Village Christian’s Joe Shashaty steps up in Division V title game
With foul trouble mounting and a fourth-quarter lead beginning to dwindle, Sun Valley Village Christian turned to the most unlikely of players, reserve guard Joe Shashaty, to deliver the decisive blows in the Division V state championship basketball game Saturday at Power Balance Pavilion.
Shashaty made consecutive three-pointers midway through the final quarter, enabling the Crusaders (32-3) to protect a four-point lead and come away with a 62-51 victory over Alameda St. Joseph Notre Dame for their first state title.
“Joe played with unbelievable confidence,” Coach Jon Shaw said. “That’s what you want your seniors to do on a big stage like this.”
Shashaty made all four of his three-point attempts, including three in the second half, to finish with 12 points. He drained his threes in the fourth after his team’s top player, Marquis Salmon, had fouled out with 4:26 left and the lead had been sliced to 47-43.
“I was feeling it, so I kept letting it fly,” Shashaty said.
Sophomore Bryan Alberts overcame picking up three fouls in the first nine minutes to finish with 17 points. He sat on the bench most of the second quarter, and Kristian Robles filled in well, leaving Village Christian with a 20-18 halftime lead.
Once Alberts returned, Village Christian regained its confidence, building a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter. Salmon contributed 12 points and Marsalis Johnson 11.
St. Joseph, which won consecutive Division I titles 20 years ago when Jason Kidd was the star, received 15 points from Temidayo Yussef.
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