De La Salle finally breaks free of Heritage
For just short of three quarters, De La Salle-Concord and host Heritage-Brentwood played more tug-of-war than basketball.
The North Coast Section Division 1 semifinalists weren’t separated by more than four points, were tied six times and exchanged the lead 20 times.
But a 9-2 flurry late in the third, keyed by Emeka Udenyi and finished with a three-pointer by Connor O’Dea, gave De La Salle the boost it needed in a 54-43 victory Wednesday night.
O’Dea finished with a gamehigh 18 points, Justin Pratt had 11 points and Udenyi added 10 points and 10 rebounds as the third-seeded Spartans (26-5) advanced to Friday’s championship game against East Bay Athletic League rival Dublin.
“That’s an athletic, tough, well-coached team we just beat,” De La Salle head coach Justin Argenal said.
After a layup by Anthony Dennis (16 points) and three pointer by Jonathon Ned, second-seeded Heritage (25-4) closed to 39-37. O’Dea answered with a three-pointer, starting a 13-2 run to put it away. Dublin 60, James LoganUnion City 56: Montanabound Tim Falls had 20 points as top-seeded Dublin (28-3) won at home over fourth-seeded Logan (24-5), which got 21 points from Ryan Parilla. Dublin and De La Salle, which split two meetings, play at 8 p.m. Friday at St. Mary’s College. Moreau Catholic-Hayward 77, Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland 72: At a packed Laney College, 6-foot-6 freshman Kyree Walker had 30 points as the fourthseeded Mariners (20-9) won their 15th straight game in a D2 NCS semifinal. Naseem Gaskin had 26 points and B.J. Shaw 20 for top-seeded O’Dowd (19-10). Moreau plays sixth-seeded Tamalpais-Mill Valley, a 57-48 winner at seventh-seeded Montgomery-Santa Rosa, in Saturday night’s final at St. Mary’s College. Campolindo-Moraga 68, Analy-Sebastopol 53: In NCS D3, Chris Wright scored 15 points as the second-seeded Cougars (19-9) ended Analy’s 16-game win streak and moved into the final against top-seeded Salesian-Richmond, a 72-30 winner over San Marin-Novato. Will Cummins (14), Carter Mahaney (13) and Trevin Kroichick (10) also scored in double figures for Campo. Aidan Toner-Rodgers had 19 points for the Tigers (25-6). Lick-Wilmerding 71, St. Patrick-St. Vincent-Vallejo 68: In NCS D4, sixth-seeded Lick (24-7) trailed by 20 points in the first quarter and 22 in the third before pulling out the overtime road win over second-seeded SP-SV (23-7). Walter Lum (22 points) made a three-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into OT. Tavion Henderson had 20 points for SP-SV. Lick next gets top-seeded St. JosephN otre Dame, a 64-40 winner over Stuart Hall. Branson-Ross 42, Head Royce-Oakland 32: In an NCS D5 semifinal at College of Marin, second-seeded Branson Ross (23-8) trailed once early in a close game before taking control late. Sophomore Victor Rajkovic led all scorers with 15 points and added 10 rebounds.. Kyle Brandt led Head-Royce (18-9) with nine points. Branson will play Bentley-Lafayette, a 47-39 winner over Redwood Christian, in the NCS final. Mission 101, Balboa 66: In San Francisco Section semifinal play at Kezar Pavilion, Jamion Wright scored 25 points and Niamey Harris 20 for Mission (29-1). Sam Minor had 18 for Balboa. Mission will play Lowell (20-6), whose 54-36 win over Washington was the 300th for head coach Rob Ray. Heritage-Brentwood 47, Berkeley 38: In D1 NCS semifinal play, Mikaila Wegenke and Jordan Sweeney scored 15 points apiece for second-seeded Heritage (25-4). Sixth-seeded Berkeley (17-11), playing without its top scorer and rebounder, Xinavane Foreman (concussion), took a 17-8 lead after the first quarter. Salesian-Richmond 67, Campolindo 48: In NCS D3, Angel Jackson, a 6-5 sophomore, recorded a triple-double with 25 points, 12 rebounds and 10 blocks as the second-seeded Pride (23-8) won at Albany High. Haley Van Dyke had 21 points for Campolindo (23-6). Salesian plays Bishop O’Dowd Oakland (26-3), a 62-60 winner over St. Mary’s-Berkeley.