Capo Valley Christian captures first CIF title defeating Palm Springs 43-33

Capo Valley Christian’s boys basketball players and coaches celebrate after winning the CIF title Saturday (Photos courtesy Mark Bausman, For OC Sports Zone).

It’s been a long time coming but Capistrano Valley Christian High’s boys basketball team can finally say it is a CIF champion.

To see the slide show, please click on the first photo

Riely Petronis made seven of eight shots and scored 15 points and had six rebounds to lead the No 3 seeded Eagles to a 43-33 victory over No. 4 seeded Palm Springs in the CIF Division 3A final Saturday afternoon at Azusa Pacific University.

Luke Powell had nine points, Blaine Petronis scored seven points and had six rebounds and Festus Ndumanya added six points, 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots as CVC earned it first CIF championship in basketball in the school’s 46-year history. 

“It still fresh and it won’t sink in until I’m home with my girls and family tonight,” said CVC Coach Christopher Childress. “Our guys were all over the place playing defense. They rebounded and kept the ball alive and they rallied behind each other.”

The Eagles (26-7), who finished second in the San Joaquin League, limited the Indians to their lowest output of the season and denied Palm Springs (26-6), the Desert Empire champions, from notching its first CIF title since 1973. 

CVC came out strong defensively to open the game. The Eagles allowed the Indians one shot on the offensive end and limited Palm Springs to just one basket in the opening quarter. Powell scored seven points in the first quarter as the Eagles jumped out to 13-2 lead after eight minutes of play.

CVC upped its lead to 19-4 following a bucket by Blaine Petronis at the 5:27 mark of the second quarter. Palm Springs got a lift from Elijah Good as he scored three consecutive baskets to cut the lead to 21-12 with 3:39 left in the half. However, the Petronis brothers added three more baskets down the stretch to extend their lead to 25-14 at the break.

The Indians cut the lead to nine points early in the third quarter, but the CVC defense tightened up and dominated and allowed Palm Springs only four more points the rest of the quarter. Ndumanya and Powell were outstanding on the defensive end as the Eagles increased its lead to 37-20 at the end of the quarter, following freshman Scottie McDowell’s layup in the final minute.

“It means a lot to me and the school to win this championship, “said Ndumanya, a 6-7 senior. 

CVC maintained its defensive pressure in the final quarter and never let Palm Springs make a serious run.

“We are close as a team,” said Blaine Petronis. “This is my first year here at the school and this championship means a lot. Our defense played really well and we didn’t give up a lot.”

Blaine Petronis’ twin brother, Riely, said he had a good feeling from the games outset.

“I felt like we took advantage of our size,” Riely Petronis said. “I felt good as the game started and decided I wasn’t going to take too many outside shots.”

Despite the setback, Palm Springs Coach Chris Howard was gracious in defeat.

“We’re disappointed, they are a good team and they beat us,” said Howard. “Our shots that our guys usually make just didn’t go in. They played a tough box and one on us and we weren’t expecting that and that threw us for a loop.”

Good, the Indians sophomore guard, led all scorers with 19 points, including five 3-pointers.

Entering Saturday’s final both teams were committed to an aggressive defense which they have successfully displayed all season. 

The Indians held 20 of their opponents this season to 50 or less points in a game and eight times under 40 points while the Eagles held opponents to 50 or less points 15 times and eight times under 40 points. 

The Indians shot 26.5 percent (13-49) in the game while the Eagles shot 46.3 percent (19-41). CVCS also held a 36-25 advantage on the glass.  

“Hopefully this championship shows people that we are a good basketball program even though we’re a small school,” said Childress. “We’re a small school but our kids, fans, parents and administration are A1.”

-Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone

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