Manteca completes title run
Division I: Crespi wins second straight championship
The division was different, but the result was the same for the Crespi Celts. A state title. Crespi beat Berkeley 68-53 for its second straight state title. Crespi defeated Capital Christian for the Division IV title last year.
USC bound De’Anthony Melton posted a double-double of 24 points and 17 rebounds with four assists, two steals and two blocks. The Celts got strong production inside from senior Mitchell Mykhaylov with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Junior guard Brandon Williams helped push tempo and finished with 16 points and seven rebounds.
Crespi took control in the second quarter in pushing a 13-11 lead to as high as 15 points before going to the locker room with a 34-23 advantage. However, the third quarter saw the Celts go more than four minutes without a field goal as Berkeley grabbed a 37-36 lead. Crespi closed the third on a 13-4 run and pushed the lead to 17 points before settling on a 15 point victory.
The Yellowjackets, which beat three of the top five seeds in the NorCal playoffs, got 18 points from senior Niles Malone, 14 from junior Sean Spikes and 12 from sophomore Ben Baker. Berkeley was outrebounded 45-29 and shot 31 percent from the field compared to 45 percent from Crespi.
Division III: Manteca rides fast start to first state title
If you are going to win your first state title in school history, you might as well do it in style. Manteca scored the game’s first eight points and led by as much as 17 points in the first half. While Ayala cut the margin to three points in the fourth quarter, Manteca never trailed in winning 60-51. The Buffaloes are the first public school team from San Joaquin County to win a boys state title since Stockton High School in 1928, according to Thomas Lawrence of the Stockton Record.
A week ago, it was Anand Hundal who was the focal point early and a catalyst. On Thursday, it was Nevada bound Kenny Wooten. The 6-foot-8 senior had 26 points, 18 rebounds and 11 blocks, including some thunderous dunks. Tydus Verhoeven had 11 points, 12 rebounds and four assists and Hundal finished with nine points and 11 rebounds.
Manteca was +21 in rebounding after holding Ayala to five total rebounds in the first half. The Buffaloes shot 59 percent from the field and attempted 31 fewer shots than Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs trailed 33-19 at halftime, but held Manteca scoreless for more than five minutes to start the half. They trailed 41-32 after 24 minutes and got within three points at 41-38 at 6:14 before Manteca went on a 7-0 run.
Ayala, which was also making its first state appearance, got 21 points, six rebounds and four steals from John Edgar. Miles President was also in double figures with 17 points. The Bulldogs shot just 28 percent from the field, including 8-for-33 from three point range.
Division V: Pilots champions again
St. Joseph led by seven at halftime and pushed the lead to 10 in the third behind an active zone defense. However, St. Bernard tied it early in the fourth quarter and a back and forth finish ended up a 55-50 win for the Pilots.
The win was St. Joseph’s 6th state title, which ties them for third most all-time with Dominguez, Price and Westchester. The victory marked career win No. 800 for head coach Don Lippi, according to the CalHiSports State record book. It is the fourth title for Lippi at St. Joseph
The game’s pivotal moment came in the final minute with St. Joseph up 52-50. Jadé Smith was fouled with 11 seconds left, but was banged up on the play and had to come out. The decision on who to shoot the ensuing free throws was Lippi’s and he went with freshman guard Kobe Kreiner. The 5-foot-6 guard made both free throws and a late free throw by Adam Campos was the final point. The freshmen duo scored the final five points for the Pilots.
It was another strong game for Smith, who finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Darne Duckett had 14 points before fouling out with two minutes left and St. Joseph leading 49-48. Campos contributed 12 points and eight rebounds.
St. Bernard got 15 points apiece from Julian Ross and Robert Fuller with nine points from Adam Amanuel and seven points from Shane Williams.
The game was a rematch of the 2011 state final won by St. Joseph (47-44).