Santa Clara Coaches, Players Are Witnesses for the Defense

“Championship” might be the preferred word at Santa Clara High these days, although “defense” is a close second.

References to the seven-letter word are inevitably spoken in any postgame interview with Santa Clara boys’ basketball coaches or players.

The Saints, who defeated El Cajon Christian, 93-55, in a state tournament Division V semifinal game on Saturday, have allowed an average of 52 points in their last five playoff games.

It was no different at the Pyramid in Long Beach on Saturday.

The Saints had 13 steals and held guard Nick Gonzales of El Cajon Christian, who averaged 14.9 points, in check.

Gonzales scored five points after being hounded by B.J. Ward into two-of-eight shooting.

“That was my job to shut him down,” Ward said.

“If we focus on defense, all the offense will come into place.”

Ward, who scored 24 points, would know.

He had a steal in the first quarter that led to an uncontested dunk.

Ward added six more points on transition baskets fueled by turnovers.

No matter how well the Saints play defensively, Coach Lou Cvijanovich expects more.

Perhaps a shutout would satisfy him.

“We’ll work again on defense [at practice Monday],” Cvijanovich said.

“Promise.”

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Cvijanovich, who has coached at Santa Clara for 41 years and has contemplated retirement, was compared by one of his players to Michael Jordan.

“He said he’s going to go day by day,” Nick Jones, Santa Clara guard-forward said.

“I want to take him out on a high, similar to Michael Jordan. He deserves that.”

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The Saints, who won state Division IV titles in 1989 and 1990, will make their first appearance in a state final since getting blown out by Hayward in 1991.

“We got a taste of state last year,” said Jones, referring to the Saints’ early exit in the second round.

“We want it big time this year.”

Santa Clara owned decisive advantages in several statistics against El Cajon Christian.

The Saints had more rebounds, 38-18; assists, 21-11, and shots, 65-42.

They also led in steals, 13-2.

“We started getting all those steals time after time [for an early lead], so that when we set up our offense we were relaxed and confident,” Jones said.

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Coach Randy Wright of El Cajon Christian, was surprised by the relative silence at the Pyramid.

Wright’s team played a state quarterfinal game on Thursday before a noisy crowd at Cambria Coast Union High.

He said the atmosphere on Saturday was markedly different.

“It was like playing in a library,” Wright said.

“It was quiet.”

The announced attendance was 438.