The Capistrano Valley Christian boys basketball team had a long day Friday.
It began at 1:45 p.m., when the players hopped on a bus headed for Temecula and their CIF-SS 5A semifinal against Rancho Christian.
Seven hours later, their day mercifully ended. Rancho Christian’s crowd sang “I Believe That We Have Won” as Capo lost, 77-57.
“They played well tonight and we didn’t,” Capo coach Zach Brogdon said. “You’ve got to have guys step up and they did it.”
Rancho Christian (19-11), the division’s No. 2 seed, will play No. 1 St. Bernard of Playa del Rey (15-15) in the championship game. The CIF-SS will announce dates, times and locations for championship games on Monday.
Spider Adetunji led Capo with 29 points on 11-of-17 shooting and scored 10 of its 13 fourth-quarter points. The rest of the team shot 21 percent (10 for 47) and 12 percent (3 for 25) from 3-point range.
One of those 3s brought Capo, the No. 3 seed, within nine points midway through the fourth. Adetunji blocked Trace Redfield’s layup attempt and Troy Kihm drained a transition long ball to make it 64-55 with 3:52 to go.
But Capo launched one of their 22 missed 3s on the next possession, and Rancho Christian freshman Isaiah Mobley threw down a two-hand, backwards dunk on the ensuing fastbreak. Rancho Christian outscored Capo, 13-2, over the last 3:52.
“We didn’t hit any outside shots tonight,” Brogdon said. “We didn’t have any 3s go, they had a lot of 3s fall. Their seventh, eighth guys have their best games of the year and that hurts.”
Rancho Christian shot 47 percent (30 for 64). They also made 12 of 14 free throws, compared to Capo’s 12-of-22 mark from the line.
Mobley led Rancho Christian with 22 points and lefty Greg Walter added 17.
These teams played each other during the regular season on Jan 23. That day Rancho Christian came from behind to win, 45-41.
MATTHEW BAIN,
Contributing writer
In Division 3AA:
Oak Park 70, Buena Park 33: The Coyotes (23-8) got off to a rough start, falling behind 19-5 at the end of the first quarter, and had their season end with the loss to the Eagles (25-6).
