CONCORD – Pittsburg’s players and coaches had described the team’s magical run to the North Coast Section Division I semifinals as a “dream.”
If that was the case, then watching Jake King effortlessly make six three-pointers, most from several feet behind the line, must have felt like waking up to a Clayton Valley Charter-themed alarm clock.
The 6-5 forward scored 30 points on Tuesday night as the top-seeded Ugly Eagles ended No. 12 Pittsburg’s playoff run 83-53.
“This is all we’ve wanted, to get back there,” King said of reaching the section title game.
Clayton Valley will attempt to repeat as Division I champions when it faces Moreau Catholic on Saturday. The Concord school defeated Dougherty Valley for the title last season.
Going back-to-back will not be easy. CVC coach Frank Allocco Jr.’s longtime friend Frank Knight has his team on a 14-game winning streak entering the final.
“Our goal is to win a section championship, and then go further,” Allocco said. “We don’t spend much time talking about much else. It’s all about this time of the year, and they know what’s ahead of them.”
Though Pittsburg (17-12) kept it close in the first quarter, trailing only 16-12 after junior Kayshaun Hunte banked in a buzzer-beating three to pull the Pirates within four, the signs of a blowout were already starting to show.
King scored CVC’s first seven points on two free throws, a pullup three-pointer from 25 feet away and an old-fashioned running hook that almost arced higher than the backboard. Pittsburg had no answer for the senior.
“Honestly, it was just all about my teammates getting me the ball,” King said. “But yeah, I was making shots tonight.”
The Ugly Eagles (25-4) created separation in the second quarter, going on a 15-0 run from the 5:50 to 1:47 mark of the period. The trio of James Moore, Elijah Perryman and King scored all 15 points during the run that saw CVC stretch its lead to 35-17.
Pittsburg couldn’t get the deficit any lower than nine after that point, but still kept the game competitive until the fourth quarter rolled around.
Entering the final period with a 54-42 lead, Clayton Valley buried Pittsburg with a 22-3 run in the first five minutes and breezed to a victory.
“Our intensity was down, like we were nervous because we were all juniors with only one senior,” Pittsburg coach Rich Gonzales said. “But the upside for us is that we plan to come back even stronger.”
Aside from King’s 30, Perryman scored 18 points and Moore poured in 16, both feasting on an array of layups and close shots scored against an undersized Pittsburg front line. Pittsburg was paced by junior Jeremiah Collins’ 20 points, and senior Jason Robertson capped off his high school career with 14 points.
By making the section final, Clayton Valley has clinched a spot in the NorCal playoff regardless of how it does against Moreau Catholic. But even with its spot in regional play already secure, Allocco said the team still has plenty to play for on Saturday.
“You don’t get a lot of chances to win a championship, no matter what sport you’re playing and how long you play,” Allocco said.
Source: www.mercurynews.com