SAN JOSE –Santa Teresa has been one of the highest-scoring teams in the Central Coast Section this season.
But in an unpredictable post-season that tends to confound prognostication, it was Palo Alto who lit it up on offense Thursday in a 64-49 victory at Santa Teresa in the NorCal Division IV quarterfinals.
No. 8 seed Palo Alto (20-8) moves on to play at No. 4 Union Mine on Saturday in the NorCal semifinals. Union Mine is located in El Dorado, just outside Placerville.
“The guys were excited to still be playing, it’s an honor to play in the state playoffs,” Palo Alto coach Jeff LaMere said. “It’s a very close group. We have a tough, resilient, gritty group.”
Palo Alto’s Jorell Clark (12) takes a shot against Santa Teresa in the first quarter for their CIF NorCal Division IV quarterfinal game at Santa Teresa High School in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Palo Alto torched Santa Teresa’s zone defense in the first half, making 14 of 29 field-goal attempts and knocking down six 3-pointers in taking a 34-20 lead at the break.
No. 1 seed Santa Teresa (20-8) came out flying around in a fullcourt press in the third quarter and got the tempo going its way, cutting the Palo Alto lead to five on a couple of occasions.
But the Saints could get no closer. Palo Alto settled itself down in the fourth quarter, spreading the court and moving the ball quickly before double teams could arrive.
“They handled our pressure well,” Santa Teresa coach Patrick Judge said. “We came out tight, Palo Alto came out loose. At the end we ran out of gas. They hit some big shots, run-stoppers late in the shot clock. Hats off to them, Palo Alto’s a great program, and that’s what we’re trying to build here.”
Palo Alto’s Jorell Clark (12) blocks a shot against Santa Teresa’s Kenny Zuniga (22) in the second quarter for their CIF NorCal Division IV quarterfinal game at Santa Teresa High School in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Santa Teresa scored 90 or more points in a game four times this season.
“Our mental attitude coming into the game, we’re the 8 seed, they’re the 1 seed, but in state that doesn’t matter,” Palo Alto center Aiden Hangebrauck, aka Big Red, said. “Defense is what we do, defense is what we’re taught. That’s how we got ourselves here to the state tournament.”
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Jorell Clark led all scorers with 20 points. He had 10 of Palo Alto’s 11 points in the third quarter, single-handedly keeping the Vikings in the lead in the face of Santa Teresa’s energized rally. He also had a slam off a steal in the middle of a 12-0 run in the first quarter that turned a 6-3 deficit into a 15-6 Paly lead.
Gavin Haase added 12 points for Palo Alto and Riley Yuen had 10, making three of his team’s seven 3-pointers.
Kenny Zuniga scored 18 points and Adam Nakai had 14 for Santa Teresa.
“I’m incredibly proud of my boys,” Judge said. “Coming in here late, getting hired in September, only having three, four months with these kids. An incredibly blessed season. I think they left it all out on the floor.”
Santa Teresa’s Alex Peoples (11) is fouled by Palo Alto’s Aiden Hangebrauck (22) in the fourth quarter for their CIF NorCal Division IV quarterfinal game at Santa Teresa High School in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Palo Alto boys basketball head coach Jeff LaMere celebrates a 3-point basket against Santa Teresa in the second quarter for their CIF NorCal Division IV quarterfinal game at Santa Teresa High School in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Palo Alto’s Jorell Clark (12) heads to the basket against Santa Teresa’s Alex Peoples (11) in the first quarter for their CIF NorCal Division IV quarterfinal game at Santa Teresa High School in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Santa Teresa’s Kenny Zuniga (22) dribbles against Palo Alto’s Gavin Haase (3) in the third quarter for their CIF NorCal Division IV quarterfinal game at Santa Teresa High School in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Palo Alto’s Jorell Clark (12) dunks against Santa Teresa in the first quarter for their CIF NorCal Division IV quarterfinal game at Santa Teresa High School in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Palo Alto’s Gavin Haase (3) takes a shot against Santa Teresa’s Kenny Zuniga (22) in the second quarter for their CIF NorCal Division IV quarterfinal game at Santa Teresa High School in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Santa Teresa High School boys basketball head coach Patrick Judge talks to his team during a break in action against Palo Alto in the third quarter for their CIF NorCal Division IV quarterfinal game at Santa Teresa High School in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Santa Teresa’s Alex Peoples (11) fights for a loose ball against Palo Alto’s Gavin Haase (3) in the second quarter for their CIF NorCal Division IV quarterfinal game at Santa Teresa High School in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Palo Alto’s Tyler Wong (2) dribbles against Santa Teresa’s Casey Tran (2) in the first quarter for their CIF NorCal Division IV quarterfinal game at Santa Teresa High School in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Santa Teresa’s Alex Peoples (11) scores a 3-point basket against Palo Alto in the third quarter for their CIF NorCal Division IV quarterfinal game at Santa Teresa High School in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)