BOYS BASKETBALL: Renaissance Academy vs. Price

By Scott Galetti, Staff Writer

There's an old saying, "Be careful what you wish for."
Renaissance Academy's boys basketball team fell one step short of competing for the CIF-Southern Section Division III-A championship with a loss to West Valley in the division semifinals.
The Wildcats (26-3) received a reprieve when they were selected as the No. 2 seed in the CIF-State Southern California Division V playoffs.
With tougher-than-expected victories over View Park Prep and Immanuel Christian, Renaissance Academy will face perhaps its toughest challenge of the season when it takes on CIF powerhouse Price (31-3) in today's Southern California title game at Mater Dei High at 3 p.m.
Price is no stranger to winning state championships after collecting the Division V title in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005.
"It's another good team with a great big man," Renaissance Academy senior guard Justin Cook said. "We've just got to have a good scouting report, work hard during practice, and shut them down."
Renaissance Academy is no stranger to Price either, and the acquaintance hasn't been a good one.
The Wildcats fell to the Knights 67-37 in the 2005 Division V-A championship game, and 66-27 in the 2006 finals.
Today's game is much more than a matter of revenge for Renaissance Academy.
"Not only that, it's a chance to get to the state finals up in Sacramento to get us a ring because we got knocked out for the (Southern Section Division III-A) championship," Cook said. "That's our main goal right now."
To be successful, the Wildcats must use big man Anthony Stover, who had 12 blocks against Immanuel Christian, to slow down Price's Tyreese Breshers, who had 21 points in a 61-41 win over Foothills Christian of El Cajon on Thursday.
Stover is anxious to get an opportunity to play the Knights.
"I'm looking forward to it," Stover said with a smile after Thursday's win. "Price has beaten Renaissance year after year after year in the Division V finals, and I never got to play, so I'm looking forward to getting after Price."