Santa Clara Falls Slowly on Final Shot

LAKEWOOD — Until the final two seconds, deliberate was the best way to describe the boys’ basketball game between Santa Clara High and Pius X on Tuesday night.

But two seconds was all the time Pius X needed for senior center Troy Collins, who sank a three-pointer from 18 inches beyond the arc to end Santa Clara’s season, 39-38, in a Division IV-A second-round playoff game at Mayfair High.

The shot ended frustrating memories for the Warriors. Pius X lost to the Saints by two points in the second round of the 1994 playoffs and also lost to Santa Clara in the 1992 IV-A championship game.

The winning shot came on the fourth inbounds play for the Warriors in the final 16 seconds. Marcel Yates wanted to get the ball to Collins closer to the basket, but an aggressive defense forced Collins beyond the three-point line.

“It didn’t feel too good coming off my fingers but when I saw it was straight, I knew it was going in,” Collins said.

Pius X (18-7) didn’t have much time because the Saints (18-8) held the ball for 90 seconds on the previous possession before Blair Ferguson made one of two free throws.

“We did what we were supposed to,” Santa Clara Coach Lou Cvijanovich said. “If he has just one second, he doesn’t have time to make the shot.”

The Saints final possession was typical of the flow of the game. Santa Clara took only six shots in the fourth quarter and 38 in the game.

Pius X took more shots, but made only four of 19 three-pointers before the final shot.

Ironically, Santa Clara took control of the game midway through the fourth quarter with a rare flash of open-court play. The Saints trailed, 32-31, when Lukman Dotson made an errant pass that Kris Serrano appeared to turn into an easy layup. But Dotson recovered to block the shot from behind, then found Ferguson for an open three-pointer.

Santa Clara didn’t trail again until the final shot.

Collins had 16 points despite foul trouble in the second half. Allen Fletcher added 12 for Pius X.

Ferguson and Mike McGill each scored eight points for Santa Clara.