Centennial: Next stop state capital

Golden Hawks to play at Golden 1 Center in CIF Division II championship game

It may not have seemed like it then, but Centennial boys basketball coach Hernan Santiago believes his team’s 12-point loss to Santa Maria-St. Joseph in the Central Section quarterfinals was a turning point in his team’s season.

Hanging close to the state’s 14th-ranked team gave the Golden Hawks an extra boost of confidence entering the Southern California Regional playoffs.

That extra boost was on full display on Tuesday night when No. 7 Centennial dismantled top-seeded Northridge-Heritage Christian on its own court.

Powered by a tenacious defense and a hot-shooting night from beyond the arc, the Golden Hawks rolled to a 68-56 victory over the Warriors, earning a right to play for the CIF State Division II championship this weekend at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center.

Centennial (28-7), which captured its third straight league title this season, will play No. 2 Oakland Tech at 4 p.m. on Saturday looking to become the fourth area boys basketball team to win a state title.

Foothill is the last to win a title, in 2019, the school’s second. The Trojans also won in 1988, and East High went the distance in 1994. Bakersfield Christian was denied an opportunity to play in the 2020 state final when the game was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic after the Eagles had won their regional final.

On Tuesday, senior Rippen Gill led the way for Centennial with 17 points, including back-to-back 3-pointers to the Golden Hawks a 46-27 lead late in the third quarter. Rodrick Hodges followed with another, one of five 3s in the period, to make it 49-28 to all but break Heritage Christian’s spirit.

Michael Gutierrez added 11 points, with two important 3-pointers in the first quarter to help keep the game close. Donquavaius Bolton added 10 points, Jaxton Santiago had seven and Hodges finished with six.

The Warriors opened with a flurry for an early 8-3 lead before Centennial began heating up. The Golden Hawks closed the first quarter with an 11-3 run and scored five straight at the end of the first half to take a 30-21 lead.

Centennial reeled off 16 of 18 points during one stretch in the third quarter, thanks in part to the five 3-pointers, and cleared its bench with a 21-point lead late in the fourth quarter.