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Tayo Sobomehin drives to the basket. Photo taken Feb. 26, 2022 by T. Mallie Brathwaite. -
Steve Emeneke looks for a scoring opportunity. Photo taken Feb. 26, 2022 by T. Mallie Brathwaite. -
Priory defeated Stevenson 52-42 to win the Central Coast Section Division V boys basketball title. Photo taken Feb. 26, 2022 by Rick Eymer.
Tayo Sobomehin and Oliver Conn each made four free throws in the final minutes in helping the Priory boys basketball team win the Central Coast Section Division V championship. The Panthers downed Stevenson 52-42 to earn their fourth D-V title, all since 2015.
Priory (16-11), which qualified for the Open Division last season, has appeared in 10 CCS championship games since 2002.
“We lost two good seniors and guys had to step up,” Priory coach David Moseley said. “These guys stepped the heck up.”
Junior Clint Smith scored 18 points, all on 3-pointers, to lead Priory (16-11), which advances to the NorCal tournament that gets underway Tuesday. The seeding meeting is Sunday.
Sobomehin was the catalyst for the Panthers, directing the offense. The junior point guard scored eight points, all in the second half, each time when Priory needed a boost.
“Tayo has played all 32 minutes in three consecutive games,” Moseley said. “He makes things happen.”
His two free throws with 38.8 seconds remaining to play gave Priory an eight-point lead. Oliver Conn added a pair of foul shots with 20.7 showing on the clock.
Sophomore Steve Emeneke, a 6-foot-9 post player, scored eight points, had nine rebounds and blocked three shots. He also forced several bad shots.
Junior Walker Rust and freshman Ryder Bush combined for seven steals. Rust made back-to-back steals and ensuing layups to spark a 16-point second quarter.
Smith scored 12 points in the first quarter, hitting all four 3-pointers he attempted. Conn finished with nine points and six rebounds.
Conn and Caleb Huffman, who contributed on defense, are the only seniors on the team.