Bradshaw Christian’s shock-and-awe tactics secure a spot in Division V title game
Before tipoff, Denair knew it faced an uphill battle against Bradshaw Christian in the San Joaquin Division V semifinals.
That hill became an impossibly craggy cliff side within minutes as the Coyotes felt the full force of 6-foot-8 senior forward Javion Cooper in a 60-45 Bradshaw Christian win.
An absolutely thunderous chase-down block rocked The Pride’s home gym, and when Cooper got loose for an open floor dunk seconds later, the crowd lost their collective minds. Denair almost did too.
“We just got nervous after a couple blocks. We just haven’t seen a guy like (Cooper),” Denair senior wing Hayden Feldman said. “We haven’t seen any dunks. The only dunk we’ve seen was me, on our team, and that’s the second dunk so it shook us a little bit.”
Shock and awe was the game plan, said Bradshaw Christian head coach Mike Williams.
“Come out and play hard and get after them real quick,” Williams said. “Punch them in the mouth and see what happens.”
Cooper scored only eight points, but he was a terror on defense all night. He collected a handful of blocks, each more deflating to Denair’s chances than the last. Williams said the team’s defense is built around funneling opponents toward Cooper and his 7-foot wingspan.
Denair didn’t go down without a fight. The team resorted to long-range shots, and many of them fell. Almost half of the team’s first-half points came from 3-pointers.
But Bradshaw Christian did its own damage from deep, mostly on the strength of junior guard Jeremiah Capel. The curly-haired Capel raced around the court in blistering neon orange shoes, often hurling fire from the deep left corner.
“Our defense was really just sparking. I loved it. If you watch the film you see me get hyped because of our defense,” said Capel, who finished with 15 points, including four 3-pointers. “I just got in a rhythm.”
Denair senior forward Jordan Smith-Sires kept the game tight by scoring 14 second-half points. His total of 16 was a team high. Senior wing Elvis Silva chipped in eight.
Bradshaw Christian junior guard Jaylen Patterson led all scorers with 18. His cousin, sophomore guard Ethan Patterson, added 10.
“We really met a good opponent,” said Denair head coach R.J. Henderson. “We ran into a well-coached, mature team that added some size.”
While both teams played very differently, one thing they had in common was their school colors. The stands were filled with supporters from both sides, all in purple.
But the two purple jerseys were different too. Bradshaw Christian’s had an artistic camouflage pattern and carried an Adidas sponsorship at the collarbone. Denair’s certainly lacked a big-name sponsor.
Henderson chalked that up to the funding differences between public and private schools. But in the end, he offered no excuses for his team’s performance.
“I don’t really care what the jerseys look like,” Henderson said. “They were just better – their guys wearing their jerseys were better tonight”
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