Timing Is Everything for Jones, Santa Clara

The Central Valley Christian High boys’ basketball team felt the impact of Santa Clara’s Nick Jones on Tuesday night.

Jones, who missed most of the season with a broken foot, had 23 points, 13 rebounds and six assists to lead the Saints past the Cavaliers, 67-49, in a Southern Regional Division V first-round playoff game at Charles Marshall Court.

“The chemistry with everyone is coming little by little,” said Jones, a 6-foot-3 junior. “Now, I know when to shoot and when to pass.”

Jones missed most of the Saints’ regular season after injuring himself in practice. His absence contributed to Santa Clara’s 14-13 record entering Tuesday’s game.

“Their record is very deceiving,” said Central Valley Christian Coach Jay Woudstra, whose team finished 24-5. “When you lose a guy like [Jones] and get him back, that’s a big factor. We couldn’t keep the ball out of his hands.”

Santa Clara, the Southern Section Division V-A runner-up, took control of the game with a 13-0 run during a four-minute stretch of the first quarter that saw the Saints build a 17-7 lead.

Central Valley Christian, the Central Section champion, could get no closer than eight points the rest of the way.

The Saints’ athleticism led to several second-shot opportunities and a 34-26 advantage on the boards.

“Our quickness bothered them immensely,” Santa Clara Coach Lou Cvijanovich said. “And we did a good job of keeping them off the boards.”

An 8-2 spurt got the Cavaliers to within eight, 40-32, with 2:15 left in the third quarter, but Jones answered with a three-point play.

“We came out and played hard like coach said,” Jones said. “There were no negative attitudes.”

The Saints also received 27 points from B.J. Ward, who also had eight rebounds and four assists.

Central Valley Christian was led by Blake Van Der Schaaf’s 23 points.