McLucas had two opportunities to be the 15th Santa Clara player to score in a 94-48 victory.

But he missed twice, and the crowd of 2,000 let out a collective sigh.

“That was my big debut,” McLucas said. “I’m happy with it.”

Happy, because he got to play. This was a game host Santa Clara needed badly after three nail-biters in a row.

“We’re going to have some tough games coming up,” said senior point guard Art Barron. “It’s good to have a game where everyone gets in--especially the third and fourth teams.”

The Saints will play host to a second-round game at Ventura College on Thursday.

Santa Clara (26-3) led, 25-9, after one quarter, 51-21 after two. Barron had three three-point baskets in the first period and Chris Cole scored 10 second-quarter points. The entire starting team gave way to substitutes with more than three minutes left in the half.

Front-liners Cole, Isaiah Mustafa and Stevie Amar sat for the first time since a first-round Southern Section victory over El Segundo. They each played every minute of the next three games, when the Saints used only guard Brian Clark off the bench.

At halftime, Clairemont Coach Greg Lee spoke with Santa Clara Coach Lou Cvijanovich.

“He thanked me,” Cvijanovich said, “for taking my starters out.”

They returned for the first six minutes of the second half, then sat for good.

Cole and Amar each finished with 16 points. Barron had 11; Mustafa, Clark and David Varela scored 10.

John Brady scored 20 points for Clairemont (11-14), including nine of the Chiefs’ 12 in the second quarter.

The crowd had barely settled in when the Saints began their roll and took a 20-7 lead. The gym was relatively quiet until five minutes were left when the final five Santa Clara players made their way to the check-in table.