Praise Santa Maria: Big game from deep lifts No. 5 Monte Vista over No. 4 Moreau Catholic in NCS playoffs
HAYWARD — After Anthony Santa Maria sank another three, this one from the far corner moments into the second half, Monte Vista principal Kevin Ahorn turned and said, “I told Anthony’s mom at halftime, if he hits four more of those, we’ve got this.”
Santa Maria, the fifth-seeded Mustangs’ sharp-shooting senior, had already connected twice from deep in the first half. He would finish with four total, between both halves, but Ahorn was right on principle — Santa Maria’s game-high 22 points led Monte Vista to a 63-60 win over No. 4 Moreau Catholic in the Mariners’ gym.
“I was just trusting the flow of the game, waiting for the ball to come to me,” Santa Maria said. “I’m just sitting in the corner and they’re moving the ball quickly to get me in position to shoot the ball.”
The higher-seeded team never led in this NCS Division I sectional quarterfinal. Moreau Catholic coach Frank Knight had to call an early timeout to wake his team up after falling into a 7-2 hole of which the Mariners could not climb out.
One of three pivotal moments, in the mind of Monte Vista coach Nick Jones, came in the final seconds of the first half. Junior forward D’aunte Johnson had just gotten his own rebound, then completed a three-point play to pull Moreau into its first and only tie after the first basket. Freshman LeBrie Goudy-Lee swatted the Mustangs’ following attempt, about to give the Mariners all the momentum entering halftime — if not for senior Evan Dunphy, who was standing in the corner waiting to drill another 3-pointer as the buzzer rang.
“They had all the momentum,” Jones said. “They had tied it. Then that 3 kind of got us momentum back. It was a different halftime up three as opposed to tied.”
At seemingly every turn, there was an open Mustang waiting on the perimeter to snuff out any Moreau run. Monte Vista opened a 12-point lead, 46-34, early in the fourth quarter. Moreau scored five of the next six baskets to pull within four. Thud. Another three — this one from senior Nate Rutchena, who finished with eight points.
Minutes later, here came Moreau again, marching back. With the help of a friendly whistle that had the visiting crowd livid by the end, junior Devin Arnold pulled the Mariners within four again, 58-54, with two free throws. But Dunphy got behind the pressing defense on the inbounds pass and converted an easy layup that served as ice on the victory. His 13 points trailed only Santa Maria.
“The end wasn’t pretty,” Jones said. “But we did what we had to do to win. I thought we weathered three storms where they could’ve really jumped us.”
A season after claiming the NCS crown, a very different Mariners squad got bounced in the quarterfinals. Losing six seniors, who accounted for 73.5% of their scoring last year, proved to be too much for the Mariners. But they return all of what should be a formidable starting five next season.
Johnson, a lanky, playmaking junior, never fully turned it on but finished with eight points and a game-high nine rebounds. Sophomore guard Trey Knight was a thorn all night, forcing five steals and converting a couple into baskets en route to a team-high 14 points.
But Friday night, it came down to experience, Jones believes.
“I thought our kids acted like veterans early. And I thought we weathered a couple storms,” he said. “They’ve been in these games. … We had some nerves at times, but I’m really proud of our guys.”
With a pair of NCS wins in their pocket, the Mustangs now get the rematch they’ve been waiting for: top-seeded De La Salle, which advanced with ease over No. 8-seed College Park. As East Bay Athletic League foes, they’ve already faced off twice, splitting the season series.
It’s moments like these that Santa Maria thinks back to last May, when the Mustangs were gathering at the Monte Vista gym at 6 a.m. to put up shots.
“I don’t know a lot of teams that are doing that,” he said.
It will be put to the test with a trip to the NCS title game on the line Tuesday.
“We’re very familiar with (De La Salle). They’re very familiar with us,” Jones said. “It’s going to be a war.”