SoCalHoops Playoff News

CIF-SS V-AA Preview:
Ribet Academy v. Santa Clara--(Feb. 25, 2002)

We're down to the next to the last two games in Division V-AA before Friday night's finals.  This was one of those brackets where the seeding actually worked out as planned, no upsets, no darkhorse teams knocking off seeded teams, and the No. 1 team will play No. 4, and No. 2 and No. 3 will also meet, and if everything goes as the seeding committee set this one up, the No. 1 team will meet No. 2 in the finals on Friday at LMU.  Of course Apple Valley Christian and Santa Clara will have a thing or two to say about that in the interim....

One word about the finals at LMU:   According to the CIF-SS office, the times for the finals in Divisions IV and V at LMU on Friday (and the finals in Divisions I, II and III at the Pond on Saturday) have not yet been set.  The times for the finals will be announced on Wednesday, February 27, 2001.  Until then, we just won't know.

But we do know when the semifinals take place.   Here is a brief look at the semifinal game in the upper half of the bracket, No. 1 v. No. 4:

No. 2 Ribet Academy v. No. 3 Santa Clara
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Place: Oaks Christian HS (Santa Clara hosting)

The No. 2 seeded Ribet Academy Fighting Frogs (19-8) will play the Saints of Santa Clara (17-8) in a semifinal game in the lower half of the bracket tomorrow night at Oaks Christian HS, which is the "alternate site" selected by Santa Clara for the game.  It's a brand new gym, really a very large court (92 feet x 50 feet, standard and college pro dimensions), so everyone had better be ready to run.  

Ribet knocked off Valley Torah on Saturday night, in a game that we neglected to report on, but here's what the L.A. Times had to say occurred in the brief note posted on the Times' website:  "

Ribet Academy 66, Valley Torah 62 --Garrick Gaines scored 32 points for second-seeded Ribet Academy (19-8). Yair Katz scored 24 points for visiting Valley Torah.

Santa Clara beat Pacific Hills, a wild-card entry from the Delphic League also on Saturday night.  Here's what the Times had to say about that game, in pertinent part:

Santa Clara 68, Pacific Hills 48--Alex Minney recorded 31 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks for Santa Clara (17-8) and Anthony Marquez added 18 points.

We've seen both of these teams multiple times this season, and frankly, we can't pick a favorite.  Both teams have their strengths and weaknesses, and overall this is a tossup as far as we can tell.  Santa Clara has the history and tradition of 3 previous State Championship, as well as 15 prior CIF Section titles under their former head coach, the legendary Lou Cvjinovich, who retired a few years ago (red socks and all).  He's reportedly still at the school in an advisory capacity, but we haven't seen him at any of the road games we've watched Santa Clara play.  Head coach Marty Meyer and assistant Alex Santana have done a remarkable job with this group, and they've played some bigger, tougher teams, and Santa Clara can't be faulted a bit for playing a cream-puff schedule.  Virtually every opponent they've played and beaten has been from a larger, higher enrollment division, and they've also lost to some of the best teams in the state:   They lost to undefeated No. 1 Division III-AA seed Compton Centennial by only 10 points, 63-53, played NorCal St. Mary's in another close loss, beat Sparks, Nevada, beat Crespi by 10, Bishop Diego by 11, LA City Section Monroe by 6, Alemany by 22, St. Joseph Santa Maria by 12 and stayed close with Division I-A Oxnard....you get the picture.  And if that wasn't impressive enough, they also scrimmaged Mater Dei at the beginning of the year.   And even though the Saints lost two of their key players midway through the season, they still are a tough team to beat, whether on the road or at their place.

In the playoffs, Santa Clara beat Rio Contiguo in the first round 59-34,  then beat Newbury Park Adventist 76-50, and finally beat Pacific Hills by 20 on Saturday.  Key players are Alex Minney, a 6'-7" Sr. C who can also shoot the three, and Tim La Joie, a 6'-3" Jr. G, as well as Ricky Payne, a 6'-2" Sr. PG, Anthony Marquez 6'-3" Sr. SG, and Jimmie Griffin 6-3" Jr. F.

Ribet hasn't been playing cupcakes either, and they've taken on (and lost 91-72) LA Fremont, and Antelope Valley (81-79 loss), but they've also beaten some good teams, including Kilpatrick, Bell Jeff, Nordhoff, Pacific Hills, LA El Camino Real, Quartz Hills, LA Monroe, Modesto Calvary Temple, Capital Christian, as well as beating Rolling Hills Prep at the Fresno Christian tournament in December before dropping two league contests to RHP.  The Frogs have also played Gardena Serra, but lost decisively, 61-42, and they were also beaten soundly by Price 73-57, in the one game they got to play before Price had to forfeit their last contest for over-scheduling.

In the playoffs, Ribet has beaten Desert Christian Bermuda Dunes 87-50 in the first round, then beat Villanova Perp 66-41 in the second round, and finally beat Valley Torah on Saturday night in a late game which didn't start until 9:00 p.m. at Ribet.

Both teams like to run, but Ribet likes to run a little more and they're a more athletic team than the Saints, who lost their starting point guard shortly before the end of league play, and were forced to restructure their offense somewhat.  Santa Clara likes to spread the court and they are not at all hesitant to shoot the three, whereas Ribet is more of a penetrating and slashing team. In terms of pure depth, both in numbers and raw talent, Ribet has the edge, but then Santa Clara has the experience, and they've also got that 6th man on the floor, their fans.....If you've never been to a Santa Clara game, let's just say that they travel well and alway bring a large contingent of alumni and fans with them. 

Here are the rosters for both teams (height and weights were provided by the schools, so if they're wrong, talk to the coaches, not us):

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