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The most basic shot in basketball is the free throw. Pure and simple, it’s a golden opportunity to tally points. On Saturday at Foothill College, free throws came into play in a big way and were the deciding factor in the CCS Division V title game.
Third-seeded Sacred Heart Prep (19-8) made 12 of 15 charity tosses, while top-seeded Woodside Priory (24-5) made just 4 of 16 as Sacred Heart Prep stunned Woodside Priory, 45-44, for the CCS Division V title.
When the CIF NorCal seedings come out on Sunday, Sacred Heart Prep will receive a high seed and open NorCal play at home on Tuesday, while Woodside Priory will have the burden of hitting the road in a long road trip. Woodside Priory lost in last year’s CCS title game to Bridgemont, also as the No. 1 seed.
“Our guys believe in themselves and we give it our best in every game,” said first-year Sacred Heart Prep coach Tony Martinelli.
The win was sweet for the Gators after losing to Woodside Priory in four straight games, including twice this season in Private Schools Athletic League action. The loss snapped a 40-game win streak Woodside Priory had over PSAL opponents in regular season and playoff play for the past two-plus seasons.
“Free throws were the difference,” said Woodside Priory coach Al Klein. “Give Sacred Heart credit. But, we self-destructed.”
Woodside Priory succeeds when 7-foot-2 senior center Greg Somogyi touches the ball. In the first half, Somogyi got plenty of touches as the Panthers built a 25-20 halftime lead. The lead could have been larger had Woodside Priory made its free throws. The Panthers were 1 of 10 from the line in the first half.
After producing a 29-20 advantage early in the third quarter, Sacred Heart Prep forced turnovers and made its shots to take a 36-34 lead after three quarters. Sacred Heart Prep made 6 of 12 field-goal attempts and forced seven turnovers in the third quarter.
In a back-and-forth final quarter, Sacred Heart Prep junior point guard Ben Taylor nailed two free throws for a 45-42 Gators’ lead with 54.3 seconds left. After the Panthers cut the lead to 45-44 and Sacred Heart Prep failed on a one-and-one opportunity, Woodside Priory had one final chance to corral its first-ever section crown with 16.2 seconds left.
After Woodside Priory junior point guard Andras Helmeczi tried to find Somogyi in the paint, he dribbled left and missed a 15-foot jumper from the left wing. Woodside Priory junior guard Kyle Berka grabbed the errant shot underneath the basket, but as he went up for the potential game-winning shot, was smothered by two Gators as the ball went off Berka and rolled out of bounds with a second remaining.
Taylor was the catalyst for Sacred Heart Prep with drives down the lane and big shots from the perimeter en route to 18 points. Junior forward Alex Baloff and senior guard Mike Nakamura each tallied eight points for the Gators.
Somogyi led Woodside Priory with 14 points, 20 rebounds and three blocked shots. Junior forward Ignas Pavilonis added 11 points for Woodside Priory.
Sacred Heart Prep shot just 33 percent (15 of 45) from the field, while Woodside Priory hit an impressive 19 of 38 shots. Yet, Sacred Heart Prep forced 19 turnovers, while commiting nine and in the end, made those all-important free throws.
“This is a credit to the way our guys practice,” said Martinelli.”
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The Sacred Heart Prep boys’ basketball team had plenty to celebrate on Saturday, a 45-44 victory over No. 1-seeded Woodside Priory in the Central Coast Section Division V championship game. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. -
Sacred Heart Prep senior Bryan Harris (21) and junior Ben Taylor celebrate along with Alex Baloff (33) just moments after the Gators clinched their 45-44 win over Woodside Priory in the CCS Division V finals. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. -
Sacred Heart Prep senior Christian Buono scores in the second half on a reverse layup while Woodside Priory’s Andras Helmeczi wathces. The Gators pulled off a 45-44 victory in the CCS Division V finals. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. -
Woodside Priory’s Kyle Berka (11) has a potential game-winning shot blocked by Bryan Harris and John Melen (42) after Berka grabbed a miss by a teammate in the final 16 seconds. Priory lost, 45-44. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. -
Sacred Heart Prep senior co-captains Bryan Harris (left) and Christian Buono show off the Central Coast Section Division V trophy that the Gators won Saturday by beating top-seeded Woodside Priory. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. -
Woodside Priory’s 7-2 Greg Somogyi (15) blocks a shot by Sacred Heart Prep’s 5-8 Ben Taylor during second-half action in Saturday’s CCS Division V championship game won by SHP, 45-44. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. -
Woodside Priory’s (L-R) Joe Willhite, Tyler Starling, Andras Helmeczi, Greg Somogyi and Keaton Carano show their disappointment after dropping a 45-44 game to SHP in the CCS Division V finals. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. -
Sacred Heart Prep junior guard Ben Taylor (2) scored a game-high 18 points to lead the Gators to a 45-44 victory over Woodside Priory in the CCS Division V finals on Saturday. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online.
