A wild, triple overtime game, a chance at redemption and the silencing of one of the Bay Area’s top guns were just three of the more compelling stories to develop in the opening rounds of the Central Coast Section boys basketball play-offs last week.
The Kings Academy, the seventh seed in the Division IV play-offs, outlasted 10th-seeded North Monterey County, a team that had fashioned an 18-5 record on the year, in a 92-91 triple overtime thriller on the Knights’ home court behind a sparkling, season-high 26-point performance by senior point guard Jordan Duncan.
Duncan, whose previous season best was a 17-point effort against Monte Vista Christian in December, bombed in five three-pointers and was especially clutch at the free-throw line, cashing in 11 charity tosses, just two fewer than North Monterey County managed as a team.
The Knights found themselves trailing 51-46 going into the final period following a 17-11 run by the Condors in the third quarter. But they rallied in the final eight minutes to tie the score 61-61 and force the contest into OT.
Also playing key roles in the Knights’ exciting win were Jordan Bramlett, who drilled in 19 points, and Cameron Browning, who popped in 13. Tim Mcmanis chipped in with 10 points.
Perhaps emotionally and physically spent by the effort it took to beat North Monterey County, the Knights were knocked out of the playoffs two days later when they were beaten by second-seeded Menlo School 56-47.
In Division I play, the Homestead Mustangs, who fell one win short of reaching last year’s championship game, advanced to the semifinals for the second straight year with a stunning 57-48 upset of second-seeded Piedmont Hills.
The Mustangs were scheduled to meet top seed and defending Division I champ Bellarmine Prep on Wednesday with a chance to erase the bitter memories of last year’s semi-final loss to Menlo-Atherton. The winner of that battle will meet the winner of the Milpitas-Salinas showdown on Saturday for the 2015 title.
Prior to toppling Piedmont Hills, Homestead had opened tournament play with a 55-41 triumph over 12th-seeded Santa Teresa.
Jay Slaney popped in a team-high 19 points and DeAngelo Blackwell added 18 to spur the Mustangs to victory.
Fremont, the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League’s De Anza Division champion, lost its Open Division opener to top-seeded St. Francis 57-34.
The Lancer defense contained the Firebirds’ brilliant shooting guard Mo Abdulrasul to a season-low six points. Abdulrasul, whose previous low was a nine-point effort, was coming off of a 42-point performance in his final regular season game.
The loss dropped the Firebirds into the Open Division consolation bracket.
In Division II competition, 12th-seeded Lynbrook edged Yerba Buena 61-59 in its opener, but then got knocked out of further tourney play by Los Gatos 71-50.
Kyle Sung finished with a game-best 17 points to pace the Vikings past Yerba Buena. Jimmy Jiang popped in 13 points and Victor Yu chipped in with 10.
Against Los Gatos, Yu was the only Vike in double figures, canning 14 points.
In girls play, fourth-seeded King’s Academy advanced to the semifinals of the Division IV play-offs by knocking off fifth-seeded Half Moon Bay 45-36.
Carissa Mills dropped in 16 points and Katie Young tallied 11 to lead the Knights. King’s Academy was to have played Notre Dame Belmont on Wednesday for the right to advance to the championship game on Saturday against the winner of the Soquel-Menlo School semi-final showdown.
In Division I action, sixth-seeded Cupertino opened up with a 43-33 win over unseeded Salinas, but fell in the quarterfinals to third-seeded Piedmont Hills 49-43. Tenth-seeded Monta Vista beat unseeded Alisal 40-27 in its opener, but then stumbled against seventh-seeded Carlmont 45-32. Eighth-seeded Homestead also was ousted after two games, winning its opener 45-38 against unseeded Evergreen Valley, but losing to top-seeded North Salinas 63-55 in the quarters.
