Palo Alto Relishes Underdog Role Against Morningside : Division III: Coach John Barrette, who has guided the Vikings to a 30-0 season, says the Monarchs ‘are in a world by themselves.’

Clearly, the excitement has gotten to John Barrette.

“It’s unbelievable,” said the 61-year-old coach of the Palo Alto High boys’ basketball team. “The community has been turned upside-down. I’m going to need a therapist for my ears after this.”

Barrette’s enthusiasm is understandable. Palo Alto is 30-0, ranked No. 1 in the state among Division III teams by Cal-Hi Sports, and has played its games before a dedicated and vocal following of fans.

But even Barrette realizes that might not be enough when Palo Alto plays defending champion Morningside (29-5) in the State Division III championship game at 6:45 p.m. Saturday at the Oakland Coliseum Arena.

Asked if the Vikings have played an opponent similar to Morningside this season, Barrette said: “I doubt it very much. From what I know about them, they are in a world by themselves. We’re going to try to get in that world.”

Despite Palo Alto’s credentials, Barrette does not consider his team the favorite. And you know what? He couldn’t be happier.

“It’s nice to be 30-0 and the underdog,” he said. “I love it.”

Cal-Hi Sports has tabbed Morningside, generally considered a more athletic team than Palo Alto, a four-point favorite.

Although a new role is welcomed by Palo Alto, Morningside couldn’t care less about such things. What matters to Monarch Coach Carl Franklin is that his team leaves any distractions on the sideline.

“When you start talking about (Palo Alto) being undefeated and the No. 1 team in the state, then you start thinking, ‘This team can’t be beat,’ ” Franklin said. “You have to approach it like a prize fight. Nothing is decided until you get in the ring and throw a few punches.

“Both teams have the same record in the (state) tournament. When you look at it that way, both teams are 3-0.”

And the similarities don’t end there. Both teams favor the running game and man-to-man pressure defense.

“If that’s the style they try to play, we’ll be happy,” Franklin said.

But don’t count on Palo Alto making any tactical errors. Barrette has been a coach for 41 years, and the Vikings have won the Central Coast Section award for highest team grade-point average each of the past two seasons. More Palo Alto players will enter college next fall for academic reasons than athletic ones, Barrette said.

“It’s an unusual group of kids,” Barrette said. “They have the capacity to learn, but they’re horse-sense guys too. They have a sense of humor. I’ve seen teams where the kids weren’t willing, but these guys give of themselves. In that sense, it has to be one of the most rewarding years I’ve had.”

Palo Alto has won its games by an average of 20 points. The Vikings advanced to the school’s first state championship game with an 81-68 victory over San Juan of Fair Oaks in the Northern regional final Saturday.

An experienced team, Palo Alto returned the top seven players from last season’s 20-6 squad. The leaders are 6-foot-4 senior forward David Weaver, a four-year varsity player who averages 19 points, and 6-foot junior guard Mark Thompson, who averages 13.5 points.

Senior point guard Grant Elliott will play tennis for Stanford next year. Center Chad Smith, a 6-6, 235-pound senior, is known for his defense and his ability to shut down taller opponents. Forward David Bennion, a 6-2 junior who averages 10.5 points, is referred to as “mad dog” by Barrette because of his intense play.

“When you go to war, it depends what you do, not who you are,” Barrette said. “We’ve outrebounded bigger teams. We’re no super-humans defensively, but we play man pressure and force a lot of turnovers. Our guards do a good job. We’re very balanced.”

Balance, of course, is Morningside’s hallmark. The Monarchs, who are ranked No. 2 among the state’s Division III teams by Cal-Hi Sports, have four players with double-digit scoring averages. USC recruit Stais Boseman, a 6-4 forward, averages 18.5 points, followed by 6-2 swingman Dwight Curry at 18.3, shooting guard Donminic Ellison at 16.3 and 6-7 center Corey Saffold at 12.8. Ellison signed early with Washington State, and Saffold with Oklahoma.

Point guard Sean Harris, another scoring threat despite his 5-4 height, rounds out the all-senior starting lineup.

Franklin is banking on the team’s experience to give the Monarchs an edge Saturday. Morningside defeated Monterey Seaside, 79-72, in last year’s state final at Sacramento.

“From last year to this year, the kids have learned how to play under pressure,” Franklin said. “When we’re in close games, the pressure really doesn’t bother us.”

That was evident Saturday, when the Monarchs used a 9-2 run in the last 33 seconds to defeat South Torrance, 91-82, in the Southern regional final at the Sports Arena. Ellison scored 31 points on 11-of-15 shooting to lead Morningside on a day when Boseman made only one of five three-point shots and finished with 15 points.

The week before, Ellison made only one of eight shots as Boseman carried Morningside with 19 points and 11 rebounds in a 65-62 victory over South in the Southern Section Division III-AA final.

“This team always seems to find a way,” Franklin said. “We don’t always know who’s going to take a last-second shot, but it’s usually the right person at the right time.”

Notes

Carl Franklin has a 17-year record of 355-127 at Morningside. John Barrette, who has coached at several high schools, has a seven-year record of 140-44 at Palo Alto. . . . The combined grade-point average of Palo Alto’s players this season is 3.72. . . . Palo Alto had to order more tickets for Saturday night’s game after selling out its allotment in two hours Monday. . . . Morningside will fly to Oakland today without guard Donminic Ellison, who will catch a later flight after attending his grandmother’s funeral. . . . Palo Alto is trying to finish the season unbeaten for the fourth time in school history. The Vikings were unbeaten in 1929, 1930 and 1942. The only school in state history with more unbeaten seasons than Palo Alto is McClymonds of Oakland with four.