2005 CIF State Basketball
Championship Results

March 18-19, ARCO Arena, Sacramento

Two teams completed the 2005 season with undefeated records and their first state championships. Bishop Amat (Division III Girls) and Campbell Hall (Division IV Boys) completed the year with records of 35-0 and 32-0, respectively.

Other schools winning their first state crowns were Oak Ridge (Division II Boys) and Santa Cruz (Division III Boys). Westchester (Division I Boys) improved to 4-0 in state championship games, while Price (Division V Boys) picked up its fifth state crown in six appearances.

On the girls' side, Oakland Tech (Division I), Troy (Division II), Piedmont (Division IV) and Pinewood (Division V) all picked up their second state championship.

The 2005 CIF State Championships were seen by 20,400 fans.

Following is a closer look at each state championship final game:

Division V Boys: Price Picks Up Fifth State Title in Last Six Years

Marcus Palmer scored five of his 16 points in the last two minutes to lead Price of Los Angeles past Branson of Ross, 52-46, and claim its record-setting fifth Division V boys’ championship Friday at Arco Arena.

Six-ten Terron Sutton added 10 points and 10 rebounds for Price (29-4), which won the state title for the fifth time in the last six years.

David Liss topped Branson (30-6) with 13 points, but the Bulls stayed in the game at the free-throw line, making 14 of 15. Price, on the other hand, was just 15 of 29 from the line.

The Knights controlled the boards, and the lead, throughout the game, trailing only briefly in the early minutes. A 14-0 run erased that 4-2 deficit, and Price led by 10, 34-24, with 3:23 left in the third period. But Branson battled back, pulling to within two twice in the last 2:15 -- Palmer, though, answered each time with free throws or a basket.

Price made its sixth straight trip to the Division V championship game, a record not only for consecutive appearances, but also overall appearances in Division V.

Sportsmanship Award Winners: Nick Price, Branson; Terron Sutton, Price

Division V Girls: Pinewood Uses 17-0 to best Pacific Hills

Liz Altmaier scored 16 points to lead Pinewood of Los Altos Hills past Pacific Hills of West Hollywood, 61-39, in the Division V girls’ championship game Friday at Arco Arena.

Hannah Lippe had 12 points and eight rebounds off the bench for the Panthers (26-5), and Daniela Roark also had 12.

Helen Suarez led Pacific Hills (28-5) with 12 points before fouling out after just 23 minutes of playing time. J.J. Magbuana and Chelsea Ray had 10 each.

Pinewood put the game away with a 17-0 run early in the third quarter, turning a four-point game into a rout. The Panthers, known for their three-point shooting, finally got untracked in the second half at notoriously difficult Arco Arena, making five threes in the last two quarters.

Pinewood also outrebounded Pacific Hills 46-37 and held the Bruins to just 21 percent shooting.

The Panthers won their second state title -- the Panthers were also champions in 1999.

Sportsmanship Award Winners: Sami Field-Polisso, Pinewood; Simone Shellmire, Pacific Hills

Division II Boys: Oak Ridge Pulls the Upset against Mater Dei to Earn First State Title

Ryan Moya scored 17 points as Oak Ridge of El Dorado Hills shocked number 12 in the nation Mater Dei of Santa Ana, 60-44, to win the boys’ Division II state championship Friday at Arco Arena.

The underdog Trojans (31-4) took a 4-3 lead in the first quarter, and never looked back, controlling the game throughout against the heavily favored Monarchs (31-4). Oak Ridge‘s balanced attack -- Ryan Anderson had 15 points and 12 rebounds, Andrew Browning had 13 points and Hiram Thompson 10 -- would have been even more effective had the Trojans not missed 13 free throws.

Sophomore Travis King topped Mater Dei with 20 points, and Mike Gerrity added 12, but the rest of the Monarchs were not a factor on offense. The 44 points were the fewest of the season for Mater Dei, which simply couldn’t muster a coherent attack all night.

