Kenny Cress / Sports Writer | Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 12:00 am
Caruthers gave it a game effort against top-ranked St. Joseph Tuesday night.
However the slower, smaller Blue Raiders were, well, never in the game.
"We were overmatched at every position, to be honest with you," Caruthers coach Dennis Zink said after the Knights defeated his team 90-50 in the first round of the CIF Division IV Southern California Regional at Hancock College/s Joe White Memorial Gym Tuesday night.
The Knights (28-3) take on Horizon of San Diego in the regional semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Hancock. Horizon edged Flintridge Prep of La Canada 49-47 Tuesday night.
"We saw Horizon at a tournament down there," St. Joseph/s Stewart Kussler said. "They/re an athletic team."
St. Joseph coach Ed Torres said his team/s victory Tuesday night was the first state boys basketball playoff win for the school.
"We won the CIF championship in 1998 and then lost to Lincoln of San Diego in the first round here," he said.
Caruthers finished 24-7. San Joaquin Memorial of Fresno defeated the Blue Raiders 81-50 for the Central Section championship.
However, "I/m really proud of our kids. They had a great run," Zink said. "We/re the last public school against all those private schools. We/re like the Hickory Hoosiers, only without that player that can take over a game."
The regional championship is set for Saturday at Cal State Fullerton. The winner of that game plays the Northern California Regional winner at 4 p.m. at ARCO Arena in Sacramento March 20 for the Division IV state championship.
Point guard Ryan Adlesh poured in 23 points and made three 3-pointers for the Knights, who were typically balanced, Tuesday night. Andrew Schmalbach scored 19, Joe Tilley put in 14 and Stewart Kussler had 10. St. Joseph led 35-9 after one quarter.
Lear Kruse, the tallest Blue Raider along with Matt Neilsen at 6-4, led Caruthers with 15 points. Gundher Khosa scored 11 points off the bench for the Blue Raiders, four of whom were listed at under 6-0. St. Joseph/s players, except for the 5-9 Adlesh, range from 6-0 to 6-4.
St. Joseph beat St. Bernard of Playa Del Rey 73-60 last Thursday night for the CIF Southern Section Division IV-AA championship. After that one, "We re-focused and got ready for the state championship," said Kussler.
The Knights were indeed ready. Tilley nailed a 3-point shot when the game was six seconds old. Tilley made another one 21 seconds later, and St. Joseph quickly overwhelmed the team from a San Joaquin Valley farming community of 2,000.
Caruthers lost the ball six straight times at one point in the first quarter against the Knights/ swarming press, and St. Joseph, doing damage from inside and out, went 15-for-19 from the field in the initial quarter.
"It was a good start, a good first (state playoff) game," said Schmalbach.
"I thought we did a great job in the first quarter, closed the half really well and then picked up where we left off in the second half," Torres said.
St. Joseph finished the first half on an 11-4 run.
The Knights, leading 53-24 at halftime, outscored the Blue Raiders 10-4 the first 4:03 after intermission.
The Knights/ reserves had ample playing time, and they took advantage. Every St. Joseph player scored, and backup Brian McConkey put in eight points.
"Bryan McConkey was outstanding tonight," Schmalbach said.
"As was Ryan San Juan," said Kussler. San Juan, making two free throws, was the last Knight in the scorebook. However, he made some nice passes for assists.
St. Joseph/s reserves were able to log a lot of time with the starters and, "That can only help us if we get in foul trouble and they have to step up," Kussler said.
March 10, 2004