Serra cruises past Compton Centennial, 74-50

Vaughn Autry saw the all-black uniforms laid out in the Galen Center locker room and started jumping around excitedly with his teammates.

Then the significance of the tribute sunk in. Autry got teary-eyed.

“My dad’s favorite color was black,” the Gardena Serra High senior guard said. “He always wore black everything.”

Stephen Autry died last month from heart failure. Shortly before he died, Autry told Cavaliers Coach Dwan Hurt that he would see him in Bakersfield, the site of the state championships.

Serra is headed there after walloping Compton Centennial, 74-50, Saturday afternoon in the Southern California Division III championship. The Cavaliers (33-2) will try to win their first state title since 1993 when they play Oakland Bishop O’Dowd next Saturday at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield.

Autry made the game’s first basket and finished with 11 points to help Serra defeat the Apaches (28-7) for the third time this season. Keith Shamburger scored 14 points and Marqise Lee had 12 points and 11 rebounds for Serra.

Lee, George Farmer and Bene Benwikere are bidding to become the first players from California to win state titles in football and basketball in the same school year. Farmer, who had seven points and eight rebounds, could conceivably win a third title, in track.

“Uh, we don’t want to jump ahead,” Hurt said before Farmer could address the possibility. “We still have a game to play.”

After pulling out two single-digit victories against Centennial this season, Serra altered its game plan Saturday. The Cavaliers came out in a full-court press and had Farmer guard senior forward Kevin Smith, one of the Apaches’ top players.

Farmer helped limit Smith to six points and Serra out-toughed its opponent, pulling down 25 more rebounds and scoring 20 second-chance points. The Cavaliers had nearly as many offensive rebounds (21) as the Apaches had total rebounds (24).

“They just crashed the boards really hard and we got lazy,” said Centennial senior guard Deonte Burton, who scored a game-high 19 points.

Hurt was also emotional Saturday because it was the 10-year anniversary of his mother’s death. His players were already wearing black socks as a tribute to Autry’s father, but there was some confusion when they showed up in white uniforms, the same as Centennial’s players.

“A few of them said, ‘Coach, what are we going to do?’ ” Hurt said. “I said, ‘Don’t worry about it, I’ve got it.’ ”

The Cavaliers returned to their locker room to see the special uniforms. It was a poignant moment for Autry, whose father would flash hand signals from his courtside seat whenever his son needed help keeping his composure.

“I kind of got emotional because I knew it was for my dad,” he said.

Autry also tucked into his sneaker the note his dad gave him prior to the last game he saw his son play. It read, “Play hard, be with God, I’m always here for you and if you need me, I’m on the sideline.”

Dad is still there, in a way.

“Sometimes when I look over,” Autry said, “I picture him still there sitting in the same seat slouched down with his glasses on.”

Hurt said the Cavaliers would wear the black uniforms against Bishop O’Dowd if they are designated the visiting team. Regardless, the trip to Bakersfield already has special significance.

“We’re going to see our friend,” Hurt said. “It’s for him.”

ben.bolch@latimes.com