SoCalHoops Playoff News

Boys D-III State Final Game Preview:
Centennial vs. Riordan--(Mar. 23, 2002)

We've managed to find some previews of this game, including a projected starting lineup from the Long Beach Press-Telegram, which covers Centennial on a regular basis.  The LA Times' Ben Bolch wrote a short preview in the print-only version of the paper, published in today's high school section, and the Chronicle has a similar preview as well.  The best info though, in our view, comes from Ted Kian of the Long Beach Press-Telegram. Here's what we were able to quickly locate as we head out the door this morning to watch players at various games taking place around SoCal whose teams have already been eliminated and who all wish they were in Sacramento instead:

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Compton Centennial (31-1) vs. San Francisco Archbishop Riordan (30-3),  @ 2:45 p.m.

Compton Centennial forward Darius Sanders is attempting to win a fourth state title after being part of three consecutive Division II champins at Compton Dominguez.  His supporting cast played perhaps its finest basketball of the season last week in Centnnial's 56-47 victory over Torrance Bishop Montgomery int he Southern California Regional final.  Sterling Byrd and Gabriel Pruitt knocked down jump shots, Jonathan Smith make key passes and Arron Afflalo scored 18 points.  Riordan, like Centennial, is seeking its first state title.  Rirodan lost to Bishop Montgomery in last year's champinoship game. Riordan swingman Marquise Kately, who has committed to California, had 20 points and 12 rebounds in the Northern California Regional final.  Texas El Paso-bound John Tofi, a left-handed force inside, had 24 points and 15 rebounds.--Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times

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From the Long Beach Press-Telegram
Published March 23, 2002
Teams look to break the ice
By Ted Kian, staff writer

One coach believes his team came through a tougher region, has more overall quickness, and superior talent and size at the guard positions.  The other is banking on his squad's front-court play, championship-game experience and big-game toughness that he said was developed while competing in the premier prep boys basketball league in Northern California. 

But Centennial High coach Rod Palmer and San Francisco Riordan coach Richard Forslund have several traits in common. They are both highly successful coaches who have built their programs into two of the state's best in recent years. 

More important, both men will be trying to lead their programs to the first state championship crown in school history today when Centennial and Riordan square off in the CIF Division III boys final in Sacramento's ARCO Arena at 2:45 p.m. 

It will be the second consecutive state finals appearance for Riordan, which has advanced to the Northern California Regional finals four of the past five years. The Crusaders fell, 55-43, to Bishop Montgomery in last year's state
championship game. 

"We have four returning starters back from that game and I hope the experience of having been there before will be beneficial," Forslund said. "Last year's game against Bishop Montgomery was 34-32, them, after three quarters, but then our best player, Marquise Kately, got blood on his jersey. By the time he got back in, they had gone on a 6-0 run. 

"Bishop Montgomery was the best coached team we had played by far. But from what I understand and have seen on film, Centennial is very similar. They are well-coached, play seven or eight guys, have some super athletes,   but they don't have tremendous size." 

Centennial is also quite familiar with Bishop Montgomery. The Apaches (31-1) lost to Bishop Montgomery in a CIF-SS final for the third consecutive season three weeks ago, but avenged that loss with a 56-47 win over the Knights in Centennial's initial appearance in a Southern California Regional final last week. "I don't think our kids are overconfident at all," said Palmer, whose squad is ranked No.‚47 nationally by Student Sports magazine. "That first loss to Bishop Montgomery was a wake-up call, because our kids now know that if they don't come to play and play hard every game that they can lose. We're going to be facing a very good team in Riordan, so we'll have to be at our best." 

Conceding that the Apaches have more overall quickness, Forslund is hoping to pound the ball inside against Centennial and win the battle of the boards. The Crusaders (30-4) start three players who are 6-foot-4 or taller, and all have the ability to score in the post. 

Foremost among those three are Kately, a 6-5 California commitment who averages 18 points and 10 rebounds, and 6-7, 250-senior John Tofi, a UTEP signee who averages 15 points and 12 rebounds. They will likely be paired against Centennial's inside duo of 6-6, 240-pound forward Darius Sanders, who averages 16.6 points and 9.3 rebounds, and 6-6 senior Sterling Byrd, who averages 15.5 points and 6.3 rebounds.  

Centennial, which starts three guards, appears to have a major advantage in its backcourt, particularly with the emergence of sophomore point guard Arron Afflalo as a standout. Afflalo, who missed 15 games this season with a  broken thumb, had 18 points, 6 assists and 3 steals last week against Bishop Montgomery. 

"I think some of our big guys will present problems for them as far as matching up, but our success will depend on how our guards play," Forslund said. "We're pretty tough when our guards play well, but all of our losses occurred when they didn't play well, and the size of their backcourt concerns me. (6-2 sophomore guard) Gabriel Pruitt can obviously shoot lights out and the sophomore point guard (Afflalo) looks really good."  Forslund is to quick point out that his squad competes in the historically strong West Catholic Athletic League. Three of his squad's four losses came within league play, including two to San Francisco Sacred Heart. But the Crusaders defeated Sacred Heart three times this season, culminated by a 67-61 win in last week's Northern California Regional final. 

