St. Anthony showed up to their CIF-SS Division 2AA semi finals matchup looking just as good as they’ve looked all season. The Saints traveled north up the 405 to Heritage Christian in Northridge, and dominated the entire game to capture a blowout win over the Warriors, 75-57.
The Saints will go on to face Rolling Hills Prep next week in their first appearance of a CIF-SS championship game since 2000.
“It feels great,” said senior Quincy Philips, who will get to play for a CIF-SS D4AA championship. “All my life I’ve been wanting a chance to win a championship so I’m glad that we get this opportunity.”
For St. Anthony coach Alan Mitchell, the Saints playoff run has meant all the more to him after the passing of his father earlier this year. Mitchell reminisced after the game of his team attending his father’s memorial service, and says they’ve come together this year as he has looked to honor his father after each of the Saints’ playoff wins.
“This means everything. It means everything. These boys showed up, man, the whole team was at my dad’s service and they showed love first, all of them. They’ve been doing everything I’ve needed them to do on and off the court. I just can’t wait to see what happens next and also where this will propel them in their life,” said Mitchell.
Both teams opened the first quarter in similar fashion, as two buckets either way found them knotted at five points apiece in the first few minutes. But as shots were unable to fall for the Warriors, St. Anthony was able to capitalize on the other end as they closed out the half on a 12-4 run to hold a 17-9 lead.
The Saints didn’t skip a beat coming out of the first as they continued their terror with a lopsided 26-9 second quarter. With time running out on the clock, JoJo Wicker contorted his body upwards to rise up for a three at the second half buzzer. Wicker finished with eight in the first half as St. Anthony held a 43-18 lead.
“It was really big for us (to find that lead) especially since we were away and not at our house. We just needed to have the same energy and add more in the second half,” said Wicker.
Heritage Christian came into the game with the height advantage over St. Anthony as the Warriors starting five consisted of six-foot-seven athletes Tae Simmons and Dillan Shaw alongside six-foot-five senior Deacon Perry. However, with heavy attention to the Saints guards along the perimeter, Wicker said he was able to find the soft spot in the paint despite the Warriors length.
“I saw that the whole paint was open because they were trying to hold (Phillips) and (Mike Cortez) on the outside because they caught on fire last game. So that was the plan for me to attack them down there.”
“Size doesn’t really mean too much. What’s the saying, the bigger they are the harder they fall,” added Mitchell about the size difference. “But that’s Pius and St. Bernard preparing us for stuff like that. Because again the length that we faced in the Del Ray league with those two teams is incredible. We knew (Heritage Christian) was really good, but we just had to see how tough they were first.”
The Saints grew a lead as big as 27 points in the beginning of the third quarter, as they were able to stay composed on the road to close out a dominant performance. Phillips helped weather the storm in the second half scoring eight of his thirteen points while shooting 7/8 from the line. Guard Darius Williams also came up big with 14 points.
“Leaders are leaders and when it’s time it’s time. Simple as that,” said Mitchell. “Those boys, they just gotta keep proving to themselves. That’s just to the work and the preparation.”
Dillon Shaw scored 17 points for the Warriors while Josiah Nance had 15 and Tae Simmons added 11.
Despite the hour-and-a-half drive over to Northridge, St. Anthony fans were heard loud and clear amongst the cheers in the Heritage Christian gym. Coach Mitchell credited the Saints fans in attendance who made the drive to watch their semifinal game.
“When you can quiet the home crowd on the road, it’s huge. Saints Nation and purple rain showed up. When we give them something to cheer about they’re the loudest people ever and it means everything to our team.”
St. Anthony’s championship game against Rolling Hills Prep will take place on either the 23rd or 24th with the location yet to be announced, but there’s one thing for sure: Saints fans will be there.
