Kenny Cress / Sports Writer | Posted: Thursday, March 11, 2004 12:00 am
This one will be nothing like Tuesday night.
That was St. Joseph boys basketball coach Ed Torres/ take on his team/s game tonight against Horizon of San Diego. This Southern California Division IV Regional semifinal of the CIF state championship playoffs tips off at 7:30 p.m. at Hancock College/s Joe White Memorial Gym.
KUHL 1440 AM will broadcast the game, with the pregame show starting at 7:05 p.m. Brad Memberto and Irvin Kiger will call the action.
Torres/ Knights (28-3) are the top seed in the Southern California Region. They defeated St. Bernard of Playa Del Rey 73-60 for the CIF Southern Section Division IV-AA title and then routed Central Section runner-up Caruthers 90-50 at Hancock in the first round of the regional Tuesday night.
Fourth-seeded Horizon is the two-time defending Division IV state champ. Horizon won its division in the San Diego Section this season.
"These players are much more skilled," then Caruthers/ were, said Torres. "Being the No. 1 seed, we got to play the No. 8 seed. Now we/ll play the No. 4 seed."
Second-seeded Verbum Dei of Los Angeles and third seed San Joaquin Memorial of Fresno play in the other regional semi tonight. The winners tonight play for the regional championship at 7 p.m. Saturday at Cal State Fullerton.
The regional champion plays for the state title against the Northern California Regional winner at 4 p.m. March 19 at ARCO Arena in Sacramento. San Joaquin Memorial beat Caruthers 81-50 in the Central Section championship game.
This year marks the first time a St. Joseph boys basketball team has been this far, though the Knights did win a Southern Section title under Torres in 1998. That team lost to Lincoln of San Diego in the first round of the regional.
To make it to the regional championship game this year, "We have to control the tempo so it doesn/t become a halfcourt game," said Torres.
Stewart Kussler, St. Joseph/s senior 6-4 guard, came into the game Tuesday night fifth in the area in scoring at 18.4 points a game. However, guard-forward Joe Tilley, and guards Ryan Adlesh and Andrew Schmalbach, in a happy situation for Torres, also average in double figures.
"The defense can/t key on any one guy," Torres said. "It/s kind of pick your poison." All year, the Knights have been adept at generating turnovers with their trapping defense, working well off the ball to get easy inside shots and hitting their outside shots.
Brandon Merlo, St. Joseph/s other starter, has been giving the Knights productive defense, often against some of the better opposing shooters. St. Joseph/s reserves have been solid.
As for the Knights/ San Diego-based counterparts, "The player carrying them recently has been Quincy Robinson, a 6-2 guard-forward.," Torres said. "Lately their philosophy has been Robinson on the perimeter, penetrating or giving it to one of the big men. They have two post players, 6-6 and 6-7."
Kussler and Tilley, who/s also 6-4, are the tallest Knights.
"This year was supposed to be a rebuilding year for them, but they/re obviously well-coached. They/ve obviously improved since December, since they won their section.
"They like to play man defense. Sometimes they will zone you and use their height.
"I thought we played very well (Tuesday night)," Torres said. "One of the keys to this winning streak, I think, has been getting out to a big early lead." The Knights certainly did that Tuesday. They were ahead 35-9 after one quarter.
At this point, "We/re confident but not cocky," said Torres.
March 11, 2004