SANTA CRUZ — One great game plan. One great start in a key contest. And Santa Cruz High’s boys basketball team is one win away from the greatest of seasons.
A 55-35 home victory over Jefferson sent the unbeaten Cardinals into Saturday’s Central Coast Section Division III championship at home against Burlingame.
Santa Cruz (19-0) is in a section final for the fourth straight year and 11th time in school history.
“It was good,” said Jack Busenhart, the Cardinals’ 6-foot-7 senior center. “We rebound, play defense and get good looks. And we play together as a team. We’ve got one more to go to get it done.”
Point guard Matt Burns drained four 3-pointers and scored a team-high 14 points for the Cardinals. Aden Cury, a 6-4 sophomore forward, scored 12 points, Busenhart scored 10 points and freshman Demeke Smith added nine points.
Kosi Warren-House shined at both ends of the court and 6-7 senior center Alan Chen combined with Cury and Busenhart to control the boards.
The undersized but feisty Grizzlies (7-4) from Daly City were led by Anthony Cardoza and Lance Solanoy with eight points each.
“We gave the kids a game plan and they came out and executed it almost flawlessly,” Santa Cruz coach Lawan Milhouse said. “We’re bigger and we imposed our will on a smaller team. Everybody was all in. We wanted to pound the ball down low. When we hit jump shots, we’re pretty hard to beat.”
Santa Cruz rocketed out to an 18-7 lead by the 1:30 mark of the first quarter and led by double digits thereafter. The Cardinals were on fire from the perimeter and dominated inside.
Busenhart set the tone by drilling a 3 on the game’s first possession. He converted an offensive rebound for a 5-0 lead and shortly thereafter, Santa Cruz was raining 3-pointers again. Burns drained one from the left baseline, Curry sank a top-of-the-arc trey and the red-hot Burns matched that. Busenhart added two more buckets and the Cardinals were off and rolling, never to be touched.
The Cardinals led 21-9 after the first quarter, 32-17 at halftime, and 40-23 after three quarters.
“Jack is a senior and he did some very key things,” Milhouse said. “Aden is the glue for us. Matt Burns hit some big shots. We need everybody.”
Throughout the COVID-19 delayed season that only became reality in March, the boys of winter are now the boys of late spring. Soquel gave Santa Cruz their three toughest battles, with all three matches decided by single digits. Milhouse cites the perseverance of his players, who have maintained through many COCID-19 tests, lack of travel in order to ensure safety, and conviction toward basketball.
“It’s a family atmosphere here,” Milhouse said. “The guys know each other and like playing together on the school team.”
Next up for the top-seeded Cardinals is No. 2 Burlingame, a 57-51 victor over No. 3 Saratoga. In the quarterfinals, Burlingame knocked off Aptos 60-40.
“The game’s going to be tough,” Milhouse said. “We’re gonna give our best crack at it.”
Sacred Heart Prep 90, Scotts Valley 48
ATHERTON — Aidan Braccia, a 6-2 junior guard, scored a career-high 34 points and the top-seed Gators ended the No. 4 Falcons’ season in the CCS D-IV semifinals.
Harrison Carrington, a 6-6 senior forward, scored 22 points for SHP (14-7), which hosts The King’s Academy (8-4) for the title Saturday at 6 p.m.
It was the fifth time this season that the Gators have scored 80 or more points. They scored a season-best 96 points in a rout of Pinewood on May 19.
THE SCORES
CCS basketball
Thursday’s semifinals
Division III: At No. 1 Santa Cruz 55, No. 5 Jefferson 35
D-IV: At No. 1 Sacred Heart Prep 90, No. 4 Scotts Valley 48
UP NEXT
Saturday’s Championship
D-III: No. 2 Burlingame (10-4) at No. 1 Santa Cruz (19-0), 7:30 p.m
