Santa Clara Wards Off Big Threat

Facing its largest deficit of the season against a team that was flying and flowing on the court, Santa Clara High found an old friend that seemed to have been lost in the chaos.

Defense.

The Saints allowed six points during a crucial 11-minute span and withstood a severe test from Price in a 62-54 victory in a Division V quarterfinal of the state boys’ basketball tournament Thursday night at Santa Clara.

Leading the way on offense was neither B.J. Ward nor Nick Jones, but rather center Terrance Dotsy, who needed a big game and came up with it against the taller Knights, scoring 18 points for the top-seeded Saints (21-3).

It might have been the final game at Santa Clara for 41-year Coach Lou Cvijanovich, who is considering retiring after the season.

“I can’t answer that,” said Cvijanovich, who extended his state record with his 826th career victory. “There are a lot of things I have to [ponder].”

Santa Clara will play third-seeded El Cajon Christian in a state semifinal Saturday morning at The Pyramid in Long Beach.

There was no questioning the defensive intensity the Saints displayed after falling behind, 26-13, with three minutes left in the first half.

Santa Clara appeared in trouble when Ward suffered a cut under his nose, forcing him to miss two minutes of the second quarter.

When Ward returned, the Saints went on an 11-0 run and trailed at halftime, 26-24, after a three-point basket by Jones beat the buzzer.

Down, 30-26, two minutes into the third quarter, the Saints went on a 19-2 run to close out the quarter and take a 45-32 lead.

Ward, who was held to two points in the first half, responded with 12 in the third quarter and finished with 15.

Dotsy scored seven points in the fourth quarter and finished with 12 rebounds, consistently boxing out Price’s front-court players.

Fourth-seeded Price (28-3) was led by guard Christopher Alexander with 21 points.