Friday’s CCS basketball playoffs: Sacred Heart Prep edges Menlo-Atherton on late three-point play
Mitty's Morgan Cheli, sidelined much of the season because of injury, scores 22 points in a playoff opener.
Boys: How SHP prepped for Open Division
Sacred Heart Prep coach Tony Martinelli has been with the Gators since 2007-08, so he’s learned a thing or two about scheduling and what kind of players he needs to win with.
Take Sam Norris, SHP’s 6-foot-6 center/forward and one of three team captains.
On Friday night, he followed a teammate’s missed shot by grabbing the rebound and putting it back in the hoop for two points, then hitting a free throw to complete a three-point play.
All with two seconds left.
That allowed Sacred Heart Prep to beat Menlo-Atherton 60-59 in pool play of the Central Coast Section’s Open Division. The Gators (18-6) next host Sacred Heart Cathedral on Monday night.
Norris had 26 points for SHP. He is the team’s leading scorer (15.9 points per game) and rebounder (8.4 per game). Erick Osterloh added 11 points.
Martinelli, who’s had only one sub-.500 season at SHP, said he never expects to earn a spot in the Open Division. But he does set up a non-league schedule that forces the seeding committee to consider his team if their record is good enough.
This year the Gators are seeded third behind Mitty and Riordan.
“I thought we might be lower,” Martinelli said. “I’m definitely happy where we are. We get a couple of home games and then we go to NorCals.”
Because Martinelli usually packs SHP’s schedule with tough non-league opponents, he wants players who are mentally tough enough not to get down if they lose a few contests.
“You’ve got to know the type of players you have,” the coach said. “It hurts to lose, but you learn from losses. Our guys don’t point fingers at each other.”
Martinelli said fellow West Bay Athletic League members Priory and The King’s Academy were among the teams considered for the Open Division. The Gators split with both schools during the regular season. SHP and Priory were league co-champs at 8-2.
Menlo-Atherton’s next assignment is a visit to No. 2 seed Riordan, which was upset by Sacred Heart Cathedral on Friday night. The Bears (21-4), who have two one-point losses to SHP, were led in scoring by Ben Eisner and Jalen Williams, each with 14 points. Meka Okereke had 11 for M-A.
Girls: Welcome back, Morgan Cheli
Top-seeded Mitty started its quest for its second straight Open Division title by rolling past No. 8 Crystal Springs Uplands 93-30.
The Monarchs, who have won 16 in a row, are in a position for a long postseason run, especially now that star player Morgan Cheli is back rehabilitating an injury for most of the season.
Cheli, who returned on Feb. 11 against Presentation, scored 22 points against Crystal Spring Uplands.
She provides another piece to a team that has been dominant. McKenna Woliczko (16 points) and Elle Hanson (14 points) scored in double figures for the Monarchs on Friday night.
Mitty will play host to Los Gatos on Monday.
Closing shots
In one of the few early-round playoff games Friday night matching teams with above .500 records, Santa Clara took care of Piedmont Hills 45-31 in a Division I contest. Mialani Talalele put on quite a show, scoring 30 points and grabbing 14 rebounds for Santa Clara. The 5-11 sophomore is the younger sister of Amos Talalele, the offensive line star from Santa Clara who is headed to USC. Santa Clara (17-8) visits Homestead next. Piedmont Hills finishes 13-12. … Santa Teresa had no trouble beating Alvarez 89-29. Alvarez came into the Division I game with the better record at 15-7, but Santa Teresa (14-9) had three players score at least 24 points. Sierra Pablo had 31, Angelina Holland dropped in 28 and Daboul Dahlia had a double-double with 24 points and 16 rebounds.