Flashy Finalists Get Point Across

OXNARD —  Santa Clara High isn’t the only team setting state boys’ basketball tournament records.

Modesto Calvary Temple, the Saints’ opponent in the state Division V final, set a Northern Regional championship-game record for points by a team in a 98-81 victory over Hoopa Valley last Saturday.

Santa Clara accomplished a similar feat in a 93-55 victory over El Cajon Christian, setting a Southern Regional championship-game record for points by a team.

In other words, expect a high-scoring affair when the teams meet Friday at Arco Arena in Sacramento.

“Both teams are going to get out and run when they get chances,” Santa Clara guard B.J. Ward said. “They like to run, they like to create turnovers. We practiced a lot [Monday] on our ballhandling and on our defense.”

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Santa Clara (29-3) and Calvary Temple (32-5) both have stellar backcourts.

Nick Tabari, a 6-foot-2 junior, averages 29.7 points and fellow guard Eric Leong, a 6-1 junior, scored 23 points in the victory over Hoopa Valley.

Santa Clara counters with Nick Jones, who averages 22 points, and Ward, who averages 19.8.

Calvary Temple also has David Paris, a big body in the middle to match Santa Clara’s 6-4, 265-pound Terrance Dotsy.

Paris, the son of former San Francisco 49er offensive lineman Bubba Paris, is a 6-6, 225-pound freshman who scored 17 points against Hoopa Valley.

Santa Clara, which starts four seniors, has an experience edge. Calvary Temple starts one freshman and four juniors.