BOYS BASKETBALL: State boys Division V Championship

Renaissance looking for title

By Scott Galetti, Staff Writer
They might be 389 miles apart, but Renaissance Academy and The Branson school of Ross have reached common ground - the hardwood at Arco Arena.
The two schools will meet today at 11:15 a.m. in the CIF State Division V championship game.
Branson is going after its third consecutive state title, and the Wildcats are looking for their first and the first by a West San Gabriel Valley school.
"We have a lot of respect for what they've done," Renaissance Academy coach Sid Cooke said.
The two schools have traveled similar paths in recent years in terms of having to clear a particular hurdle.
Renaissance Academy suffered painful losses to Price in the 2005 and 2006 CIF-Southern Section Division V-A championships before finally getting past the Knights in last week's Southern California regional final.
The Bulls lost to Modesto Christian two consecutive years in the NorCal finals before posting a victory that led to four consecutive section titles.
"We've had pretty good players, and the guys have been able to pass upon to the next group of guys how to win," Branson coach Jonas Honick said. "It had been a building process to win the Northern California Section title. The big deal was trying to get over the hump of beating Modesto Christian."
Honick, who is retiring after 27 seasons, has brought his team to the state finals with a mass of talent.
"We've done it with four different starting lineups, and I'm kind of proud of that," Honick said.
Today's game has the distinct feel of a David-vs.-Goliath confrontation, with the much taller Wildcats going up against the smaller, yet scrappy Bulls.
"They're bigger, stronger and faster at every position, but it's not going to be something we haven't seen," Honick said of the Wildcats' post trio of Anthony Stover, DeAndre Daniels and Hector Harold. "I'm not sure we're ready for the length and quickness of their whole team. That's going to be a big challenge for us."
To combat that, Honick is banking on the 6-foot-6 tandem of Curtis Elijah and Cody John to somehow contain Renaissance Academy's big men.
"They execute very well, they're very patient and don't make too many mistakes," Cook said. "They run their offense until they get what they want, kind of like La Cañada.
"We need to be a little more patient and communicate more because they set a lot of back screens."
Stover isn't quite sure what to expect, but is up for the challenge.
"We don't know too much about Branson because we haven't seen them play, but we're hoping to get up to Sacramento and play Renaissance basketball," he said.
Renaissance Academy is the third area boys team and fifth area team overall to compete for a state championship.
Alhambra's boys team was runner-up in 1922, and Pasadena Poly was the Division III runner-up in 1984.
Marshall Fundamental's girls team was a Division III finalist in 1983, and Muir's girls reached the Division II championship game in 1990.