While relieved to advance to
the semifinals, Renaissance Academy basketball Coach Sid Cooke was anything but
pleased with his team's performance.
In Tuesday's CIF Southern Section Division III quarterfinal, the Wildcats
allowed visiting Santa Fe to hang around well into the closing minutes of the
fourth quarter before pulling away for a 67-54 victory.
"We were just trying to slow the ball down to run time, but [the Chiefs]
were good enough to make us run," said Renaissance guard Josh Thomas of
the pressure the team faced in protecting a 59-51 lead with 2:30 to play.
"But we are also good at that [up tempo] game, so that's how we were able
to put it away."
The Wildcats were led by Thomas' 23 points, 11 of which came in the fourth
quarter to keep the lead hovering around double digits.
Renaissance also got big games from forward Hector Harold (17 rebounds) and
center Anthony Stover (15 points, 13 rebounds and eight blocks).
Justin Cook (14 points, nine rebounds, five assists, three blocks) even managed
to fill the stat sheet nicely despite running into foul trouble and taking only
three second-half shots.
Still, it was an unsightly 22 turnovers, combined with numerous missed
opportunities to put the game away earlier, that had Cooke fuming after the
game.
"We're not playing well -- [Santa Fe] really outplayed us in
stretches," he said. "If we can just get balance from everyone then
we're OK, but we're just not getting good play from everyone, as far as
decision-making.
"If we can get a total game, win or lose, I'll be happy."
Renaissance looked cohesive enough in the opening minutes, rushing out to a 6-0
lead on a Stover slam dunk, then going up 11-0 on Harold's three-pointer from
the wing just three minutes in.
After a down second quarter, the Wildcats found themselves up just 36-24 going
into halftime.
They led by just seven going into the fourth quarter after turning the ball
over 14 times in the middle quarters.
"The turnovers [hurt us], and we didn't play defense like we usually
do," Thomas said.
Renaissance (26-1), the No. 2 seed, relied on its best stretch of play early in
the fourth to stem the tide.
Cook scored his first two points of the second half on a putback, then found
Thomas with a length--of-the-court pass for a layup in transition.
Thomas hit a three-pointer to push the lead back to 56-42 with 5:05 to play.
Santa Fe (22-8) sabotaged its own comeback by making just three of 12
fourth-quarter free throws.
Next up for the Wildcats is a semifinal battle with sixth-seeded Perris Friday
night, at a site to be determined.