Oak Ridge set the tone in the early going, holding the Monarchs to just three points in the first 6:57, and leading 10-3. Mater Dei battled back to tie the score at 13, but the Trojans responded with a 9-0 run and eventually held on for a five-point halftime lead.

Oak Ridge pulled out to another nine-point lead, 28-19, with 6:22 left in the third period, but King scored eight straight points for the Monarchs to help cut the margin to two, 30-28. Once again, though, the underdog Trojans responded, and Browning hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer at the end of the third quarter to give Oak Ridge a 42-31 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Mater Dei’s offense degenerated into a series of long three-pointers while Thompson handled the Monarchs‘ defensive pressure. Meanwhile, Moya keyed the offense before fouling out with 2:49 left and Oak Ridge up 11.

This was the first state title for the Trojans, while Mater Dei’s record in state championship games dropped to 5-3.

Sportsmanship Award Winners: Hiram Thompson, Oak Ridge; Kyle Brown, Mater Dei

Division II Girls: Troy Gets to the Free Throw Line to Defeat Archbishop Mitty

Rheya Neabors scored 18 points as Troy of Fullerton got past Archbishop Mitty of San Jose, 47-41, and won the girls’ Division II state championship Friday at Arco Arena.

Nicole Hayman scored eight of her 10 of her points in the fourth quarter for the Warriors (33-2), including a 12-footer that gave Troy the lead for good. The Warriors also took 26 free throws to just four for Mitty (29-6), which proved to be the difference in the game.

This was Troy’s second state title, and the Warriors’ third straight appearance in the championship game. They won the title in 2003, and lost in 2004.

Clara Yuan and Lanesha Owens each had nine points to top the Monarchs, who were making their sixth appearance in the state championship game. They won the Division I title in 1999 and the Division III crown in 1995, and lost the Division I championship game in 1996 and 2003, and the Division III title matchup in 1994.

In this game, the teams were almost mirror images, both pressing and both utilizing their deep rosters with constant substitutions. The pace seldom slowed regardless of which team was on a run. First out of the gate was Troy, which jumped to a 10-2 lead. Mitty immediately responded with a 15-2 burst to lead by five, 17-12, but by the end of the half the Warriors had taken a 24-23 lead.

Troy went up by six halfway through the third period, but Mitty came back to take a 35-33 lead with 6:49 left in the game. Hayman took over at that point, however, tying the game with a jumper and then nailing another to put the Warriors ahead. Meanwhile, the Monarchs had gone cold, and when Hayman added a three-pointer, Mitty never could catch up.

Sportsmanship Award Winners: Samantha Ricketts, Archbishop Mitty; Nicole Hayman, Troy

Division IV Girls: Paris Twins Pace Piedmont to Second Straight Title

Prep phenoms Ashley and Courtney Paris concluded their high school careers with their second straight state championship as Piedmont defeated Brentwood of Los Angeles, 82-44, in the Division IV girls' title game at Arco Arena Saturday. The 38-point margin was the largest ever in a California state championship game, boys or girls.

Six-four Courtney Paris finished with 23 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and four blocks, and 6-3 Ashley contributed 20 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and five steals for the Highlanders (32-2), who never trailed in the game. They pressed the smaller, quicker Eagles (24-7) and led by nine at the end of the first quarter and 20 at the
half. Every player on the Piedmont roster scored in the game.

Tani Brown had 14 points for Brentwood, and Briane Brown, who will attend Western Kentucky in the fall, added 13. The smaller Eagles'
biggest problem was on the boards, where they were outrebounded 58-22.

The Paris twins combined for six more rebounds than Brentwood, and only one less point.

Sportsmanship Award Winners: Annie Crangle, Piedmont; Brianne Brown, Brentwood

Division IV Boys: Campbell Hall Completes Perfect Season with First State Championship

Joe Ford scored 23 points of his 29 points in the first half to lead undefeated Campbell Hall of North Hollywood past St. Mary’s of Berkeley, 74-53, in the Division IV boys’ championship game at Arco Arena Saturday. The Vikings (32-0) are the first unbeaten team in California since the Lynwood girls in 2002, and the first undefeated boys’ team since Modesto Christian in 1997.

