O’Bannon Sparks Artesia to Crown

Throughout the season, Charles O’Bannon has had a knack for providing the Artesia High boys’ basketball team with whatever was necessary to win. Friday night, he held true to form.

O’Bannon scored 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, including three in the game’s final minute, to lead Artesia to a 57-50 victory over Danville San Ramon, for its second State Division II title in the last three years.

In a game of spurts, O’Bannon, a 6-foot-6 junior, was the difference with his ability to take charge of the game with his scoring, rebounding and defense.

“He is an exciting player to watch,” San Ramon Coach John Raynor said. “Obviously, he has a great basketball future ahead of him.”

Artesia (29-4) struggled early against San Ramon, which lost in the Division II final last year to Tustin. In a low-scoring first half, San Ramon took a 23-21 lead as Artesia committed 10 turnovers.

The second half was a different story as O’Bannon led an Artesia charge. The Pioneers, trailing, 28-25, held San Ramon scoreless for nearly eight minutes.

O’Bannon scored 16 second-half points and keyed a 19-0 run as the Pioneers took a44-28 lead with 5:39 remaining.

“They were a little flat and we made some good adjustments at halftime that helped us make that run,” Artesia Coach Wayne Merino said.

San Ramon answered with a rally of its own behind the three-point shooting of Brett Mitchell, who finished with a 16 points. The Wolves closed to within 51-47 with 40 seconds remaining before O’Bannon again stepped forward.

After seeing his teammates miss the front ends of several one-and-one foul shots, O’Bannon came up with two key rebounds sandwiched around two free throws to clinch the victory.

“Getting those second-effort rebounds really was a key down the stretch,” Merino said. “That helped us get a couple more chances on the line.”

O’Bannon, who did not score in the championship game as a freshman when Artesia won the title in 1990, passed credit to his teammates.

“I got off to a slow start and they really played well early,” O’Bannon said. “It was a true team effort.”

San Ramon had to rely on its outside shooting, taking 39 shots from three-point range, but 6-6 forward Kevin Dunn said that played a part in the Wolves’ scoreless stretch.

“We had open shots on the perimeter, but if you have to rely on them, you’re going to miss some.”