While Centennial's Ocean League is not exactly known for its basketball prowess, Palmer points out that his team beat two-time defending champion Bishop Montgomery to get to this game and also won impressive nonleague games this year over schools such as Poly and Modesto Christian.  The majority of the Centennial players have never participated in a game of this magnitude, so Palmer said that the squad will look for more production from Sanders and Saul Lankster, both of whom are transfers from Dominguez, which won the past three CIF Division II state titles. 

"We've been leaning on those two for leadership all year and they both have broad shoulders, so I don't know why we'd stop right now," Palmer said. "They know what to expect in a game like this and it's comforting to know that they've experienced the outcome we want to experience."

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From the San Francisco Chronicle

DIVISION III BOYS: Centennial of Compton (Southern Section, 31-1) vs. Riordan of San Francisco (Central Coast Section, 30-4), 2:45 p.m.

Centennial has been eliminated the past two seasons by two-time defending state champion Bishop Montgomery of Torrance (Los Angeles County), but it beat Montgomery in this year's South Region final behind 18 points from 6-3 sophomore point guard Arron Affalo. The Apaches reached their first state title game thanks in part to the transfers of two Dominguez players, 6-6 Darius Sanders and 6-5 Saul Lankster. Sanders is a wide body headed for Oregon [SoCalHoops Note: We don't know where this statement comes from...we know Sanders has been getting recruited by a lot of schools, including some recent football recruiting interest because he played for Lynwood this past season, but we have not confirmed that he's committed anywhere yet].  He'll likely defend Riordan's 6-7 John Tofi, who had 24 points and 16 rebounds in a 67-61 North Region title win over Sacred Heart Cathedral. Look for 6-6 senior guard Sterling Byrd to match up with Riordan's Marquise Kately, who had 20 points and 12 rebounds. The Crusaders lost in last year's state title game.

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From the San Francisco Chronicle
Riordan's two stars also shine off court
Mitch Stephens, Special to The Chronicle
Saturday, March 23, 2002

It was one of the first days of practice and Riordan High's Marquise Kately sensed something wasn't quite right with fellow senior John Tofi.   Tofi wasn't just being quiet -- he's always quiet -- but Kately picked up on his body language, the glassy eyes, the spotty play. 

"No one else noticed," Tofi said, "but Marquise pulled me aside and asked, 'What's up?' 

"I was having problems with my girlfriend. Marquise shared some of his problems and how he handled things. He told me to be patient and things would work out. He was right."  Tofi and Kately are connected by more than just entry passes or follow shots. They are true-blue friends clad in Riordan purple and gold, brought together by the game and bonded by big but delicate hearts.  They form one of the top one-two punches in the state, and in city history, but their fists are rarely clenched. 

Their dispositions belie their statures -- Tofi is 6-foot-7, 245 pounds and Kately 6-5, 215 -- and their stats -- Kately averages 18.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, Tofi 15 and 10.2.  "You'll never see John or Marquise pounding their chest, saying 'Look at me,  look at me,' " Riordan coach Rich Forslund said. "For big-time players, they are very unselfish. They are always more concerned about their teammates than individual success. They quietly go about their business and get the job done." 

A victory over Centennial of Compton (31-1) in today's Division III state championship game at 2:45 p.m. at Arco Arena in Sacramento would cap their prep careers with a sonic boom.  In two seasons, they've led the Crusaders (30-4) to 58 victories and two Northern California championships.   They lost in last year's state title game to Bishop Montgomery of Torrance 55-43. Tofi and Kately combined for 25 points and 18 rebounds but played below par.  "That hurt," Kately said. "But I wasn't about to put my head down. The only thing on my mind was how to get back." 

He and Tofi played AAU ball during the summer, sharpening skills and chiseling bodies. More importantly, they became closer friends.  "We found out we had more in common than just basketball," Tofi said.  Both come from supportive, tight-knit families. Both followed in large footsteps left by bigger brothers.  Robert Kately starred for Westmoor High in Daly City and recently earned all-conference junior college honors for Skyline College. His uncle Orlando Phillips starred at Pepperdine and played professionally overseas. Another relative, Chris McNealy, played at San Jose State and had a short stint in the  NBA. "He was exposed to some very talented players in his family, so it always kept him humble," said Kately's mother, Cheryl Phillips. 

Phillips said her son was a "little toughie" as a youngster, but he grew out of it.  "He kind of ran the apartment complex we used to live in," she said. "He got in his share of fights and kept kids in line. But he became a mediator by the time he left elementary school."  Tofi comes from a large Samoan family that often helps fill Riordan's stands.  "I'll have 40 or 50 coming out (today)," he said.  His parents guided him by the Golden Rule and his culture taught him to relax and enjoy living in the moment.   "He's one of the nicest kids you ever want to meet," Forslund said of Tofi. "Nothing seems to faze him. He's always got a smile on his face."

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Press-Telegram's projected starting lineups:

CENTENNIAL APACHES (31-1)
F Sterling Byrd, 6-6, sr.
F Darius Sanders, 6-6, sr.
G Gabriel Pruitt, 6-2, soph.
G Jonathan Smith, 5-9, sr.
PG Arron Afflalo, 6-3, soph.

S.F. RIORDAN CRUSADERS (30-4)
F Ryan Bruno, 6-4, sr.
F Marquise Kately, 6-5, sr.
C John Tofi, 6-7, sr.
G Josh Vergara, 5-8, sr.
PG Matt Straus, 5-11, sr.

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