Playoff roundup: Venture Academy tops Natomas; Ripon Christian wins 13th section title
It took quite a team to finally derail the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championship hopes for the Natomas Nighthawks.
Led by 39 points from 6-foot-4 senior guard Mario Williams, top-seeded Venture Academy of Stockton outlasted Natomas 78-74 on Friday night at UC Davis to win the Division IV championship, the first such achievement in program history.
DaeLeon Lowe had 13 points and Toriano Woods 10 for the Mustangs (29-3).
Freshman guard Aeron Wallace led Natomas with 23 points, including seven 3-pointers. Team leader Manno Jenkins, a sophomore guard, had 21 points with five 3-pointers. Natomas trailed by 19 in the second half before making a late charge.
The Nighthawks (23-8) had their 10-game winning streak halted. They defeated No. 2-seeded Union Mine of El Dorado 86-69 in a semifinal to reach their first final since winning D-IV in 2014.
All section finalists advance to the CIF Northern California regionals starting next week. The CIF will release those brackets on Sunday.
Division V boys
Ripon Christian 67, Futures 47: Jace Beidleman, a 6-foot-9 senior center, had 18 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists and six blocked shots to help the top-seeded Knights race past the No. 6-seeded Knights of Sacramento, who came in with an 18-game winning streak.
Four players scored in double figures for Ripon Christian, which claimed its 13th section championship and its ninth in Division V.
Luke Crivello and Jake Vander Veen scored 15 points each and Mason Tameling had 12 for Ripon Christian (24-6), which has won 13 in a row. Junior guard Daniel Kozlov scored 23 points for Futures (26-6), which has risen quickly since going 9-15 in 2021.
Division VI boys
Stone Ridge Christian 91, Valley Christian 77: Junior guard Kassius Salazar had 31 points and seven rebounds to lead four players in double-figures for the top-seeded Knights of Merced, who won their first championship to dethrone the defending champion Lions of Roseville.
Daijon O’Neil scored 22 points and Brock Richards had 16. Tyler McCabe added 11 points and 12 rebounds for Stone Ridge (23-8), which opened in 2000.
Senior guard Chase Clary scored 23 points for Valley Christian (19-11). Senior forward Malachi Urena had 27 points and 10 rebounds.
This story was originally published February 23, 2024 at 10:19 PM.