BOYS' PREP BASKETBALL: Win streak puts Gunn back in title contention

Titans earn CCS berth by surprising division-leading Saratoga

by Craig Wentz

WWith a new coach and limited varsity experience, the expectations weren't very high for this season's Gunn High boys' basketball team. But with three games left in the regular season, the Titans already have clinched a postseason berth and are challenging for their first league crown since 1981.

The Titans (5-4, 13-8), under first-year coach Mike Stack, are peaking at the right time of the season. They have a three-game win streak and are in the thick of the SCVAL El Camino Division race.

Gunn clinched its first playoff spot in six years after surprising host Saratoga, 56-50, in an important division matchup last Friday.

The win also pulled the Titans into title contention as five teams are within a half-game of first place.

Gunn plays two title-contending teams in its final three games to finish the regular season. It hosted Mountain View (5-3) Tuesday and will host Cupertino (5-3) on Feb. 20. But no matter how the Titans finish, they already have reached their goal of making the postseason.

"At the start of the year, we wanted to make sure we made the playoffs," said Stack. "But we've had a couple of tough losses this year and it's been a roller coaster ride."

After jumping out to an impressive nonleague start, Gunn started a wave of inconsistency with a roster at less than full-strength. In late January, the Titans were 2-2 in league, upset SCVAL De Anza Division co-leader Palo Alto by a point, then promplty dropped their next two league games.

But after getting center Dave Enemark back from illness (he missed five games), utilizing balanced scoring and limiting turnovers, the Titans are showing signs of a championship-caliber team.

"For the first time in league (season), we're at full strength and now we can rotate our post players," Stack said. "We just go out and play basketball and do the best we can."

The move to the El Camino Division has helped the Titans' drive to the playoffs and it's hard to argue whether Gunn could compete in the De Anza Division. Gunn shocked Paly and Stack figured out that El Camino teams are 7-2 against the De Anza Division this season.

Three Titans scored in double figures against Saratoga. Junior Jamar Barnett led Gunn with 12 points, while junior Tom Sikic and senior Fred Shepherd added 11 and 10 points, respectively.

De Anza Division

Palo Alto (8-1, 16-7) had little trouble in disposing host Los Gatos last Friday, 68-38 as the Vikings used a 26-6 fourth-quarter blitz to ensure victory and set up Tuesday's showdown for first place against Milpitas (8-1).

If Paly beat Milpitas, the Vikings would have split its season series against the Trojans and most likely will need to defeat both Los Altos and Lynbrook to finish the regular season with no-worse than a share of the divison crown.

Juniors Lucas Danna and Dave Persyko led Paly last Friday with 15 and 10 points, respectively.

PAL

Menlo-Atherton (6-3, 14-7) went from sole possession of first place into a four-way tie for second in the span of 54 hours, after losing 73-70 in overtime at Carlmont last Friday. The win gave Carlmont (5-4) the series sweep over M-A. William Brown (21 points) and Kwazar Thibeaux (17) led the Bears offensively.

After beating rival Woodside two weeks ago, the Bears have lost consecutive games to San Mateo and Carlmont and are a game out of first with four league games remaining. M-A plays at Hillsdale (6-3) Wednesday at 3:15 p.m.

PSAL

The big game on the PSAL schedule this week is the showdown Friday between first-place Fremont Christian (8-0) and Menlo (7-1) in Atherton. But the game won't be as monumental if Menlo suffered a loss to rival Sacred Heart Prep on Tuesday.

Menlo entered this week's critical games after pounding Redwood Christian, 60-48, in San Leandro last Friday. The Knights used a 43-17 first-half run en route to the easy victory.

Senior Zach Knox led Menlo with 17 points as fellow seniors Kansas Henderson and Dave Nelson added 15 and 14 points, respectively.

Sacred Heart (4-5, 11-10) kept its playoff hopes alive with a 78-47 whipping of Woodside Priory last Friday in Woodside. For the Gators to receive an automatic invite, they have to win one of their final three games against Menlo, Valley Christian-Dublin or Fremont Christian.

Junior Sean Mackinnon led Sacred Heart last Friday with 21 points, with sophomores Dane Holderman and Rolando Ramirez adding 17 and 14 points, respectively.

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