SoCalHoops CIF State Tournament News

D-V Boys Final: Price Beats
Hoopa Valley For Title--(Mar. 20, 2000)

Price 71, Hoopa Valley 66--Price overcame a 15-point second quarter deficit to win, 71-66, at Arco Arena and earn its first state title.   With nearly 2,000 Hoopa fans attending the game at ARCO Arena, the Northern California Division V champion Warriors led Price High School of Los Angeles nearly the entire game before the Southern California champions rallied for the D-V CIF championship.

Price forward Jermaine Jamison scored 17 points, point guard Mychal Lynch had 15 and guards Chris Alexander and Andrew Howard added 11 and 10 points, respectively. The Knights finished 33-1, their only defeat to Division IV Pasadena Marshall Fundamental.   Hoopa Valley (31-4), the first team from a native American reservation to play in the State Finals,  made seven three-point shots in the first half en route to a 39-24 lead with less than two minutes left in the second quarter.  It was the largest deficit Price faced this season.  But the Knights closed to within 39-28 by halftime and 55-48 by the end of the third quarter. 

Price finally tied the score, 55-55, on a basket and free throw by Jamison about midway through the fourth quarter,  then took the lead 25 seconds later on another basket by Jamison.  Ponikvar finished with 25 points.   After leading by as many as 15 points due to an exceptional first half, Hoopa found disaster lurking in the fourth period. Ill-timed turnovers, foul trouble and inconsistent shooting led to a final period that allowed the Knights to outscore the Warriors 23-11.   The Warriors were still able to give themselves a shot at winning.

Hoopa found themselves in the unenviable position of needing a desperation 3-point shot to tie with just under 10 seconds left.  But unfortunately for the Warriors, that's when Hoopa junior point guard Joe Smith was whistled for   double dribbling which resulted in a turnover and ensured the win for Price.   Smith, whom many believe could be a potential Division V Player of the Year candidate, was dribbling upcourt under heavy pressure as the clock ticked down, when he was cut off by defenders as he tried to crossover near between the midcourt and the 3-point line. Smith finished with 19 points, six assists and six steals, including three consecutive free throws in the final minute to bring the Warriors within one.

Price initially opened up the game by jumping out to a 10-4 lead. The Knights' lead would not last long. Hoopa, led by the 3-point shooting and pressure defense that got it to the finals, then went on a 13-4 run to close out the first period and claim a lead they wouldn't give up until late in the fourth period. Behind Adam Ponikvar, who was the game's leading scorer with 25 points and 12 rebounds, the Warriors built an 11-point lead before going into the locker room at halftime.  While Ponikvar got the points inside, Smith, Marshall, and Jake Gilliam were doing their thing outside, as the Warriors shot and made six three-pointers in the first half. 

But ultimately, shooting 69.% from the field, a remarkable number for a high school team, Price proved to be too much for the Warriors.  In fact, every Price scorer shot better than 50%.  Fouls also played a big roll in this game as Price shot 32 times from the charity stripe, while Hoopa only shot 14 times from the line.

Price Knights (71)

Hoopa Valey Warriors (66)

Technicals:  None

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