Motivated by its own past success, Campbell Hall of North Hollywood is two victories shy of what could be its third state basketball title in four years, and the Vikings remain poised even though the pressure continues to build.
It’s difficult not to look past tonight’s opponent, San Joaquin Memorial of Fresno, in the Southern California Regional Div. IV final at 7 at Mater Dei in Santa Ana. But when you have so much talent, especially in the form of national player of the year candidate Jrue Holiday, and so much momentum and tradition, it would be quite a surprise – not to mention a grand disappointment – if top-seeded Campbell Hall (29-5) does not take care of business.
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Besides UCLA-bound Holiday, who averages 25.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game and is closing in on the area’s career scoring record, many of the other key faces who played a key role in last year’s state-championship run are back: fellow senior Dallas Rutherford, who averages 16.7 points per game and has been offered a Cal State Northridge scholarship; sophomore sensation James Johnson, a major force in the post who is averaging 14.7 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks; junior Keegan Hornbuckle, a 6-6 ½ forward who averages 8.6 points and eventually figures to be the third Hornbuckle brother sign a Division I scholarship.
Then you have freshman point guard Austin McBroom (6.7 points, 3.9 assists), who has steadily evolved into one of Valley’s top young talents, and it’s a pretty tight starting five.
Too good for San Joaquin Memorial? Probably. But there is too much to lose by taking anyone lightly, so expect Campbell Hall to be more focused than ever tonight. The dangling carrot of another state-championship berth means motivation should supersede overconfidence.
“We’ve got to come out and do what we do and stick to our game plan, and we should be all right,” Rutherford said. “Does each win build on the next one? I think so, especially for us seniors because every game could be our last high school game. so we’ll do whatever it takes to finish our careers with a win.”
Campbell Hall is 121-12 over the past four years (winning 27 games or more every season), rivaling only Harvard-Westlake of Studio City for being the Valley’s most successful dynasty ever.
“I want to say there’s no pressure. Let’s just say winning a state title is something we know we’re capable of doing,” Rutherford said. “We did it last year, and there is no reason why we shouldn’t do it again. I think we’re playing really well, we’re getting things together, and we’re doing what we have to do.”
And Rutherford swears he and his teammates have perspective, realizing a lot of local programs undoubtedly will go 100 years without getting to a state-championship game, much less winning one.
“It’s pretty special. Not a lot of high school players get to go there,” Rutherford said. “So we take it for what it is. It’s a lot of fun.”
There is the added factor of revenge, too. San Joaquin Memorial (26-9) eliminated Campbell Hall from in the second round of the state playoffs in 2006, one of two playoff losses in Holiday’s career.
If nothing else, San Joaquin Memorial has guts. The team has taken 52 charges this season and has won two tight regional games in a row after falling in the section final by two points to Garces of Bakersfield, the team Campbell Hall defeated Thursday by a score of 82-56.
“San Joaquin is very much like (Garces). They’re smaller and very physical,” Campbell Hall coach Terry Kelly said. “They like to run up and down the floor and play man-to-man defense.”
gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com
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HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Southern California Regional finals
Today at Mater Dei High in Santa Ana
Div. IV
Campbell Hall (29-5) vs. San Joaquin Memorial (26-9), 7 p.m. – Campbell Hall’s Jrue Holiday is 58 points shy of breaking the all-time Valley scoring record, as Campbell Hall looks to qualify for another state final after winning in 2005 and 2007.
PHOTO: JRUE HOLIDAY