Ford, who will attend Pacific, also had 11 rebounds, and clearly outplayed Larry Gurganious of St. Mary’s, who will go to Gonzaga. Gurganious finished with 21 points and eight rebounds for the Panthers (29-5), but turned the ball over 16 times. St. Mary’s also struggled on the boards, getting outrebounded 47-33 and shot just 28 percent from the field.

Conner Turley had 16 for Campbell Hall, which shot 52 percent, and JruE Holiday added 15. The Vikings took the lead 10-8 with 2:51 in the first quarter -- appropriately on a Ford basket after a steal -- and were never headed thereafter. The lead was 11 at the half, and St. Mary’s never got within double digits thereafter.

This was the first trip to the state title game for Campbell Hall. St. Mary’s won the Division IV crown in 2001.

Sportsmanship Award Winners: Jordan Thurston, St. Mary's Berkeley; Conner Turley, Campbell Hall

Division III Girls: Bishop Amat Gets Revenge, Perfect Season and First State Title

Juanise Cornell had 14 points and 10 rebounds as Bishop Amat of La Puente knocked off defending champion St. Mary’s of Stockton, 56-53, in the Division III girls state championship at Arco Arena Saturday. The Lancers completed an undefeated season, the first for a girls’ team since Lynwood in 2002.

Cornell and the Lancers (35-0) controlled the boards, 45-33, and Candice Brown contributed 16 rebounds and 12 points. Christen Myles scored 13 points without missing a shot, going five-for-five from the field and three-for-three from the free-throw line.

Jacki Gemelos, considered one of the top juniors in the country, scored a Division III championship-record 30 points for St. Mary’s (30-5), but went just nine of 32. Erica Helms scored 10 points, but the Rams shot just 26 percent from the field. In contrast, Bishop Amat made 58 percent of its shots.

As a result, St. Mary’s was unable to record its fourth straight California title. The Rams won the Division II title in 2002, the Division IV crown in 2003 and the Division III championship in 2004.

St. Mary’s didn’t go down without a fight, however. After a desultory first half and a very poor start to the third quarter, the Rams trailed by 18, 41-23, with 5:29 left in the third period. But when Gemelos converted a layup after a steal with 1:00 left in the game, that Bishop Amat lead had shrunk to one.

Cornell, however, answered with another inside basket to stretch the lead to three and then grabbed the rebound off a Gemelos miss. St. Mary‘s got the ball back after Brown missed the front end of a one-on-one, but Renee Roberts‘ three was off the rim at the buzzer and the Lancers claimed their first state title.

Sportsmanship Award Winners: Erica Helms, St. Mary's Stockton; Christen Myles, Bishop Amat

Division III Boys: Santa Cruz Sends 30-Year Coach off with School's First Crown

Pete Newell, Jr.’s 30-year coaching career ended in storybook fashion Saturday as his Santa Cruz Cardinals defeated previously unbeaten St. Augustine of San Diego, 67-56, in the Division III boys’ state championship game at Arco Arena.

This was the final game in the Newell’s 30 years at Santa Cruz. He had never won a state title before, and in fact, prior to this season, had never won even a sectional championship. But the Cardinals (36-1) rode a 15-0 second-half run to defeat St. Augustine (31-1) and give Newell’s story a fairytale ending.

Guard Junior Russell led the way for Santa Cruz with 27 points, and Jesse Lobue added 15. Cliff Sammet scored nine points, but he also had 13 rebounds and five blocked shots.

Robert Hayes topped St. Augustine with 20 points and Andre Hardy chipped in with 15, but the Saints scored just seven points in the fourth quarter.

In a game marked by runs, Santa Cruz had the first and the last. The Cardinals jumped out early and built a 12-point, 26-14, lead with 5:53 left in the second quarter, but St. Augustine used its quickness to cut the margin to one, 29-28, with 1:46 remaining. At the break, the Cardinals were up three, 34-31, thanks to 28-17 edge on the boards.

