SANTA CRUZ — Santa Cruz High’s DeMarco Hunter had a first quarter that won’t be forgotten anytime soon by anyone who witnessed the CIF Division IV NorCal Regional basketball semifinals on Saturday night.
In reality, though, the star junior forward carried his team on the shoulders of his lanky, 6-foot-6 frame for nearly three quarters, and, when the Cardinals needed another scoring threat down the stretch, 6-3 sophomore forward Kaden Mirtz came flying in with his invisible cape to save the day — and season.
Hunter finished with 33 points and Mirtz scored all of his 11 points over the final 10:23, as the No. 3 seed Cardinals held off upset-minded No. 15 Lincoln of San Francisco 55-52 in a thrilling, foul-laden contest played in front of a boisterous, near capacity crowd.
“We were all excited,” Hunter said. “When it got close, it was very scary, but Kaden stepped up big time, which we really needed.”
The Cardinals (21-11 overall), the newly crowned Central Coast Section D-IV champion, advance to a NorCal championship for a second straight season. They’ll take on No. 1 Woodside Priory (24-6) in Portola Valley with a state championship game berth on the line Tuesday at 7 p.m.
The Panthers eliminated No. 5 Berkeley 69-48 in the other regional semifinal Saturday.
The winner between the Cardinals and Panthers will face either No. 1 Fresno Christian (29-6) or No. 7 Granada Hills Charter (19-14) in the state championship at the Golden 1 Center, home of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, on March 15 at noon.
Lincoln (23-10), the San Francisco Section champion, was left wondering, “What if?”
“We know deep down we weren’t supposed to be a 15 seed,” said Tyrrell Price, a senior forward. “We knew what we’re capable of. It just sucks how it ends, just like this.”
Lincoln coach Carl Jacobs was amazed by his Mustangs.
“For these guys to go on a road for three games, they battled every single game,” Jacobs said. “And I told ’em, “Aye, you guys are the greatest 15 seed I’ve ever seen in my life.’ And I thought we were still in control to the end. Make some free throws at the end, it could be a different story.”
The Cardinals, who reached the D-III state final a year ago, never thought they’d be back in the NorCal final. Not after one potential returning starter, Kirby Seals, transferred to powerhouse Archbishop Riordan (28-1) over the summer, and two starters others graduated.
And definitely not after starting this season 3-7, despite welcoming in three transfers in the offseason.
“It means a lot,” said Hunter, of the team’s accomplishment. “Me, personally, I didn’t think we would get back here with losing all those people, but this new team and the chemistry we have really brought it out in all of us.”
Throughout it all, Hunter, a third-year starter, has been the man. He was the tallest player on the court against Lincoln, and the Cardinals went to him early and often.
Hunter had a first quarter for the ages. He scored all of his team’s points, had five blocks and four assists, staking the Cardinals to a 17-9 lead.
“That was probably the best quarter I’ve ever had,” Hunter said. “I was just going off and driving. They were playing really high so it was easy to drive past them.”
Over the first 16 minutes, Hunter’s teammates attempted seven shots from the field, and not one of them went through the cylinder. The Cardinals kept feeding Hunter and continued to shine on defense.
Santa Cruz was held scoreless for the first 5:19 of the second quarter, and the Mustangs, fueled by junior guard Fred Davis’ eight points, rallied to a take an 18-17 lead.
Hunter made two more field goals, including a 3-pointer, before the half and the teams entered their respective locker rooms deadlocked at 22-all. Hunter accounted for all of his team’s points.
“Number 14 (Hunter), he’s something else,” Jacobs said. “He had all of their points in the first half. Who does that?!?! I told him, one word, ‘cryotherapy.’ If he’s not in cryotherapy right now, or an ice bath or something … I know he’s in there right now. It’s just great. It was a great contest.”
Both teams continued to press in the third quarter and defense reigned supreme. Price’s triple-pump layup for Lincoln was the lone field goal over the first three minutes of the stanza as both team continued to pick up fouls at a staggering pace.
The lead changes hands several times over the next few minutes. Price made a pair of free throws and sophomore forward Roman Burke had a put-back for the Mustangs. Hunter tacked on a pair of free throws, a coast-to-coast drive for a layup, and a 3-pointer to put the Cardinals ahead 29-28 with 3:13 left. Make that: Hunter 29, Mustangs 28.
Sommari Tanner made two field goals, including a 3, to help Lincoln jump back ahead, 33-29.
With 2:23 left in the quarter, the Cardinals received their first point from someone other than Hunter. Mirtz was fouled on a shot and converted both free throws. Before his two makes, the Cardinals were an abysmal 4-for-12 from the charity line.
Sophomore guard L.J. Legan made a pair of field goals late in the third quarter, including a 3, to give the Cardinals a 37-36 lead. His baskets sandwiched Hunter getting whistled for his fourth personal foul.
Hunter never exited in the fourth quarter. The foul calls kept coming, and so did the Cardinals’ clutch baskets during a 14-4 run that put the Cardinals ahead 51-44 with 2:13 remaining.
Legan buried another 3-pointer, Hunter made four free throws, senior guard Mosiah Cumberbatch made three free throws, and Mirtz made two free throws and two massive field goals, one on a backdoor cut along the baseline to follow up a miss from Hunter.
“See ball, get ball,” Mirtz said. “I was just going to get the ball, and I got the ball, go up strong … I was going off adrenaline; I don’t even know what happened.”
Down the stretch, Lincoln’s Price and Davis fouled out, and so did Cardinals senior forward Guerande Houssin and Mirtz.
Mirtz was called for a foul on a shot block, and given a technical for protesting the call in an unsportsmanlike manner. The Mustangs made just one of the four free throws.
Lincoln also retained possession of the ball and senior guard Ceyaan Lutt was fouled on his basket with 1:11 left, which narrowed the Cardinals’ lead to 53-50, but he missed the ensuing layup.
“The one thing I appreciated, as players, we handled adversity,” Milhouse said. “We went down and we still fought through it. … It seemed like nobody wanted to score, or nobody could score and that hurt us. And then, in the second half, aside from Kaden’s technical foul, he was enormous in the second half. For me, he graduated from being a sophomore to being a junior. He played his butt off today; I was super happy with him. … He grew up tonight. Now, he needs to build on the moment. We all need to build on the moment. Going to Woodside Priory isn’t going to be easy, but, hey, they put on their uniform and sneakers just like we do.”
Lutt also missed a pair of free throws with 12.8 second left.
“(Not) staying disciplined at the end,” said Price, of what proved costly. “Just fouls we didn’t need, shots that we missed, free throws … the small things.”
Hunter tacked on two late free throws, and Lincoln’s Tanner countered with a layup at the buzzer for the final score.
In addition to his game-high 33 points, Hunter finished with 12 rebounds and eight blocks.
Tanner scored a team-high 18 points for Lincoln and Price scored 14.
The Cardinals were a joyous bunch after the win.
Mirtz was understandable giddy. He started the season as a reserve, and worked his way into a starting role, only to lose it. He continued to persevere, earned his starting spot back, and has been a mainstay in the lineup ever since.
He proved his worth when it mattered most in the semifinals.
“I blacked out that entire fourth quarter,” Mirtz said. “I was so running off adrenaline, I’m not gonna lie, that was insane.”
THE SCORE
Santa Cruz 55, Lincoln (S.F.) 52
Up next: CIF D-IV NorCal Regional championship, Santa Cruz at Priory
When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.
Where: Woodside Priory School, Portola Valley