SANTA CLARA –For all the X’s and O’s, for all the strategy, for all the back-and-forth and half-court sets and full-court presses, the Central Coast Section Division I boys basketball championship game came down to that tedious exercise most teams do every day at the end of practice.
Shooting free throws.
Nothing flashy, nothing that makes the highlight reel. But there’s nothing more important than making them with the game on the line.
Scotty Brennan stepped to the foul stripe with 13 seconds left in a tie game and knocked down a pair to give Los Gatos a two-point lead.
“Honestly, I took a deep breath and said, `remember, I can shoot free throws, they’re free points so I might as well take them,” Brennan said “And I was lucky enough to settle myself down.”
“He’s such a tough kid,” Los Gatos coach Nick Ward said. “He’s tough physically, tough mentally. He works so hard in football and in basketball. He’s the guy you want at the line in that spot.”
Los Gatos head coach Nick Ward pauses for a moment of reflection after Los Gatos beat Menlo Atherton, 58-54, during the Central Coast Section Division I championship game at Santa Clara High School Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Los Gatos, Calif. (Photo by Jim Gensheimer)
After a Menlo-Atherton 3-point attempt rimmed out, Anthony Martin made two more from the line with 2.3 seconds left to provide the final margin for Los Gatos in a 58-54 victory and the second CCS boys basketball championship in school history Saturday at Santa Clara High.
Los Gatos (21-6) was 22 of 28 at the line for the game. Menlo-Atherton (20-7) was 12 of 23.
“We lost by four and we missed (11) free throws,” M-A coach Mike Molieri said. “That makes it tough to beat a team like that. That was the difference.”
At the game’s outset, Los Gatos looked ready to play. The Wildcats led by as much as 15 at 26-11 after a 3-pointer by Max Brin.
But M-A, a team that relies on emotion and emphasizes defensive pressure, can make up deficits in a hurry. The Bears scored the final six points of the second quarter, and then went on a blitz to start the third quarter.
Jack Anderson’s slam off a steal ignited the run. Jacob Sutton followed with a layup off another steal. Then it was Anderson on a 3-pointer, on a drive, on another 3-pointer and with a three-point play off a post-up to give M-A a 34-32 lead.
“We realized our season was on the line,” Anderson said. “Obviously there’s nerves involved and it took us a while to get adjusted. Once we got into our rhythm … we’ve got to play like that the whole game. We need a full game effort like we showed in the second half.”
Menlo Atherton’s Justin Moore (1) shoots against Los Gatos’ Ronan Chinmulgund (13) in the first quarter during the Central Coast Section Division I championship game at Santa Clara High School Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Los Gatos, Calif. (Photo by Jim Gensheimer)
Martin tied it with a pair of free throws before Trevor Cadigan nailed a 3 to give the Bears their biggest lead of the game at 37-34, a shot that capped a 26-8 run.
But Los Gatos dug down deep and uncovered the resilience needed to withstand the M-A onslaught, scoring the final four points of the third quarter (all on free throws) and regaining the lead.
“Hats off to number 2 (Anderson),” Brennan said. “He’s a hell of a player and kind of got their team back in the game. From thereon we had to settle in, remember our coaching and lock in.”
There were four lead changes and four ties in the fourth quarter. The score was even at 50-50, 52-52 and 54-54. The difference? Los Gatos went 8 of 9 at the line while M-A was 7 of 12.
Brennan scored 16 and Nolan Koch 15 for Los Gatos. Anderson had a game-high 20 for M-A. Justin Moore scored 15 and Cadigan had 11.
Menlo Atherton’s John Anderson (2) shoots against Los Gatos’ Osha Moloney (2) in the second quarter during the Central Coast Section Division I championship game at Santa Clara High School Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Los Gatos, Calif. (Photo by Jim Gensheimer)
It was the second meeting between the two teams this season. M-A came out on top in the season opener, 53-47, but Los Gatos was without Brennan in that game, as the son of former San Jose State football coach Brent Brennan was still with the Los Gatos football team, which made a long postseason run, all the way to the state finals.
Now that his dad has taken over as the head coach at the University of Arizona, Scotty Brennan, a junior, was asked when he was going to relocate to Tucson:
“As of right now I’m going to stay in Los Gatos, California,” he said. “So I’m going to stay with this team another year, with this school another year, so. I’m pretty excited.’
Los Gatos fans celebrate scoring on Menlo Atherton in the second quarter during the Central Coast Section Division I championship game at Santa Clara High School Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Los Gatos, Calif. (Photo by Jim Gensheimer)
Los Gatos head coach Nick Ward signals to his players against Menlo Atherton in the second quarter during the Central Coast Section Division I championship game at Santa Clara High School Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Los Gatos, Calif. (Photo by Jim Gensheimer)
Los Gatos celebrates after beating Menlo Atherton, 58-54, during the Central Coast Section Division I championship game at Santa Clara High School Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Los Gatos, Calif. (Photo by Jim Gensheimer)
Los Gatos’ Anthony Martin (21) seals the victory with a free-throw against Menlo Atherton in the fourth quarter during the Central Coast Section Division I championship game at Santa Clara High School Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Los Gatos, Calif. (Photo by Jim Gensheimer)
Menlo Atherton soaks in the loss against Los Gatos during the Central Coast Section Division I championship game at Santa Clara High School Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Los Gatos, Calif. (Photo by Jim Gensheimer)