SAN JOSE – There was a method to Nathan d’Abreu Noronha’s dribbling madness.
Upon first glance, it looked like the guard was pulling out every hesitation, crossover and on-ball fake in a frenzied attempt to create space in an Archbishop Mitty offense that had grown stagnant with star Gavin Ripp and his game-high 18 points stuck on the bench late in the third quarter.
But Monarchs coach Tim Kennedy and d’Abreu Noronha begged to differ.
“The goal is to play as a team and get the best shot possible,” the guard said. “I got downhill and got a couple of buckets.”
The creative ballhandler was still playing, though flashily, within the structured offense when he shook free to draw two foul shots and then spun free for a whirlwind layup plus the foul on back-to-back possessions.
That out-of-nowhere burst extended Mitty’s lead over visiting Clayton Valley Charter back to 10, and the Monarch advantage never dipped below seven again as the San Jose school advanced 48-37 to a NorCal Division I semifinal matchup with San Ramon Valley.
“We don’t want guys doing 20 dribble moves, but when he’s centered we have action going he’s evaluating the floor and where the openings are,” Kennedy said. “They were chasing guys around, so he had openings.”
Ripp started the game by making the first two shots of the game, and scoring eight in the first quarter. Every attempt was inside the paint, as it was very clear to all that the Mitty game plan started and ended with letting the 6-foot-8 Ripp feast as a driver and post-up scorer.
SAN JOSE — Mitty forward Gavin Ripp (10) scores a layup in the fourth quarter. Archbishop Mitty and Clayton Valley Charter played in a NorCal Division I playoff basketball game on Feb. 29, 2024 at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif. Archbishop Mitty won 48-37. (Joseph Dycus/Bay Area News Group)
The Monarchs, also buoyed by a couple of Tyler Jones (13 points) and Caeden Hutcherson 3-pointers, led 21-8 at the end of the first quarter.
CVC coach Frank Allocco said that earlier in the year, his team may have folded after the slow start. But the battle-tested Ugly Eagles kept their heads up and continued to attack the paint off dribble-handoff actions and high ball screens.
Elijah Perryman and James Moore took turns charging into the paint for finishes and Ripp fouls. They cut the deficit to 28-23 by halftime. Moore led all scorers with 15 points.
Ripp started the second half as he did the first, scoring three close-range hooks and layups. CVC responded by giving the ball to forward Justin Underwood, who drew Ripp’s fourth foul with half of the third left to play. With Mitty’s rim-protector out, the Ugly Eagles ran off a quick six points to cut Mitty’s lead to 34-29.
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“I’m super-proud of them, and I told them in the locker room that there’s not many teams playing at this time of year with a freshman and two or three sophomores in their top seven players,” CVC coach Frank Allocco said. “James Moore and our seniors took our program to new heights, with two section championships.”
But after d’Abreu Noronha provided a spark and four consecutive points, Clayton Valley was never able to rally. Mitty’s defense locked down the Eagles in the fourth, holding the visitors to five points.
It was the kind of dominant defensive performance that had Allocco calling Mitty worthy of being an Open team as “one of the three best teams in NorCal.”
A few moments after the final buzzer, Kennedy and his assistant coaches crowded into his office to watch the broadcast from San Ramon Valley, another team that could have made an argument to be in the Open, but will have to settle for a game in San Jose.
“Man, we’re in the semis, so I’m excited,” d’Abreu Noronha said.
SAN JOSE — Mitty coach Tim Kennedy speaks to his players during a fourth quarter timeout. Archbishop Mitty and Clayton Valley Charter played in a NorCal Division I playoff basketball game on Feb. 29, 2024 at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif. Archbishop Mitty won 48-37. (Joseph Dycus/Bay Area News Group)