Santa Clara’s Little Guys Try to Measure Up
Santa Clara has just about every ingredient needed to win the state Division V championship.
Except height.
The Saints (27-3), top-seeded in the Southern Regional, basically run a four-guard offense that highlights the skills of Nick Jones and B.J. Ward.
Their opponent tonight in a Southern Regional semifinal, fourth-seeded Price (28-2), is quick and has four starters 6-feet-3 or taller, including Othel Johnson, a 6-5 junior forward.
Johnson scored 27 points in a 71-67 overtime victory over Pasadena Poly (27-2) in the first round. The Saints handed Pasadena Poly its first loss, 75-52, in the Southern Section Division V-AA final.
“They’re very athletic,” said Steve Cvijanovich, Santa Clara assistant. “They pound the boards, they get up and down the floor. They play hard the whole game.”
*
The Harvard-Westlake (26-5) girls rebounded from a loss to Morningside in the Southern Section Division III-A final to beat San Diego Kearny, 73-62, Tuesday and earn a matchup with Wasco (23-4) tonight in a Southern Regional semifinal.
“We all felt what it was like to lose,” senior forward Omelogo Udeze said. “It wasn’t a good feeling. It kind of ruined our weekend.”
Wasco outlasted Pomona Ganesha, 59-56, Tuesday in the first round. Harvard-Westlake beat Ganesha by 17 points during a December tournament.
*
Beating Fresno Washington Union will be a tall order tonight for Chaminade in a Southern Regional Division III semifinal.
The Eagles (25-4) are up against a lineup that ranges from 6 feet to 6-7, all double-figure scorers. DeShaun Stevenson, a 6-6 junior guard averaging 24 points. Shamell Stallworth, a 6-5 senior forward, averages 21 and is headed to San Francisco on scholarship. Alabama State-bound Coupe Taylor, a senior guard, averages 16 points.
Top-seeded Washington Union (23-6) averages about 90 points.
But Chaminade Coach Jeff Young said Washington plays in a “noncompetitive league” and the Eagles hold opponents to 44 points a game. “I think we’re better defensively than we were last year and I think we can slow them down a bit,” he said.
Staff writer Paige A. Leech and correspondents Mike Bresnahan and Dave Desmond contributed to this notebook.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
Boys, Semifinals
7:30 p.m.
DIVISION III
* Chaminade at Fresno Washington Union
DIVISION V
* Price at Santa Clara
Girls, Semifinal
7:30 p.m.
DIVISION III
* Harvard-Westlake vs. Wasco at Shafter High
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