Santa Clara’s Little Guys Try to Measure Up

Santa Clara has just about every ingredient needed to win the state Division V championship.

Except height.

The Saints (27-3), top-seeded in the Southern Regional, basically run a four-guard offense that highlights the skills of Nick Jones and B.J. Ward.

Their opponent tonight in a Southern Regional semifinal, fourth-seeded Price (28-2), is quick and has four starters 6-feet-3 or taller, including Othel Johnson, a 6-5 junior forward.

Johnson scored 27 points in a 71-67 overtime victory over Pasadena Poly (27-2) in the first round. The Saints handed Pasadena Poly its first loss, 75-52, in the Southern Section Division V-AA final.

“They’re very athletic,” said Steve Cvijanovich, Santa Clara assistant. “They pound the boards, they get up and down the floor. They play hard the whole game.”

*

The Harvard-Westlake (26-5) girls rebounded from a loss to Morningside in the Southern Section Division III-A final to beat San Diego Kearny, 73-62, Tuesday and earn a matchup with Wasco (23-4) tonight in a Southern Regional semifinal.

“We all felt what it was like to lose,” senior forward Omelogo Udeze said. “It wasn’t a good feeling. It kind of ruined our weekend.”

Wasco outlasted Pomona Ganesha, 59-56, Tuesday in the first round. Harvard-Westlake beat Ganesha by 17 points during a December tournament.

*

Beating Fresno Washington Union will be a tall order tonight for Chaminade in a Southern Regional Division III semifinal.

The Eagles (25-4) are up against a lineup that ranges from 6 feet to 6-7, all double-figure scorers. DeShaun Stevenson, a 6-6 junior guard averaging 24 points. Shamell Stallworth, a 6-5 senior forward, averages 21 and is headed to San Francisco on scholarship. Alabama State-bound Coupe Taylor, a senior guard, averages 16 points.

Top-seeded Washington Union (23-6) averages about 90 points.

But Chaminade Coach Jeff Young said Washington plays in a “noncompetitive league” and the Eagles hold opponents to 44 points a game. “I think we’re better defensively than we were last year and I think we can slow them down a bit,” he said.

Staff writer Paige A. Leech and correspondents Mike Bresnahan and Dave Desmond contributed to this notebook.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL

Boys, Semifinals

7:30 p.m.

DIVISION III

* Chaminade at Fresno Washington Union

DIVISION V

* Price at Santa Clara

Girls, Semifinal

7:30 p.m.

DIVISION III

* Harvard-Westlake vs. Wasco at Shafter High