WALNUT CREEK, CA – In the most symbolic of moments for this season’s Las Lomas boys basketball team, Devin Payne corralled a rebound, fired it all the way down court to Robert Prince, who in turn put up a pass for Nate Robinson to scoop up and slam home to the delight of an euphoric crowd.
Robinson scored 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and Prince tallied 24 points, eight boards, and five assists as Las Lomas defeated Archbishop Mitty 84-70 to advance to the CIF Boys Division I NorCal championship game.
“These guys are just building more and more confidence every game,” Las Lomas coach Brian Dietschy said. “They’ve played together a long time and their bond just gets tighter, and their will gets more every game. I’ve been saying let’s attack the bucket, let’s get to the free throw line, let’s get them in foul trouble, make the guard us, and that’s what we did.”
Payne added 17 points and Jason Holman 12 for the No. 2 Knights (30-3), who last trailed when it was 13-12. Las Lomas then went on a 15-0 run that spanned two quarters and lasted over five minutes. The 7-point first quarter cushion grew to 11 by the half, as much as 19 in the third, and never dipped below 14 thereafter.
“They really came out and punched us in the mouth,” Mitty coach Tim Kennedy remarked. “They got pretty comfortable looks…those three guys are a three-headed monster. They started attacking us and we didn’t have good position.”
Mitty star Riley Grigsby scored 16 points to go with 10 rebounds and two blocks, but he was limited by foul trouble and an aggressive Knights’’ defense. Devan Sapp struck from downtown four times and finished with 22 points, and Joseph Vaughn chipped in eight points for the No. 3 Monarchs (13-17).
“We just worry about the next game and constantly stay humble and focused,” Robinson commented. “(Grigsby) caused us a few problems in the beginning but towards the second half we adjusted. We made some switches and found a way to get it done.”
Las Lomas hit nine three-pointers and was particularly effective from the line, going 21-for-23, while Mitty converted six from downtown and made 6-of-9 free throws. Prince and Robinson traded quarters on the offensive assault. Prince had eight in the first and 10 in the third, while Robinson scored nine in the second and 12 in the fourth.
Prince said defense and team chemistry has been key for the Knights. “We don’t want to see each other scored on, so…we do everything to get that stop,” he said. “We move the ball a lot. We want to make sure everybody touches it.”
Las Lomas hadn’t advanced to the NorCal Finals since 1988, when Dietschy was a sophomore on that Knights squad which lost to Jefferson.
The home crowd turned out strong for Las Lomas, filling the parking lot well before game time and swarming the court at the sound of the final buzzer.
“There is probably the toughest crowd we played in all year, the toughest environment so far,” Grigsby said, adding that rebounding from a rough start (2-12) to make it to this game was “something to be proud of.”
“When we reflect back on the season, we finally put it together in certain parts but consistency was the biggest thing for us this year,” Kennedy noted.
Las Lomas will face No. 8 Palo Alto at the Leavey Center at Santa Clara University on Saturday at 4 p.m. for the NorCal championship game.
“We’re on hallowed ground,” Dietschy added. “It seems like a faraway dream, and then when you’re one or two games away you’re like, Wow, it’s right here. I think we all feel it’s right there before us.”