The Saints countered with an 11-0 third-quarter run to claim a 49-41 lead with 48.7 seconds left, but Santa Cruz then scored 15 in a row, and made it 56-49 with 5:00 remaining in the game. The Cardinals closed out the game at the free-throw line, and when the buzzer sounded, Newell, the son of the legendary coach, sat quietly on the bench, applauding as his team celebrated at midcourt.

Sportsmanship Award Winners: JR Russell, Santa Cruz; James Pinkney, St. Augustine

Division I Girls: Oakland Tech Rallies then Hangs On to Defeat Canyon Springs

Sophomore Sayja Sumler hit a free throw with 5.3 seconds left to give Oakland Tech a 64-63 win over Canyon Springs of Moreno Valley in a foul-plagued girls’ Division I state championship Saturday at Arco Arena.

Sumler’s free throw capped a wild final 1:17 that saw Oakland Tech’s star center, Devanei Hampton, foul out; Tech’s star guard, Alexis Gray-Lawson, power in a follow shot and then miss three straight free throws; Canyon Springs’ Lauresha Hawkins tie the game with the second of two free throws with 8.8 seconds left; Sumler miss the first and make the second three seconds later; Canyon Springs inbounds the ball to Joanna Siliga, who had not played at all up to that point; and the game finally end with Siliga holding the ball just past the top of the key.

Hampton topped Oakland Tech (22-7) with 17 points and 12 rebounds before she fouled out on a double-foul. Gray-Lawson finished with 16 points and Sumler with 12 as the Bulldogs won their second straight state title.

Ebony Ward led Canyon Springs (31-4) with 19 points. Brandi Jones-Fitzgerald had 15 points to go along with nine rebounds and Hawkins added 10.

Oakland Tech controlled the early part of the game, jumping out to a 13-4 lead. Canyon Springs, though, ran off eight straight points to cut the margin to one, and finally went ahead with 40 seconds left in the half on a Jones-Fitzgerald lay-in. Ebony Ward then hit a three just before the half to send the Cougars into the locker room with a 29-25 lead, an advantage they did not lose until only 1:17 was left in the game.

In fact, the lead expanded to 12 with 6:38 remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Bulldogs quickly got back into it. Sumler tied the game at 58-58 with 2:42 left, but Jennifer Risper made two of four free throws in the next 11 seconds to give Canyon Springs a two-point lead. Hampton made one free throw to make it 60-59, and then Gray-Lawson followed her own miss to give Tech a lead it never lost. The Cougars made just one of four free throws in the final minute to open a door that Sumler and the Bulldogs finally walked through with 5.3 seconds remaining.

Sportsmanship Award Winners: Alexis Gray-Lawson, Oakland Tech; Jennifer Risper, Canyon Springs

Division I Boys: Westchester Improves to 4-0 in State Finals

Amir Johnson had 15 points, 11 rebounds and five blocked shots to lead Westchester to its third boys’ Division I state championship in the past four years. The Comets pulled away from Serra in the second half to register a 66-45 victory Saturday at Arco Arena.

Ray Reese (14 points), Marcus Johnson (13) and Jerard Moret (13) were also in double figures for Westchester (25-3), which controlled the boards, 48-35, and forced 20 Serra turnovers.

Decensae White led the Padres (26-8) with 17 points and Tommy McMahon had 10 points and eight rebounds.

Serra did battle Westchester, number four in the nation according to Student Sports, on even terms through the first half, and even led 16-15 with 6:31 to go in the second period. The Comets, however, carried a 29-25 lead into halftime.

After the break, however, Westchester asserted itself, conceding the first basket to Serra and then outscoring the Padres 17-0 to pull away to a 46-27 lead that was never seriously threatened.

The Comets are now 4-0 in championship games, with titles in 1998, 2002, 2003 and 2005. This was Serra’s first trip to a state championship.

Sportsmanship Award Winners: Will Powers, Serra; Ray Reese, Westchester

recaps written by Clay Kallam