Stand and bow for the last team standing – the Sheldon Huskies.

Bounding into the Northern California Division I Regional playoffs as the region's best large-school hope of shedding the image that the local lads cannot handle the pedigree and skills of those from the Bay Area, the host Huskies flexed some of that muscle and grit Thursday night.

It wasn't a statement, just more of the same as the Sheldon boys took out Santa Teresa of San Jose 76-57 Thursday night in front of a packed house in south Sacramento.

Sheldon, which has won 13 straight games, now gets exactly what it has geared its season and program for, a shot at one of the standard bearers in high school basketball in Saturday's semifinals. The Huskies, seeded third, will play De La Salle of Concord either in the Spartans' bandbox gym or at Saint Mary's College in nearby Moraga.

Sheldon (24-7) would take them on in a park, on the blacktop or in a back alley. De La Salle, the winner of four NorCal titles under famed coach Frank Allocco, is the last team to beat the Huskies this season, a slugfest three-point decision at Cal in a Martin Luther King Day showcase.

De La Salle exhibited its trademark stifling defense to beat Granite Bay 51-39 Thursday. Also, Oakland beat Jesuit 73-57, and top-seeded Castro Valley held off Franklin 68-63. Sheldon beat Granite Bay by two on the last play in a thrilling Sac-Joaquin Section semifinal.

Sheldon is tough to defend with its size, athleticism and experience.

"We're right where we want to be," Sheldon coach Joey Rollings said. "We're in the same spot we were last year, but we're better. We can beat them. We have to take care of the ball, can't take stupid shots. That's a great program."

Sheldon has emerged as a top-tier one, too, particularly locally and in the section, where it has won three banners since 2007. The missing piece is a NorCal title game berth. This is the year to do it, players and coaches said.

Darius Nelson scored 24 points, D'erryl Williams 15, Ramon Eaton 15 and Dakarai Allen nine to lead Sheldon, appearing in the NorCal playoffs for the first time.

Santa Teresa, bearing the mascot Saints with two Priests to boot, needed all manner of great prayer to keep up with this bunch. Saints coach Mitch Priest could not get son and leading scorer Trevor Priest uncorked as he faced a hounding defense. He scored all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter.

"Defense won it for us, and we had a great second half," Rollings said.

In a raucous gym that included dueling bands, dueling cheerleaders with halftime back-flip competitions, none of it was boring. Sheldon never bores with its ability to run the floor or pound away inside. But few teams run at will against De La Salle. The stomping, fuming Allocco won't allow it.

Sheldon vows to match defensive wits with the Spartans and to go toe-to-toe offensively, particularly with Nelson.

"The first time we played them," Rollings said, "Darius had his worst game of the year. He shot five airballs. He never shoots five airballs."

Sheldon was also a bit road-weary from its national tournament tour, though the Huskies will not use that as an excuse.

"We've worked too hard to stop now," Nelson said proudly. "This is what we've prepared for."

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