City College of San Francisco earned a trip to the California State Championship game for the first time since 1986, holding off #1-South San Bernardino for a 72-68 win in the semifinal Saturday evening at Cal Lutheran in the California Community College state tournament.
CCSF went on a 17-2 run early in the second half to take a 14-point lead, but saw that margin shrink to just two points late in the game. And SBVC PG Nate Roth, who led all scorers in the game with 24 pts, had a chance to tie the score with a 3-pointer with about five seconds left in the game.
But his shot rimmed out. PF Da'Ron Sims tapped the rebound out to SF De'end Parker, who was fouled with 2.1 seconds left. Parker then made one of two free throws to make it 72-68, clinching the win and sending the Rams to the championship game.
Early on, it looked as if CCSF would have little chance as SBVC jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the game's first 1:12. The Wolverines pushed their lead to eight points after a 3-pointer by Roth made it 13-5.
But then CCSF steadied itself, scoring the game's next eight points to tie the score at 13 after a steal & basket by SG Daryl Cooper, and taking the lead when Cooper's 3-pointer moments later made it 16-15. CCSF pushed its lead to as many as six points at 28-22 before SBVC rallied to make it a one-point game at 32-31 in favor of the Rams at the break.
When the second half began, SBVC went back in front on a pair of free throws by Ctr Orlando Brazier just 18 seconds into the half, giving the heavily-favored Wolverines a 33-32 lead. But it would be their last lead of the game, and their last lead of the season.
Then came the 17-2 CCSF run. A lay-up by PF Christopher White, started when White poked the ball away to Parker, made it a 10-point game at 45-35. Parker scored on a putback to make it 47-35. Then run ended with a slam dunk by Sims that made it 49-35.
SBVC gradually chipped away at that lead, getting within nine points at 54-45 with 11:10 left and within seven at 54-47 after a basket by Roth. Roth hit a 3-pointer with 6:25 left to make it a five-point game at 62-57, and his free throw with 3:33 left made it a four-point game at 68-64. PF Curtis Wilkinson scored on a putback of his own miss moments later to get SBVC within two points at 68-66.
But CCSF never let the rest of the lead get away. Parker scored on an alley-oop jam from Cooper to make it 70-66. SBVC got a steal & dunk from SF Aaron Edwards to make it 70-68 with 52.9 seconds left, and got the ball back on a CCSF turnover with 45.6 seconds left. Parker was fouled and split two free throws with 19.9 seconds left, making it a 3-point game at 71-68 but leaving it a one-possession game with plenty of time left.
SBVC got the ball into the frontcourt and Roth attempted the game-winning shot, but it missed. Sims' tap to Parker, and Parker's clinching free throw finally sealed the win, sending CCSF to the title game.
Parker and Ctr Jonathan Williams each had 13 pts for CCSF, and Sims came off the bench for 12 pts on 6-for-7 from the floor. Parker also had 5 pts and 4 asts. White had 9 pts plus 7 rebs and 4 asts, while SG Bennie Rhodes had 9 pts, 3 rebs and 3 steals. Overall CCSF shot 52% from the floor for the game.
Roth led all scorers with 24 pts, including 3 threes. Brazier had 12 pts and SG Sydney Hall had 11.
box score
Saturday, March 13, 2010 - 5 pm
at Cal Lutheran, Thousand Oaks
State Semifinal #1
San Francisco Rams 72:
5-Christopher White, PF - 3/8 fg, 3/4 ft, 7 reb, 4 ast, 1 blk, 2 stl, 1 pf, 9 pts
11-Bennie Rhodes, SG - 4/11 fg, 3 reb, 3 stl, 9 pts
20-Calvin Douglas, PG - 3/4 fg, 1/2 ft, 1 reb, 2 pf, 8 pts
21-De'end Parker, SF - 5/11 fg, 3/6 ft, 5 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 13 pts
23-Jonathan Williams, C - 5/7 fg, 3/4 ft, 6 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 2 pf, 13 pts
3-Daryl Cooper, G - 2/4 fg, 3/6 ft, 1 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 3 pf, 8 pts
24-Tyler Brown, G - 0/2 fg, 1 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 2 pf, 0 pts
34-Da'Ron Sims, F - 6/7 fg, 0/2 ft, 6 reb, 3 ast, 2 blk, 2 stl, 1 pf, 12 pts
team rebounds: 5
Totals: 28/54 fg (.519), 13/24 ft (.542), 35 reb, 16 ast, 3 blk, 13 stl, 14 pf, 72 pts
3-pt fg (3): Rhodes, Douglas, Cooper
Turnovers (22): Parker 8, White 3, Rhodes 3, Douglas 3, Williams 2, Sims 2, Cooper
San Bernardino Valley Wolverines 68:
1-Sydney Hall, SG - 4/8 fg, 2/2 ft, 3 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk, 3 stl, 11 pts
4-Tre Brewer, SF - 2/10 fg, 1/2 ft, 2 reb, 3 ast, 3 pf, 5 pts
5-Nate Roth, PG - 9/17 fg, 3/4 ft, 4 reb, 2 ast, 3 pf, 24 pts
32-Orlando Brazier, C - 4/6 fg, 4/4 ft, 5 reb, 1 ast, 2 blk, 1 stl, 2 pf, 12 pts
45-Curtis Wilkinson, PF - 1/6 fg, 5 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 2 pts
33-Maurice McGee, F - 3/10 fg, 7 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 3 pf, 6 pts
30-Aaron Edwards, F - 3/6 fg, 1 ast, 4 pf, 6 pts
23-D'Shaun Holden, G - 1 reb, 0 pts
15-Orlando Collins, F - 1/2 fg, 0/1 ft, 3 reb, 1 blk, 1 pf, 2 pts
12-David Rawlinson, G - 0/2 fg, 3 rebs, 0 pts
team rebounds: 3
Totals: 27/67 fg (.403), 10/15 ft (.667), 36 reb, 13 ast, 4 blk, 9 stl, 19 pf, 68 pts
3-pt fg (4): Roth 3, Hall
Technical Foul: Edwards
Turnovers (20): Roth 8, Hall 3, Brazier 3, Holden 3, Brewer, Wilkinson, Rawlinson
Halftime Score: San Francisco 32, San Bernardino Valley 31
Updated Records: San Francisco 28-4, San Bernardino Valley 31-3
CCSF went on a 17-2 run early in the second half to take a 49-35 lead and led the rest of the way, though SBVC got within 2 in the final minute. Roth's would-be game-tying 3-pt try in the final seconds missed; Sims tapped out the rebound and Parker sealed the win with a free throw
