Bagley and the boys are in cruise control as Sheldon rolls into section finals
This one was so heated that even the coaches worked up a good, sweaty lather.
Steve Taylor looked as if he’d gone through a gauntlet of defensive pressure with a piano and scorer’s table on his back. The Rocklin High School basketball coach wiped away sweat from his brow, exhaled and then showed sportsmanship when the final horn sounded. He took a moment to congratulate each Sheldon starter for a season and game well done.
Looking at times like the best defensive team and most athletic and bouncy lot in Northern California, top-seeded Sheldon led big early Tuesday night and then held off the gritty Thunder late to win a Sac-Joaquin Section Division I semifinal 73-55.
Sheldon advances to Friday’s 8 p.m. title bout at Golden 1 Center against second-seeded Capital Christian, which beat Weston Ranch 77-59 in the other semifinal.
“I told the Sheldon players that I hope they win it all,” Taylor said. “It’s the first time we’ve ever faced them in the history of our school (which opened in 1992). They were as good as advertised. They play so well together. Great defense. Can do it all.”
Sheldon (26-5) is a complete unit again. Everyone is healthy for a state championship push. Players have been in and out of the lineup this season with an assortment of injuries. This includes Marcus Bagley, the Huskies’ superb 6-foot-8 do-all marvel headed to Arizona State on scholarship.
The senior scored 20 points and yanked down 15 rebounds. He delivered thunderous dunks and crisp passes. He contested shots and hit 3-pointers. Bagley missed some Delta League games with a foot ailment but returned for the playoffs.
“It’s good to be back,” Bagley said with a smile.
Defense has long been the trademark for Sheldon coach Joey Rollings. Defense sets up steals or rebounds which often leads to dunks. Sheldon threw down its share against Rocklin — Bagley, Xavion Brown, Dontrell Hewlett each finished with a snap of the rim. Josh Williams, Xavier Brown, Darren Tobias and Yaru Harvey have all dunked this season, and they regularly provide skill, experience and depth.
It often starts with Williams, the steady, defensive-minded senior guard who sets up the offense. He had 14 points and five rebounds. Xavion Brown had 13 points, including two tremendous crowd-pleasing dunks, and Xavier Brown had 10 points and eight rebounds. Hewlett had 12 points and six boards.
Sheldon looked positively unbeatable in storming to a 16-6 lead, then led 39-25 at the half and 47-29 after Bagley hit back-to-back long 3’s. Rocklin refused to buckle. The Thunder (25-6) cut it to 63-53 with 3:35 to play but Sheldon roared from there, with Williams hitting two free throws, Xavion Brown powering inside for two buckets and Bagley muscling in for a putback for a 71-53 lead with 1:12 to go. Hewlett’s dunk made it 73-55.
“That’s basketball, up and down,” Rollings said. “We’ve got to keep doing what we do. Defensively, for the most part, we did a great job.”
Sheldon is in a section D-I final for the ninth time since 2010, seeking its seventh such banner under Rollings. The Huskies are the defending section champion as well as the two-time defending CIF NorCal Open Division winner. Sheldon beat Capital Christian 88-68 on Jan. 18 in the Adidas Challenge showcase at Sheldon as Williams scored 24 and Bagley 22.
“We don’t want Friday to be the last time we celebrate at Golden 1,” Bagley said, alluding to the fact that the CIF State finals are also at Golden 1 next month.
Rocklin’s season is not complete, just its section season. The Thunder will be in the NorCal D-I or II playoffs, and they will be a difficult out. Against Sheldon, Rocklin was paced by Donovan Lopez’s outside shooting and 18 points and the inside skills of Handte Reinecke, who had 16.
“This loss will make us better,” said Taylor, the Rocklin coach. “It’s great to be back at this level (after some lean recent years). We’ll learn and we’ll grow and we’ll be back.”
SAC-JOAQUIN SECTION PLAYOFFS
Division I
Sheldon 73, Rocklin 55
Capital Christian 77, Weston Ranch 59
Friday’s championship at Golden 1 Center:
No. 1 Sheldon vs. No. 2 Capital Christian, 8 p.m.
Division II
Grant 61, Whitney 54
St. Mary’s 48, Jesuit 42
Thursday’s championship at Golden 1 Center:
No. 6 Grant vs. No. 5 St. Mary’s, 8 p.m.
Division III
Vanden 68, Golden Valley 59
Central Catholic 48, Wood 34
Friday’s championship at Golden 1 Center:
No. 1 Vanden vs. No. 2 Central Catholic, 4 p.m.
Division lV
Sonora 52, Calaveras 38
Liberty Ranch 62, Union Mine 61
Thursday’s championship at Golden 1 Center:
No. 3 Liberty Ranch vs No. 1 Sonora, 4 p.m.
Division V
Brookside Christian 80, Argonaut 59
Bradshaw Christian 60, Denair 45
Friday’s championship at Golden 1 Center:
No. 2 Bradshaw Christian vs No. 1 Brookside Christian, noon
Division Vl
Ripon Christian 72, Alpha Charter 35
Stockton Christian 73, Foresthill 68
Thursday’s championship at Golden 1 Center
No. 2 Stockon Christian vs No. 1 Ripon Christian, noon
This story was originally published February 26, 2020 at 6:45 AM.