To be state champions, Crespi and other basketball teams will have to overcome ‘the black hole’

Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento has been known as “the black hole” for high school basketball shooters. Teenagers enter the building excited to play in an NBA arena, then start throwing up airballs from three-point range, causing panic and more missed shots.

“They’re used to playing where the walls are closer, and now it’s really wide open and there’s the magnitude of the game,” said Fairfax Coach Harvey Kitani, whose teams won state titles in 2004 and 2007 in Sacramento.

This year’s state championship games will be played Thursday and Saturday, and the challenge of trying to win games while relying on outside shots in an NBA setting will be on the minds of players and coaches.

There have been moments of success. Katin Reinhardt of Santa Ana Mater Dei set a Division I record with six three-pointers in the 2012 state championship game, a 66-48 win over Sacramento Sheldon.

Former Fairfax and UCLA standout Josh Shipp set what was then a Division I record when he made five three-pointers in the 2004 championship game won by the Lions over Concord De La Salle, 51-35.

Shipp advises, “If you’re a shooter, you can shoot regardless of the gym. Make sure you don’t fall victim to the big stage. Continue to do what got you there and have fun.”

Yes, a positive attitude will help, but facts are facts: There have been some nightmarish shooting nights, such as in 2007, when Oakland McClymonds lost to Fairfax, 54-29, tying the record for fewest points in the modern era of the state championships.

Crepsi guards Brandon Williams, De’Anthony Melton and Taj Regans will try to handle shooting the ball Thursday at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento during the state Division I championship game.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Encino Crespi (32-4) is a team to watch. The Celts have a trio of outstanding guards and it will be interesting to see whether they can adjust when facing Berkeley (24-8) in the Division I boys’ final at 8 p.m. on Thursday.

Last season, the Celts won a state Division IV title playing in Haas Pavilion at UC Berkeley. Senior guard De’Anthony Melton and sophomore guards Brandon Williams and Taj Regans return to test themselves in an even more difficult setting.

“I don’t think it’s going to be a problem,” Williams said. “We’re going to play our game.”

Coach Russell White said shot selection will be more important than playing in an NBA arena.

“Shooting good shots, no issue,” he said.

Added Melton: “We just have to make sure we have open shots.”

Crespi’s opponent, Berkeley, won its regional final game last weekend at Sleep Train Arena while shooting nearly 50% (22 of 45) in a 61-51 victory over Menlo-Atherton.

Boys’ and girls’ Divisions I, III and V are playing Thursday, with the Open Division and Divisions II and IV playing Saturday. Every Southern California Regional champion is from the Southern Section.

Thursday is an opportunity for Chino Hills Ayala (33-3) to be in the spotlight after being overshadowed by its neighbor, unbeaten Chino Hills High. The Bulldogs face Manteca (28-6) in the Division III final at 4 p.m.

In Division I girls, Brea Olinda (28-4) will bid for its 10th state championship in the 6 p.m. game against Sacramento St. Francis (29-5).

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

Twitter:@LATSondheimer